Holly Rising
by walkswithwheels
Summary: "If she participated in that study, maybe she would finally be free… Free from not knowing her parents… Free from the bullying… Free from her mother's legacy…" AU, Part One in the Traveler Series
1. Traveler

**Welcome to another fan fiction, Holly Rising. Holly Rising is a bit different than what I usually post, and more details will be explained in the next chapter. For now, I do not own Pokémon, and enjoy!**

* * *

Prologue: Traveler

The traveler dragged herself into the Pokémon Center.

She was no stranger to being on the road, but it had been a long journey.

Now all she could think of was a long rest.

Of course, she wasn't going to get that so easily.

Not when almost all the people in the busy Center stared at her.

Yet, she didn't even have the urge to glare back.

After all, she couldn't blame them.

Who wouldn't stare at a Trainer with a noticeable limp, and whose legs now made an almost deafening noise as they dragged across the floor?

Who wouldn't stare at a Trainer whose left arm sunk to the ground while defiantly refusing to stay straight, and whose right arm almost followed suit?

Who wouldn't stare at a trainer followed by gods, yet they apparently did not help her at all?

Who wouldn't stare when given a chance to meet a celebrity?

After all, it wasn't every day that one just decided to limp into a public building.

But the traveler knew this was just how she was, and what her life had become.

Perhaps this was normalcy, even if other people didn't realize that.

The traveler sighed, remembering that she still had to get to the front desk.

The room wasn't going to offer itself.

Yet, she was reminded of her invisible enemy.

Pain shot through her entire body, a constant, unwelcome, visitor.

It burned like fire, scorching her from the inside out. At the same time, it was freezing like ice, and the traveler swore she couldn't feel her limbs. The pain shocked her like lightning, and made the traveler's body also feel like it was being eaten by a thousand tiny bugs. She registered her own shaking, but no one rushed to help.

She had expected any aid. After all, it was difficult to explain the phantom pain that constantly coursed through her body. At least, it was to someone that had never experienced it.

At best, the traveler was ignored, or given confused looks.

At worst, she was accused of lying.

So she learned not to bring up the subject over time. It wasn't like most people could really offer relief for the pain, anyway.

It wasn't even worth talking about, then.

Years ago, she would have been drowning in her agony.

But as time went by, she had grown used to it.

Now, she didn't even wince at the sensations that would normally make someone scream.

They were just a sign that she needed a place to rest.

And fast.

So the traveler strode up to the front desk of the Pokémon Center, fixing her gaze on the nurse there.

She did not miss the flash of concern present in the nurse's eyes.

Yet the traveler still did not react.

Concern was better than being ignored, she figured.

But the concern she'd seen over the journey was so misguided that oftentimes it was only an annoyance.

Still, this was one of the many things she'd gotten used to over the years.

She doubted it would change now.

The traveler assured the nurse that she was used what was happening, and politeness filled her voice as she asked if she could have a room.

The nurse rapidly obliged, coming out from behind the desk.

The traveler wondered if she could keep up with the able-bodied woman, but thankfully the nurse slowed her pace.

The traveler resisted the urge to heave another sigh.

At least she could count on others trying to go at her pace when they were concerned.

Although most still didn't understand her.

She didn't expect them to.

Trainers like her were a rarity, and perhaps, she was the only one.

But the traveler was jerked away from her thoughts as the nurse rapidly halted.

She gestured to an area in front of her, and the traveler nodded.

It was a bed, pristine and white, sheets tenderly pulled back. It was almost as if it was waiting for a weary Trainer like her.

Yet the traveler resisted the urge to frown.

The sterilized, brightly colored, beds in Pokémon Centers weren't her favorite. They reminded her of the days, weeks, even months, she'd spent in hospitals, her life in the hands of countless faceless nurses and doctors…

But she supposed this bed was better than sleeping on hard ground.

Even if she _did_ always carry blankets.

So the traveler thanked the nurse, briefly watching her leave.

As soon as the nurse was out of sight, the traveler dragged herself over to the bed.

She didn't even bother changing her clothes as she lay down in it.

The traveler pulled the covers over her head, so that there was nothing but blackness.

The blackness grew even stronger as she shut her eyes.

Within minutes, she drifted off into sleep.

But before long, she opened her eyes, realizing that she was somewhere else.

Or rather, that she was watching something occur somewhere else.

Trees now swayed in the wind, and the traveler breathed in their strong scent.

Even though the traveler knew she'd not gone outside, she could hear the sound of water flowing from a pond.

Several huge buildings lined her vision, such as a Pokémon Mart, a Center, a Gym, and even a Pokémon Lab.

To the north, she could faintly see an imposing forest, and to the west, the route that led to the towering Indigo Plateau.

This was Viridian, the city of evergreen.

And a place that was just like home to her.

The traveler longed to trapeze around the place, inhaling the scents and savoring her memories.

But it seemed that was not what her dream wanted to show her.

Instead, her vision focused on a girl, wandering around the city.

A traveler, just like her, it seemed.

But the girl wasn't alone.

She rode on a massive blue dinosaur with a huge pinkish-red flower on its back.

A Venusaur, the traveler knew.

Somehow no one noticed the huge Pokémon as it headed the Pokémon Center unhindered.

When it walked in front of the place, the rider said something the traveler couldn't hear.

The message was clear enough, though, as the giant beast halted immediately.

The girl slid off of its back, landing firmly on the ground.

Despite not even coming close to reaching the beast's head, the girl attempted to give her Pokémon a pat.

The giant Venusaur seemed to understand anyway, and only nodded reassuringly.

Its rider smiled back, before grabbing a Poké Ball.

Within minutes, the girl's Pokémon disappeared in a beam of red light.

Still smiling, the girl put the Poké Ball away somewhere.

Rapidly, she headed towards the Pokémon Center.

The Center's doors opened by themselves, and the girl disappeared inside the building.

The traveler disappeared too, the dream running its course.

She opened her eyes again, only this time, she was once again surrounded by the blackness of the Pokémon Center.

And there was yet another sensation.

One that made her stifle a groan.

She threw off the covers as the sensation revealed itself.

The traveler's nose stung and burned like fire, bleeding like a fountain.

Red filled the traveler's vision, a sticky substance staining the white bed.

The traveler resisted the urge to cringe.

Those poor nurses wouldn't be too happy with her now.

Or perhaps they would be used to it.

A Pokémon Center _was_ a hospital, after all.

And what was happening wasn't exactly uncommon…

But the traveler had no time dwell on her thoughts.

She rapidly rummaged through her supplies.

Her rummaging stopped when she came out with a handkerchief that she carried with her for such occasions.

Even in the darkness, the traveler was able to wrap the handkerchief around her nose, squeezing it tight.

Hopefully, the item would stop the wrathful flow of blood.

Yet, the effort was nothing but futile, as the blood ran right through.

Within minutes, the handkerchief was as stained red as the bedsheets.

The traveler let out a frustrated sigh, tossing the item aside.

She should have known that the handkerchief wouldn't help.

It never did, when she was like this.

Yet she still carried it around.

Force of habit, she supposed.

From the times when she didn't know what was going on.

When she knew hardly anything about herself.

The traveler would have to contact the nurses again.

And they would have to come and fix her up.

And then she would have to offer another confusing explanation for why she was now turning the Center's beds into a raging bloody mess.

The scenario was always the same, to the point where she could replay it in her head over and over.

If this was a play with lines, she would've had hers memorized.

It'd be a good idea to head towards the nurses now.

Yet despite everything, the traveler didn't move.

Instead, she paused, as her mind whisked her back to the dream.

It was just a young girl in Viridian, a traveler, like herself.

The young girl was just heading to the Center with her Pokémon. She would ask for a room, collapse into a bed, and probably continue to wherever else her journey took her the next day.

It was something the traveler had seen time and time again.

Yet this time, the encounter seemed different.

Something important.

Something ominous.

Her nose always released an ocean of blood when that was the case.

Of course, her fatigue could have muddled her thoughts.

But her nose would not bleed like it was now if such was true.

So, why did she have that dream?

What exactly had she seen?


	2. Culture Shock

**Welcome to my new fan fiction, Holly Rising! Let me start off by saying Holly Rising is a bit different than other fan fictions I've done. Holly Rising is actually a port of an RP done by the Artist's Zone user Wizardmonfan. This RP is known as A Kanto Adventure.**

 **For those who don't know, an RP is a type of game where one person posts a prompt on a message board. Then, a group of people post responses to those prompts based on a character they've created for the game. The prompts and those responses create a story. I am one of the people in the RP giving responses, and that is what makes up the story.**

 **What this means is that the writing will be a bit shorter and less detailed than what is typically seen, because RPs often need to be quickly responded to. Each chapter in this story is one post in the RP.**

 **This also means that this fan fiction will have a lot of author's notes, because I will be detailing the prompts in the RP before I write my response in this story. All prompts will be in italics.**

 **If this style does not appeal to you, consider giving this fanfiction a pass.**

 **I do not own Pokémon, and check the author's notes below for details. The prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, the creator of the RP. They are being summarized with permission for this story.**

 **Other than that, enjoy!**

 _The first prompt starts out relatively simple. Trainers are in Viridian City. A young researcher called Professor Pine has asked these Trainers to participate in a study. To do so, they have to train Pokémon, and compete in the Pokémon League. In order to help the Trainers get started, the trainers are given a Pokémon and Pokédex._

 _However, what the study contains is never revealed. Odd things begin to happen, and it easy to suspect there's some other, ominous, reason behind the study…_

 _But for now, the adventure begins, and it's time to introduce the main character…_

* * *

 **1\. Culture Shock**

Holly cracked her eyes open.

She expected to find the hustle and bustle of many people. Perhaps the catchy jingles of the department store would pierce her ears. Or maybe even the pings of her favorite place, the Game Corner.

But instead she heard only her own quiet footsteps. She could see a few people out her window, but not enough for many to be bustling around. Instead of things like a department store and a Game Corner, there were only trees. If Holly strained her ears, she could hear the sound of rushing water. She wasn't sure from where, though.

Holly sighed.

She always forgot that this was not Celadon.

No, this was a place far from it.

Viridian.

Why had she moved here again?

Oh right, there was that study from the professor…

If she participated in that study, maybe she would finally be free…

Free from not knowing her parents… Free from the bullying… Free from her mother's legacy…

Or rather, adoptive mother. She never knew who her real parents were.

Perhaps they weren't even alive. But it was still worth trying to find them.

Her adoptive mother, of course, had been hesitant to let her go. And of course she would be. As Celadon's Gym Leader, she would have to exercise caution with her citizens.

But somehow, Holly had convinced her.

And here she was. Stuck an area she knew nothing about.

But there was the ever so fleeting, tantalizing, chance of freedom.

And that's what she was truly here for.

Now it was time to take the first step.

The professor apparently had rare Pokémon, and Holly needed to go get one.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **-So say hello to Holly, my character in the RP, and the main character in the story. It's word noting that characters submitted for the original RP had to have a profile. This profile included a sample of how they would be written, with the prompt of them going getting the Pokémon from the professor. That part of the profile makes up the chapter.**

 **This profile contains the background information on Holly, so I so will post it here.**

 **For starters, Trainers had to be based on a pre-existing trainer model from the games or other media. I chose the unused female protagonist from the first generation of Pokémon games. She later made a proper appearance in the Pokémon Special Manga. The Trainers were required to be ages 13 to 15. Therefore, Holly is 13 years old. Also, trainers got any of the traditional starters in their second form. Each starter has an egg move. Holly's starter is Torracat, and its egg move is Revenge.**

 **Players are also required to list a brief history, as well as positive and negative traits of their character. Holly's are all in the rest of the profile, taken straight from the original RP:**

 **Good personality traits:**

 **-has a highly developed sense of empathy, especially for Pokémon; some suspect this may come from Erika, although Erika herself believes it's something more**

 **-is streetwise and has the ability to remain calm in tough situations; this is believed to be because she spends a lot of her life having to ward off attacks from bullies**

 **-seemingly instinctively good at Pokémon training and battling, even though she is not a particularly skilled trainer (initially); believed to have come from Erika, although some have their doubts**

 **-has incredibly high stamina, which is what allows her to pursue outdoor activities and sports**

 **Bad personality traits:**

 **-has a bit of problem with gambling and other games of chance, although it's not bad enough to be considered an addiction (games of chance also includes things that are highly based on luck, such a certain battle facilities, may also include facilities that would be added into areas that don't have any games of chance). Oftentimes she will play the games without realizing the consequences**

 **-she's not book smart in anything other than what she taught from Erika, her history, and Pokémon (this is why Erika becomes concerned when she wants to volunteer for the testing)**

 **-has difficulty trusting others and getting close to them due to her background. This is made worse because her high ability for empathy allows her to understand their emotions, but her lack of trust takes those emotions and makes her believe they are being used in the worst way possible**

 **-her background in going against tradition in Celadon also causes her to naturally rebel against other rules. However, Holly understands the importance of rules, and does not want them to be completely absent**

 **Interests and hobbies:**

 **-Enjoys outdoorsy things, though not necessarily taking care of plants (things like hiking, swimming, etc.)**

 **-Enjoys anything that involves fire; this includes something like the fire dances of Marowak**

 **-dream is to find out who her true parents are, and if they're even still alive**

 **-also dreams of earning respect and trust of others, even though she initially has difficulty being attached to anyone**

 **-enjoys almost any type of sport, human or Pokémon**

 **-eventually aspires to be a skilled sports player in something, although she doesn't entirely know what**

 **-enjoys games of chance, although she does have some skill in logic games as long as it's related to Pokémon (this is due to growing up and Celadon and simultaneously being under the influence of a Gym Leader)**

 **-enjoys history, especially family genealogies; most suspect this comes from her desire to know her own family origins**

 **Brief history: A young trainer adopted by Erika, Gym Leader of Celadon. She was told her parents died when she was young, and remembers nothing of them or her former hometown. In her current one, Erika raised her to be proficient in activities involving the Grass type, as well as traditional activities for Celadon (e.g. flower arranging and perfume making). However, Holly rejects those things in order to find her own path. This leads to her having the starter Torracat, and being a little less ladylike than her adoptive mother.**

 **Despite Erika's best efforts to protect her, Holly is constantly bullied. She's bullied mainly because of her connection to Erika, as well as the fact that she doesn't have any idea who her real parents are. She thinks her clue might lie in her connection to Torracat, but has no idea if that's the case. When she gets a chance to move to Viridian to go on a research project for a Pokémon professor, she jumps at the call. Holly hopes this will help her find her own path in life, find who her real parents are, and become strong enough so that she will never be bullied again.**


	3. Vines and Ivy

**Welcome to another installment of Holly Rising! From here on out, many of the prompts will have spoilers for what happens in the chapter. The parts that have spoilers will be detailed in the author's month after the chapter has concluded. These parts will still be in italics.**

 **As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of the Artist's Zone Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 _Now, onto the prompt…_

 _The next stop in the journey is Route 2, north of Viridian. There are many other Trainers here, as they prepare to enter the Viridian Forest. There are many Pokémon available here too, from all different regions. And many are ripe for catching…_

* * *

2\. Vines and Ivy

Route 2 was supposed to be a safe place, perfect for Trainers starting their journey.

But all Holly wanted was a battle.

Or a gambling hall. But she knew she couldn't find one here.

So it was a battle she would have to settle for.

Of course, there was plenty of luck in those.

The thrill of dodging an opponent's attack...

The frustration of her own being dodged…

And of course there were the deadly critical hits, and the rush of adrenaline they bought…

Yes, the luck-based part of battles made them interesting.

But what she really wanted was to test her new Pokémon.

And her bond with fire.

Holly didn't know why she bonded with fire.

Only that it spoke to her, drawing her to Torracat.

Her mother… She always hated fire… And she would always flinch and draw back when Holly drew near to it…

Holly couldn't really blame her, being a Grass type Trainer. She couldn't blame herself either, since she'd always been a rebel.

And the one she called mother wasn't her real one. Maybe the connection to fire would help her find her real parents.

Perhaps they were both Fire Pokémon Trainers? That would make sense…

But regardless of what type of Trainers they were, Holly had to find them.

And in order to find them she had to get stronger.

And in order to get stronger she had to battle.

Holly's eyes searched restlessly.

The Pokémon around here weren't very strong, but at least there should be something…

Suddenly, a Pokémon walked out of the grass.

The Pokémon seemed nothing but eyes and blue vines. Well, other than the red shoes it wore.

Holly sighed.

A Tangela.

Not their first choice, but it would do.

She threw her Poké Ball.

"Go, Torracat!"

The orange cat-like Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. Its sharp eyes made contact with its opponent, and it hissed ferociously.

However, the Tangela did not back down. Instead, it glared right back.

Holly had to admire its tenacity. It must have known it was at a disadvantage, but it still kept going.

Or maybe was just foolish.

Whatever the case, a battle was here.

And it was a battle she would have.

Holly pointed at the Tangela.

"Ember!"

Torracat glowed slightly, before it released a series of small flames from its mouth.

But to the Tangela, it may as well have been a raging inferno.

It cringed and staggered backward, swallowed up by the flames. Holly could already see burn marks on its vines.

Despite her advantage, Holly soon found herself cringing.

The poor thing didn't stand a chance…

It must've been in so much pain... And probably fear too… Maybe even regret…

Holly instinctively start feeling around. Her skin was untouched, but she could've sworn she could still feel and see burn scars…

Of course she would, with her empathy for Pokémon.

It was always there, even if the Pokémon was not her own.

Holly wondered why she went into battle when she could always feel the combatants' pain. The rush of adrenaline canceled it out, she supposed. At least temporarily.

She glanced at the battlefield, and surprise crossed her face.

The Tangela was still standing. It was unsteady on his feet, but it still glared back at Torracat.

The Tangela was nothing if not determined.

And determination was something she could find a use for.

Grass Pokémon or no.

With that, Holly held an empty Poké Ball in her hand. She flung it with all her might at the Tangela.

The poor thing didn't even try to struggle as it was sucked into the capsule.

Within minutes, it was hers.

Holly picked up the Poké Ball, rapidly attaching it to her belt.

Tangela… It wasn't what she expected for her first catch…

And it reminded her of her mother…

Her mother… She had used Tangela all the time… It helped her with all those flowery things she did… But it was also fierce in battle, winning many a Gym match…

She only hoped this Tangela could be that strong…

Holly turned to walk away, but suddenly there was a voice from behind her.

"Oh look, a Torracat!"

Holly whirled back around, and met the gray eyes of another Trainer. The Trainer was about her age, and was female. She had brown hair too, and Holly thought she could see girly, flowery, designs on her pink clothing. A little Litten scampered up, taking its place beside her. Holly figured from the way the girl reached down to pet it that it was probably hers. The Pokémon purred loudly, and Holly couldn't resist looking at Torracat.

This was the Pokémon that Torracat evolved from… Had it been like that when it was younger?

Holly was interrupted from her thoughts as the new Trainer began to speak again.

"Do you like Alolan Pokémon too? They are cute, aren't they?"

Holly tried not to slap her forehead.

It was clear from the loud and high-pitched tone of her voice that the Trainer was excited. Not to mention the glow in her eyes.

Yet, with her overly enthusiastic demeanor, it seemed as though the Trainer was trying to annoy her. After all, who walked up to a stranger and started talking about all those different subjects like that?

Holly didn't have time for this.

She testily responded.

"Yes, I like Alolan Pokémon too, but not because they are cute."

She pointed to Torracat.

"I'm only interested in the fire."

Holly saw the other Trainer shrink back a little. She managed a small "oh."

She must've intimidated her.

Maybe she would be less annoying.

But after all, what Holly had said was the truth.

Much to her dismay, the other Trainer quickly regained her composure.

"Oh that's right, you're probably wondering who I am. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Ivy, and this is my partner Alex."

She gestured to the Pokémon alongside her, who let out a tiny meow.

Holly quickly responded.

"I'm Holly, and my partner is Torracat."

The aforementioned Pokémon crept closer, eyeing its smaller cousin. With the way it was examining him from all angles, Holly thought it was sizing Alex up for an attack.

But a professor-trained Pokémon knew better than to attack without her orders, and Torracat eventually stepped back to her side.

Perhaps that would be the end of it, but Holly was disappointed.

Ivy's eyes lit up again, and she stated.

"So you have a Torracat. You must like kittens. Do you?"

Holly resisted the urge to groan. This was going to be a long day.

She nodded.

That was a mistake.

Ivy immediately launched into a conversation about kittens, though it seemed more like a monologue. Holly simply nodded at everything she said, only pretending to pay attention. At one point she rolled her eyes, hoping Ivy would take the hint. Unfortunately (and maybe mercifully), Ivy didn't notice. She was too busy prattling on about kittens and how cute they were.

Holly looked for the nearest escape route, but didn't seem like there was any. At least without burning someone.

Which she could do at the moment.

But she had to remain calm. Angering someone the first time she met them was not the best idea.

Besides, Ivy was probably just looking for a conversation partner, or just didn't know anyone that liked kittens as much as she did. Maybe talking was her hobby.

But right now, it seemed all Ivy wanted to do was be annoying.

Holly shut her eyes.

At least this would be over eventually.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _Now, on to the rest of the prompt (or least the more spoiler-ridden parts of it). This is the first of many areas where players of the RP can catch Pokémon. The only Pokémon players can catch are the ones provided by the RP, but they're welcome to catch any of those that they want._

 _The Pokémon here were Purrloin, Mareep, Bellsprout, Weedle, Tangela, Ekans, Growlithe, and Rufflet._

 _The second part of this chapter is also based on a prompt from the RP. Playersare required to meet another Trainer here. The Trainer will be a reoccurring character, but future RP prompts will decide exactly when he or she will appear again. This Trainer is also required to have the pre-evolved form of the player's starter. Unlike their Pokémon, the other Trainer's appearance and personality are completely customizable. Players can also interact with this Trainer however they wish. Since I already had a battle this chapter, I just chose to talk._

 **Now for the rest of the author's notes…**

 **-So here's the introduction to Ivy, another character in the story. I chose the name Ivy to go along with the plant motif that's been going on thus far (the name Holly, references to Erika the Grass type Gym Leader). Ivy behaves the way she does in order to contrast with Holly, but it's currently unknown whether she will continue acting that way.**

 **-Speaking of Erika, this chapter gives more of a glimpse into Holly's relationship with her. The reference to her using Tangela has to do with both the games and the anime. In both of those mediums, Erika has a Tangela. While it's not particularly strong in the games, it's one of the strongest members of her team in the anime. So, since I figured it was more fitting for a Gym Leader to have powerful Pokémon, I went with that interpretation.**

 **-I picked Tangela because I thought it would be fitting because of all its history. It also gave me a chance to explore some of her past and personality. Not to mention it complements her team well, because it helps cover some of Torracat's weaknesses.**


	4. Fire and Night

**Here's another chapter of Holly Rising! As usual, some of the prompt will be after the chapter, due to spoilers for it.**

 **Also as usual, I don't own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All the prompts are property of the** **Artist's Zone Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 _Okay, next prompt!_

 _With Route 2 under their belts, Trainers now head for Viridian Forest. Pewter City lies just ahead, but they can't let their guard down. After all, many Pokémon roam this place, and some do not take kindly to outsiders…_

* * *

3: Fire and Night

Holly didn't know how she did it, but she somehow managed to get away from Ivy. Her Pokémon were safely inside their Poké Balls, her new catch fully healed.

Except now she had no idea where she was.

She could see the route expanded into a forest, but other than that, nothing.

Holly looked around, groaning.

The beginning of her adventure, and she was already lost! How was she supposed to continue on the research project if she had no idea where to go?

Suddenly, Holly jerked her head to the left.

She narrowed her eyes.

There were more people here than her and Ivy, surely.

But was that that shouting she heard?

Holly broke into a run, her athletic body barely feeling the long journey.

It might be none of her business, but if people needed help, she had to hurry.

Luckily, she reached the scene within minutes.

There were Trainers, many Trainers. A group of at least four or five.

And it didn't take Holly long to see what the commotion was.

A blue bug loomed before all the Trainers. The beast's yellow eyes glared ominously as it surveyed the surroundings. Sunlight gleamed off a sharp horn on its head. Its sharp claws almost glittered as it used them to hold its ground. It swept its gaze over all the Trainers, and some shrunk back fearfully.

Holly gritted her teeth.

A Heracross.

Rare, and strong.

Almost every Trainer she knew wanted one, but they were not to be trifled with.

As evidenced by the group of Trainers here, and the many Pokémon lying on the ground.

From the looks of things, not one Trainer had Pokémon that could hit it with super effective damage.

Holly resisted the urge to slap her forehead.

What kind of Trainer would put a Pokémon against another that they obviously were at a disadvantage against?

But she had no time to think about it, as one of Trainers' eyes met hers.

He shouted to her.

"Hey, my friends and I are trying to catch this Pokémon, but it's crazy strong! Could you help us out?"

For a moment, Holly considered voicing her objections.

After all, it was their fault they went against a rare and powerful Pokémon with nothing that could give them an advantage.

Yet it was impossible to miss the pain in the male Trainer's eyes.

And that probably didn't even compare to the pain the Pokémon must be feeling. She could imagine them, crying for their Trainers. And the trainers couldn't do anything, their Pokémon lying broken heaps as they were threatened by another.

So, Holly nodded.

Poké Ball shining in her hand, she cried out "Go, Torracat!"

The Heracross glanced backward in shock as the fiery feline appeared.

He let out a snarl, and the Heracross quickly regained its composure.

It stood to battle without conceding an inch of ground. It'd probably defeated the other Pokémon easily, and thought Holly's would be next.

Yet Holly was determined not to let that happen.

She screamed. "Torracat, Ember!"

Torracat unleashed its fierce flames, and this time it was the Heracross screaming. Holly once again felt the burning pain on her body, and winced.

She wondered why she battled at all, when she fell others' pain…

But this was no time to think about that.

She had to finish this for all the other Trainers.

Or maybe it was already finished.

The Heracross was covered in burn scars, and its eyes now held a grimace.

Holly knew how deadly Ember could be against Pokémon that were weak to it.

She doubted the battle could last much longer.

Her eyes widened as the Heracross charged.

Its horn glowed an eerie purple, and it lowered its head as it ran towards Torracat.

Holly knew the move.

Night Slash.

A deadly attack, and one that was powerful against Torracat.

She cringed. She hadn't anticipated it would survive her last attack, let alone launch such a devastating blow.

Holly's Pokémon didn't anticipate the attack either, and was too surprised to dodge.

Torracat shrieked as the Heracross slammed into it. It flew across the battlefield, eventually crashing and laying sprawled on the ground.

Holly resisted the urge to curse.

Torracat showed no signs of getting up, wounds now covering its body.

She thought about recalling it, but that wouldn't make her situation any better.

She still didn't have a way to win the battle.

Torracat was injured, and Tangela was weak.

Holly gritted her teeth.

What could she do?

Before she could think of an answer, she heard the Trainer from before shout "Go, Poké Ball!"

Holly barely had time to register the red and white capsule flying through the air.

It hit the stunned Heracross, sucking into the ball.

It shook for a few minutes, before the light on the capsule registered that the Pokémon was caught.

Holly clenched her fist.

Those other Trainers had used her! Her Pokémon was the Heracross's distraction, so that they could cash in on the bounty! And not to mention she did all the hard work of making it weak enough to capture!

And now her Pokémon was injured, all to help them get their prize.

It wasn't fair.

And now Holly was so angry she didn't see the Trainer from before come up behind her.

He smiled wide, and Holly resisted the urge to scowl.

She bit back a retort as the other Trainer started talking.

"Hey, thanks for helping us catch the Pokémon! We couldn't have done it without you! Say, which you like better, leaves or sun?"

Holly's anger dissipated as she was asked the direct question.

"Leaves!" She blurted out.

In truth, Holly didn't really care. The sun could burn, like fire. But leaves were what she'd grown up with.

Holly didn't have time to state her real thoughts though, as the Trainer presented a stone. A green leaf could be seen in its otherwise gray rock.

Holly knew it to be a Leaf Stone. She'd seen it used in her adopted mother's Gym, and the stone allowed the Pokémon there to reach new heights.

Amusingly enough, the one Grass Pokémon she had couldn't evolve with it.

But she supposed to connection to Grass Pokémon and her adopted mother would never leave her.

It wouldn't stop her from finding her real parents, however.

Holly focused on the other Trainer again.

"Here you go! It's a Leaf Stone, because you said you like leaves! It's our thanks for helping us! It's something I don't have any use for, but I figure a strong Trainer like you could have it!

Holly hesitated.

Could she really trust these people? After all, they had used her…

But an evolution stone was useful, even if she couldn't work with it now. And it would be rude to refuse a gift.

"Thank you." The boy placed the stone into Holly's outstretched palm.

"No, thank _you."_ He stated.

Holly and other trainers turned to leave.

Yet suddenly, a rustling in the grass caught everyone's eye.

Holly tensed.

She had a feeling what the rustling was.

After that last match, it could only mean one thing.

A Pokémon.

* * *

 **Author's notes**

 _So as the previous part stated, there are many Pokémon here. They are Metapod, Kakuna, Pidgeotto, Sewaddle, Pikachu, Emogla, Swablu, Scyther, and Heracross. Writing forest is also the first place to have some catching restrictions. Players cannot capture both Scyther and Heracross, most likely because they are the most powerful Pokémon here._

 _Speaking of powerful Pokémon, players are required to help a group of Trainers trying to catch a strong one. The Pokémon can be either Emogla, Heracross or Scyther. Once the player helps the others, they will be rewarded with either a Leaf or Sun Stone._

 _Also worth noting that wild Pokémon in this RP are assigned moves, as well as being able to use any moves that would be considered normal for their level. The Pokémon players catch are leveled up based on how well battle scenes are done, and who participates (regardless of whether they faint or not). Ember is something Torracat would use at the level it was at, and Night Slash was a move assigned to wild Heracross._


	5. Capture Them All

**On to another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt this time, because it's part of the last chapter's prompt. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and please see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

4\. Capture Them All

The entire group stopped in their tracks, and waited with bated breath as grass continued to rustle.

After what seemed like hours, a Pokémon stepped out.

Holly's eyes went wide.

The Pokémon had a yellow body, and a tail shaped like a lightning bolt. On its face were red cheeks. The tips of its ears matched its shining black eyes, and he carried a questioning face.

Holly didn't think there was a Trainer in the world who didn't know this Pokémon.

Pikachu.

Holly didn't have a particularly strong connection to Pikachu. She knew most girls would've been screaming with delight, and most everyone else would've gushed with envy.

Yet it didn't seem to call to her at all.

So she simply stared at it.

The Pikachu continued to stare back, and Holly thought it would go on forever.

Suddenly, one of the other Trainers yelled.

"Hey, you should catch the Pokémon! You helped us, so consider that part of your reward!"

The other trainers howled an agreement, and Holly resisted the urge to wince.

There was still something awkward about listening to the Trainers that used her.

And her mediocre connection to Pikachu did not change.

But Pikachu was a useful Pokémon, and the other trainers were giving her a chance to capture it.

So she took it.

A Poké Ball appeared in her hand, and she threw with all her might.

"Go, Tangela!"

The blue vine, red shoed, Pokémon appeared, and immediately faced its opponent.

The Pikachu's eyes hardened, and it got down on all fours with a resolute look.

Perhaps it had been itching for a battle as much as she had been.

And once again, she had the advantage. Tangela was resistant to Electric type attacks, and that's what Pikachu had. Not to mention that there were no prior injuries.

This would be an easy match.

Or so it seemed.

Before Holly could shout out a move, the Pikachu zipped forward at blinding speed.

Holly gritted her teeth as Tangela was knocked back by the Quick Attack.

Of course Pikachu would be faster. They were known for their speed.

But that didn't mean Holly couldn't attack back.

She pointed at the Pikachu.

"Tangela, Vine Whip!"

Blue vines matching Tangela's body now went flying from it. They smacked the Pikachu, and the mouse screamed in pain. It crumpled to the ground, and Holly thought it had already fainted.

However, it slowly struggled to his feet.

She was about to order another attack, but noticed something distressing about Tangela.

It was trying to put its vines away, but to no avail.

Bright yellow electricity coursed through them, and Tangela let out a whimper. It tried to move, but it was rooted to the spot.

When it finally did move, the movements were uncertain and sluggish.

This time, Holly couldn't resist the urge to curse.

Static. _Of course_ Vine Whip would make contact. And _of course_ Pikachu would paralyze her Pokémon.

She could not think about it much, because Pikachu launched a bolt of lightning at Tangela.

Holly wanted to yell at Tangela to dodge or attack back, but she couldn't.

Static made it so her poor Pokémon could only stand helplessly as the attack hit.

Tangela screeched as it was lit like a lightbulb, but there was nothing Holly could do.

After a while, the attack stopped, but the Pikachu looked about ready to collapse.

Tangela did not look like it was going to move fast any time either.

Even if it could launch another attack, the power behind the blow might be too much.

Pikachu weren't known for their defense, after all.

Holly knew she had to end this now.

A Poké Ball gleamed in her hand, and Holly shouted "Go!"

The capsule whizzed through the air, hitting the Pikachu's ear before it could react.

Holly watched the shaking Poké Ball, tension written in her eyes.

What if the Pokémon wasn't caught? Would she have to try again? With both her Pokémon weakened? Would it try to attack?

After many frightening minutes, the ball ceased shaking. Holly let out a breath she hadn't realize she'd been holding as the cheers of the others erupted around her.

She smiled and nodded as she picked up the Poké Ball.

Her eyes darted to the Leaf Stone shining in her bag. If only it were a Thunderstone!

But then, which form would this Pikachu evolve into? It may have been caught in Kanto, but it could have Alolan blood. And those with that blood evolved into their Alolan forms no matter what.

It's something that wasn't uncommon in Kanto, given how close the two regions were.

And she couldn't ask the Pikachu, because she doubted it knew.

So she would just have to wait until she found a Thunderstone.

Maybe she truly was connected to Kanto and Alola, and she wouldn't have to worry about where she really was from.

Still, it couldn't hurt to find out. But she wouldn't find out today.

For now, Holly turned back to the enthusiastic crowd and flashed a huge grin at them.

Perhaps what happened before wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

 **Author's notes**

 _A shorter chapter, but still a meaningful one. The reason this chapter exists is because the RP required two responses at minimum before moving on. I'd already done what was required, so I used an extra post to catch a Pokémon._

 **The thing about Pikachu and Alolan blood comes from the games. Pikachu actually has a branched evolution. Usually, when it evolves, it will evolve into the pure Electric type Raichu. However, if it is evolved in the place where Pokémon Sun and Moon takes place (Alola), it will evolve into an Electric/Psychic type version of Raichu instead.**

 **Typically, this can only happen if the Pikachu was transferred up or born in Alola. However, I decide to make it so that those who have Alolan ancestry can also evolve into the special form. Kanto and Alola are mentioned in the games as being close together, so would make sense that some Alolan Pokémon migrated to Kanto and passed down the special evolution gene.**

 **The idea of Pikachu not being very sturdy in defense but very fast comes from its abilities in the games. In the games, Pikachu is likely to strike first and has a good attack power. However, it can be defeated easily by opponents' attacks should they manage to survive Pikachu's.**

 **Static also comes from the games, where any move that makes contact with Pikachu has a 30% chance of paralyzing the opponent. This ability can take effect even if the opponent defeats Pikachu.**


	6. The First Step

**Welcome to the next installment of Holly Rising! As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of RP creator, Wizardmonfan, and are summarized here with permission.**

 _Now for the prompt!_

 _After heading through Viridian Forest, Trainers finally reach Pewter City. There is much to do in this rocky place. Trainers can get their first badge, and become ever closer towards competing in the Pokémon League._

 _But not everyone chooses to that right away._

 _Not when there are wild Pokémon to catch…_

* * *

5\. The First Step

Holly stared up at the entry sign to Pewter City. It was certainly bigger than Viridian, but nowhere near as big as Celadon.

In the end, nothing to write home about.

But what _was_ worth writing home about was the tradition here.

This was the first stop for many of Kanto's trainers. The first chance to get a Badge.

Of course, Holly knew she was on the research project, but no one said she couldn't collect Badges in the meantime.

Unfortunately, there was also another tradition in Pewter.

In order to fight, a challenger had to have at least one Pokémon as strong as the Gym Leader's weakest.

Luckily, Torracat was strong enough. Unfortunately, no one else was even close.

So Holly decided to head for the grass to the east. She heard there were Pokémon strong against Rock types there. And she would need all the help she could get.

As the grass brushed against her, a Pokémon appeared.

Holly couldn't resist grinning as she looked it over.

It looked like dancer in an orange dress, but its red eyes showed no fear. Behind it was a giant mouth that held a yellow circle. Shining white teeth looked like they would chomp down at any moment.

The Pokémon let out a snarl, but Holly only smirked back

How lucky she was! To find a Mawile as her catch!

Mawile might've been cute, but they were deadly. They boasted excellent offenses and defenses, and the Steel typing would resist most of the Pokémon in the Pewter Gym.

There was no way Holly could miss the opportunity.

But then, how to capture it?

Torracat was strong, too strong. A hit from it would probably destroy her catch.

Tangela wasn't much better. The Mawile resisted every one of its attacks.

So the choice was obvious.

Holly threw her Poké Ball.

"Go, Pikachu!"

The yellow mouse appeared in the flash of light, getting down on all fours like it had before.

The Mawile responded in kind, eyes gleaming, and its mouth opened in warning.

Pikachu flinched, but it shook its head, quickly regaining its composure.

And so, Holly opened up the battle.

"Pikachu, Thundershock!"

The yellow mouse jumped up, and electricity crackled from its cheeks. In an instant, it launched a whitish yellow bolt of lightning at the Mawile. The Mawile winced as the attack hit. Holly shielded her eyes while the battlefield was briefly lit up in the same whitish yellow color as the lightning bolt.

Mawile took a lot of damage from Electric type attacks. Surely, Holly thought, this would weaken it enough.

Yet when the dust cleared, Holly's eyes widened.

The Mawile still stood, glaring at them both.

Before either Holly or her Pokémon could react, the Mawile opened its jaws wide. It didn't even need to dash as it grabbed Pikachu with its large teeth.

Pikachu screamed as the Mawile clamped down on it like a piece of meat. It looked as though it would never let go.

Holly resist the urge to scream herself. But would happen to Pikachu?

Eventually, Mawile relaxed its grip, and Pikachu crashed to the ground.

Although the brave Pokémon tried to stand up, Holly knew it wouldn't take much more.

She held up its Poke Ball.

"Pikachu, return!"

A beam of light shot from the Poké Ball, swallowing Pikachu in red light. The Pokémon didn't even look up as it was recalled.

Holly clenched her fist.

Now, one of her Pokémon was injured.

And she only had one other choice.

Instantly, she tossed another Poké Ball.

"Go, Torracat!"

The orange cat-like Pokémon appeared. It stared straight as its opponent, but the opponent did not back down.

Holly gritted her teeth.

She couldn't use Ember. That was too powerful.

Yet there was another move she could use.

It was something Torracat had been born with.

Something the professor called an egg move.

Torracat yowled as the Mawile bit down.

It thrashed, but the Mawile held on tight.

Holly knew she had to act fast.

Otherwise, she might end up with an injured Pokémon rather than a catch.

She shouted the special move.

"Torracat, Revenge!"

Torracat glowed orange, although it was difficult to tell because of its already orange fur. Regardless of whether one could see what was happening, it was still obvious.

Torracat let out a roar, and the Mawile's eyes widened fearfully.

In another second, Torracat flung the Mawile off of it.

It crashed onto the ground, bruises everywhere. Torracat stood over it, panting.

Holly nodded.

Of course Torracat would do a lot of damage.

Revenge was a move that did more damage when the target attacked back.

And the Mawile had certainly attacked.

Yet now wasn't even moving. Holly wondered if it was even alive.

Only one way to find out.

Holly threw a Poké Ball into the air.

It hit the Mawile dead on, before sucking it up into the red light.

The Poké Ball barely shook, before it indicated the Mawile was caught.

Holly quickly picked up the ball.

The battle had been close, but it had ended well.

She turned towards the city, never taking her eyes off it.

Now she was ready.

Pewter's Gym awaited.

* * *

 **Author's notes**

 _So Holly gets another catch! The possible catches she could have gotten were Mawile, Sableeye, Pidove, and Meowth. I picked Mawile not only because it was my favorite out of all the catches, but it would give Holly some advantage over the Gym Leader. Right now, she doesn't have much of one (her only advantage is Tangela, who was at a low level at that point)._

 _As stated before, there is a rule about Gym Leaders in this RP. Before one can even enter a gym, he or she must have at least one Pokémon at the level of the Gym Leader's weakest. As mentioned, Torracat was at the right level, but no one else was. So, Holly went to train and make a catch before the Gym._

 **-And look at the egg move mentioned before, Revenge. Revenge is Torracat's other main attacking move, and it works almost exactly like the chapter states. It's a physical move that does twice the amount of damage if the foe attacks the user. However, the trade-off is that the user will almost always move after the foe.**

 **-Holly referring to Ember doing too much damage has to do with type matchups. Ember is a Fire type move, and Mawile is weak to Fire. So Ember would have done at least double damage and destroyed Mawile. Revenge, on the other hand, is a Fighting type move, so it would do neutral damage against Mawile instead.**


	7. Rock and Roll

**Here comes another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt this time, because it ties into the last one.**

 **As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of The Artist Zone's Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

* * *

6\. Rock and Roll

Even with her enthusiasm, Holly knew that going to the Gym without proper preparation was not a good idea.

At least she could stop and heal her Pokémon.

Thankfully, the wounds didn't take long to heal, and she was soon on her way. The doors of the Gym swung open, and in the center she could see a man.

Or rather, an older boy.

But there was no question that he acted older than he looked, as his eyes were full of maturity. Holly found his tan skin odd, as she didn't think of Pewter as a place with a lot of sun. Perhaps it ran in his family.

Her opponent wore simple clothing, yet it looked like it could withstand even the greatest distances. The green shirt with its orange underclothing already looked like it had seen many travels.

To say nothing about the bottom half of his clothing. Even though it was a darker brown, Holly thought she could still see the scuffles on it from many a hard journey.

She may not have known what types of journeys the person in front of her had gone on, but she knew his name.

He was Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader.

Brock looked her up and down, before calmly replying.

"Hello, my name is Brock, and welcome to the Pewter City Gym! I take it you are a challenger."

Holly nodded.

"I am."

"Then, why don't we get right to it?"

He started into the Gym, and Holly followed.

She momentarily thought it odd that Brock didn't address her as Erika's adopted daughter. They were both Gym Leaders, after all.

Then again, just because she was a Gym Leader's adopted daughter did not mean that she was known outside of Celadon. She hadn't been to this area before, after all.

The area got noticeably darker as Brock led her to the very back of the gym. Holly could still make out the white markings of a battle arena. Straining her eyes, she noticed the arena was just as dark, and jagged rocks were everywhere.

Holly wondered if he could make the type he used any more obvious.

But she had to stop her wonderings as she almost tripped on the way to the arena. She took her place at the right of it, while Brock stood across from her. She noticed another man in the middle. He was probably the judge.

Holly zoned out as the man rambled on about the rules. She'd seen enough Gym matches with her adoptive mother to know what they were.

An official gym battle... Gym Leader will use two Pokémon...

She'd heard it all, many times.

Some walked away with Badges. Some without.

Holly wondered which one she would be.

However, she was so into her own thoughts that she hardly heard Brock say "Are you ready?"

Holly nodded.

"Then let's go." He replied.

Brock picked up a Poké Ball, tossing it into the air.

"Go Rhyhorn!"

A Pokémon appeared and roared across from Holly.

Its red eyes darted around, observing everything. Its rugged body carried what looked like spikes on its back, and as its name implied, a giant horn.

The Pokémon pawed at the ground, anxious for a challenge.

Holly grinned.

She would certainly give it one.

She threw her own Poké Ball, shouting "Go, Tangela!"

Her blue Grass type Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. It stared curiously at the foe.

But Holly wasted no time.

"Tangela, Vine Whip!"

At her command, the Pokémon shot out blue vines.

The blue vines smacked into the Rhyhorn, and it roared again.

Only this time, Holly knew it was pain.

Holly winced. The poor Pokémon…

She couldn't imagine how much pain it was in from that last strike…

And it was a direct, powerful, hit too…

But a battle was a battle, and a badge was a badge.

And both were important.

Holly knew this well.

So the battle had to go on, regardless of who was in pain.

However, it didn't look like the Rhyhorn was ready to go down just yet.

It stared back at Holly, determination lingering in its eyes.

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

Of course Rhyhorn would survive one hit. Weakness or no, it was much stronger than her Tangela.

And that meant Brock had the next attack.

He pointed. "Horn Attack!"

The Rhyhorn charged at Tangela, its horn gleaming bright.

It smashed into Tangela, and the blue Pokémon was sent flying backward.

Its eyes were squeezed shut, and it wouldn't stop wobbling even as it got to its feet.

It looked like it would faint right there.

Holly gritted her teeth.

If Tangela fainted, there may not be a lot of other choices. Mawile could defend, but it didn't have much in the way of attack. And who knew what type of strategies Brock could use. Surely, he would come up with a defense against hers!

And Pikachu and Torracat did not stand a chance.

Luckily, Holly didn't have to remain pessimistic for long.

Tangela opened its eyes, staring back at the opponent. It may have been injured, but it clearly wanted to win.

And Holly wasn't about to deny it that chance.

"Tangela, Vine Whip!"

Tangela shot out its vines again and smacked the Rhyhorn. The Rhyhorn let out a roar so loud that Holly had to cover her ears.

Yet the noise was cut short when Rhyhorn crumbled to the ground.

It was clear there was no getting up.

Holly smiled as she heard the familiar sound of the judge calling her Pokémon the victor.

Yet Brock stayed calm as he recalled his Pokémon in a red flash of light.

"Hey, you're pretty strong."

"Thank you." Holly replied quickly.

"You're welcome." Brock smiled back.

But his smile and politeness did not prevent Holly from seeing the Poké Ball in his hand.

Before she could inquire about what it contained, he replied, "Since you are so strong, let's see how you handle my next Pokémon!"

* * *

 **Author's notes**

 _On to the beginning of the Gym battle! Gym Leaders are given certain Pokémon that they can use in the RP, and the player can select which ones the battle against. In this case, Brock has three Pokémon, and he brings two into battle. I chose Rhyhorn because I felt it wasn't seen as often, and therefore, it was a bit more interesting._

 **-Originally, I was thinking of having Tangela defeat Rhyhorn in one hit. However, Rhyhorn had a significant level lead over Tangela, so I figured that would be unlikely even with it being double weak to Grass. Furthermore, Tangela was using move that did physical damage, and Rhyhorn has good defense against physical attacks. So, I went with a two-hit knockout instead.**


	8. Trouble on the Rocks

**Here comes another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt this time, because it ties into the last one.**

 **As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of The Artist Zone's Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

* * *

7\. Trouble on the Rocks

Without further ado, Brock threw his Poké Ball.

"Go, Vulpix!"

Holly's eyes widened in surprise.

A Vulpix?

Brock's next Pokémon was a Vulpix?

But what was a Fire type, Vulpix, doing in a Rock type Gym?

Holly couldn't help cringing.

She didn't have anything that was strong against Fire Pokémon!

How on earth would she win?

Holly was torn from her panicked thoughts as the enemy Pokémon erupted onto the battlefield.

It let out a high-pitched roar as it burst into a combat stance. Its six red tails resembled rippling flames, and Holly couldn't help flinching. The rest of its body looked like it had been pampered, as its red coat looked tidy and contained almost no scratches. But Holly could easily see muscle showing through its well-kept fur. Silver eyes betrayed no emotion, only cold, hard, focus.

Holly winced.

No matter what she did, this was going to be a tough fight.

Brock seemed to pick up on her discomfort, as he stated.

"Would you like to switch out? You know you can before the battle starts."

Holly responded.

"Yes, and I'm aware, but…" She trailed off as she tried to answer the nagging question in her head.

The question must have been written in her eyes, because Brock responded.

"If you're wondering about the Vulpix, it's a funny story, really. I had a friend that had one, and she let me borrow it. Eventually, Vulpix went back to her, and it wound up having kits. My friend knew I had taken good care of the mother Vulpix and that we had shared a bond. So, she let me keep one of the kits."

Holly quickly replied.

"And I assume that kit is the one that's going to battle now?"

Brock nodded.

"Exactly."

Holly continued staring at the Vulpix.

She didn't know who Brock's friend was, but she must have been an incredible trainer if her Vulpix mothered one this fierce.

And the only way to combat that ferocity was to meet it head-on.

Holly held out her Poké Ball, and Tangela disappeared in a flash of light.

Holly tightly gripped her next Poké Ball and threw it with all her might.

"Go, Torracat!"

Holly's orange cat like Pokémon burst onto the battlefield. It walked forward, boldness filling its every step.

Yet Holly still couldn't resist wincing.

The only way through was to fight fire with fire.

Even if it wasn't the most desirable matchup.

She only hoped she could still win.

Before she could even open her mouth, Brock issued a command.

"Vulpix, use Ember!"

Holly gritted her teeth. Of course Vulpix would attack first. They were known for their speed.

But that didn't stop her from retaliating.

"Torracat, counter with your own!"

Both Pokémon dove at each other and their mouths opened at the same time. Within another moment, a barrage of tiny flames erupted onto the battlefield.

Yet, while Torracat hissed in pain, Vulpix only seemed to grow stronger.

It let out another deafening roar as it was surrounded by blue flame. The flame must've been at least twice the size of it, and Holly could hear it crackling ominously. Sweat dripped down her back, and she swore she could feel that the room had gotten hotter.

Inwardly, she cursed.

Of course Vulpix would take the attack. She had forgotten about the ability Flash Fire. With this, all fire attacks were useless as they were used to power up Vulpix's own.

And that meant Torracat's strongest attack did nothing.

Holly opened her mouth to issue another command, but Vulpix wasn't finished.

It glared at Torracat as Brock shouted, "Confuse Ray!"

Vulpix's eyes glowed an eerie light blue, and Holly found herself unable to look away. Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash, and Torracat was engulfed in the blue light.

Holly winced. A confused Pokémon could be completely helpless.

And helplessness was the last thing she needed.

"Torracat, fight back!" She screamed.

Yet Torracat couldn't answer.

The light had knocked it off balance, and staggered. Yet instead of regaining its footing, it crashed to the ground. Almost as soon as it fell, it tried to stand up again. However, the same thing happened.

Holly could help cringing, each blow feeling like she herself had fallen. She had known confusion could make Pokémon dizzy and fall. She'd seen it enough times in her adoptive mother's Gym.

But the damage was far greater when the Pokémon being hurt was one of her own.

And far greater with an opponent that would show no mercy.

Like Vulpix right now.

Brock shouted another command, and the Holly could do was watch.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Vulpix wasted no time as it took off at a speed so fast Holly's eyes could hardly track it. Instantly, it slammed into Torracat. Torracat tried to mount a defense, but all it could do was teeter before collapsing to the ground.

So Vulpix struck, again and again. It didn't even need Brock's commands.

And every time, Torracat would fail to strike back.

And all Holly could do was watch helplessly, as more bruises appeared on Torracat's body than she could count.

It seemed hopeless, yet Holly knew not all was lost.

Eventually, confusion had to run its course.

And soon it did, as Torracat's ears perked up. Its gaze, although pained, was focused.

Immediately, Holly struck.

As the Vulpix came lunging at Torracat, Holly shouted.

"Torracat, Revenge!"

The Vulpix's eyes went wide as it tried to stop itself. However, its efforts were of no avail. Torracat sprang to its feet, engulfed in its familiar orange aura.

It let out a howl as it slammed into Vulpix. The impact sent the other Pokémon flying backward, and it crashed onto the floor.

Holly smiled.

Surely nothing could get through an attack like that!

Yet she was proven wrong.

Vulpix immediately got to its feet. Although a giant bruise ran down its side, it stood firm. The powerful glare never left its face.

Holly tensed.

A Gym Leader's Pokémon would be stronger than a wild one! She should've known it could take an attack like that!

She glanced back at Torracat. The Pokémon was still standing, but it looked like its legs were about to buckle at any moment. Even from where she was, Holly could hear it panting with exhaustion.

She wondered how much longer it could last.

Could she even win without it?

Brock's voice tore Holly from her thoughts.

"I didn't expect that attack, but we are not done!"

He looked straight at his Vulpix. "Confuse Ray again!"

The blue light again came for Torracat, and it yelped in pain.

Holly kept her cool. There was still a way to win.

"We know how to handle this! Torracat, use Revenge when you can!"

Yet Brock's next command made her blood run cold.

"Vulpix, Baby-Doll Eyes! Keep going until you can't anymore!"

Vulpix's eyes became light blue again, but Holly swore she could see stars twinkling. And Torracat may not have been able to balance, but it could still look at Vulpix.

As soon as their eyes met, Torracat backed away.

Holly didn't think it was intimidated, but she remembered Baby-Doll Eyes could make Pokémon docile.

Perhaps Torracat couldn't resist something that was cute.

But it managed to stay focused this time, as it flashed orange before attacking Vulpix.

Yet this was unlike what it had done before.

Now, Torracat was dashing towards Vulpix.

Vulpix was still fixing it with its starry eyes.

And those eyes sealed Torracat's fate.

Instead of fighting with enough force to send an opponent flying backward, its attacks barely left a scratch.

And that allowed Vulpix to attack mercilessly.

Brock simply nodded, and Vulpix sped off in a Quick Attack.

Holly cringed.

Baby-Doll Eyes would make Torracat's physical attacks weaker, and Revenge relied on physical strength. Furthermore, since Brock wasn't using an attack, Revenge wouldn't do any extra damage.

Between those hindrances and the confusion, Torracat wasn't doing any major damage anytime soon.

Instead, it took more and more, until it finally crumpled to the ground.

After a few minutes, there was no sign of movement.

The judge's words now sounded hollow as her Pokémon was declared the loser.

Holly could look at Torracat's fallen frame as she recalled her Pokémon and turned to face Brock.

"What will you do now? You can use any other Pokémon you'd like."

Holly cringed.

What would she do now?

Torracat was her strongest Pokémon, and the only one that resisted the Vulpix.

Two of her Pokémon were weak to fire, and one of them was injured.

A thought suddenly formed in Holly's head.

It was a risky, desperate, strategy, but it probably was the only one that would work.

So as a response to Brock, she tossed a Poké Ball in the air.

"Go, Pikachu!"

The yellow mouse appeared instantly, confident and poised for battle.

Holly grimaced.

If only it knew what she was going to do to it…

But she had to trust her instincts.

So she shouted.

"Pikachu, Thunder Wave!"

Pikachu launched a blue lightning bolt, striking the Vulpix dead on.

Holly was surprised the Pokémon didn't try to move out of the way. Perhaps it was just tired. Or maybe it simply knew that if it dodged, Pikachu would just shoot more.

Whatever the case, it probably _couldn't_ dodge now. Holly could see Vulpix's body was crackling with electricity. Its movements were sluggish as it struggled to remain on its feet.

Holly couldn't resist grinning.

Perhaps she would finally have the upper hand.

But the thought came too soon.

"Vulpix, Ember!"

With that, Vulpix shot out a stream of the deadly flames. They completely engulfed Pikachu, and it let out an ear piercing scream.

Holly didn't even need to wait for the flames to clear to know that Pikachu had lost.

Again, she did not focus on her Pokémon's fallen form as the judge declared her defeat.

Instead, she stared straight at Brock.

Holly had to enact the next stage of her plan.

Now, it was either win or lose.

She recalled her fallen Pokémon and tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Mawile!"

The powerful Pokémon appeared minutes later. Mawile red eyes bore into its opponent, and the Vulpix shrank back.

Disadvantage or no, Mawile always seemed ready to fight.

Holly clenched her fist. She could win this.

But her opponent wasn't so sure.

"Are you sure about that? With a Mawile, you're at a disadvantage."

Holly nodded.

"Never surer."

Rapidly, she commanded. "Mawile, use Bite!"

Mawile opened its jaws so wide that it looked like it was yawning. Yet in one swift motion, the jaws closed around the Vulpix.

The Vulpix screeched and tried to struggle, but Mawile held on tight. It moved its jaws up and down slowly, but there was not enough space for the Vulpix to escape. In fact, Mawile looked like it was chewing.

Despite her newfound advantage, Holly couldn't help but shudder.

She knew how deadly those jaws could be. Now she couldn't imagine the pain of someone else's Pokémon had to suffer…

But she needed to win.

Holly glanced back at the battlefield as Vulpix dropped to the ground.

Amazingly, the Pokémon still stood up, but it looked as though each movement took a separate effort.

Brock looked as though he was going to command his Pokémon to use another attack, but instead, Vulpix backed away. It almost tripped when doing so, and Holly knew she could easily finish the battle.

"Mawile, take another Bite!"

Vulpix could only whimper as Mawile snatched up within its jaws. Another round of vicious motions, and Vulpix limply fell to the ground.

This time, the ground was where it stayed.

And how Holly's ears were fully alert as she was declared the winner. Her attention was completely focused on the judge as he loudly stated that the victory was hers.

A wide grin covered her face as Brock recalled his Pokémon and walked over to her.

"You're an incredible Trainer. To win having taken so many losses, and with a type disadvantage too… You've definitely earned the Boulderbadge."

Brock held out his hand. In his palm was a gray octagon. Holly took it, beaming.

At last she had her first badge! Research project or not, she was a real Trainer!

But Brock wasn't done speaking with her, it seemed.

"In accordance with League tradition, I'm going to present you with a Technical Machine. Normally, I would give you a Rock type TM, but your Pokémon don't seem to be suited for that."

As he spoke, Holly noticed that he glanced at her Mawile. The Pokémon was now looking curiously back, and Holly guessed it was as confused as she was about what Brock meant. He probably wanted to honor the Pokémon that had fought so hard against him, but how?

Brock fished around in his pocket, and came out with a gray disk.

Holly's eyes went wide.

A Steel type move?

She supposed it made sense, given the Steel type's connection to rocks.

But where would he get something like this?

Once again sensing her question, Brock responded.

"It's from a friend in Johto who uses Steel types, and it's her favorite move. I figured it might suit you better, seeing as you beat me with a Steel type. The TM is for Iron Tail."

Holly tried not to let her eyes widen again. A friend from Johto who uses Steel types? Maybe he was talking about Jasmine, the gym leader of Olivine.

But how would she become close enough to him to give him a TM?

Maybe he had a girlfriend in her? It was probably impolite to ask.

Holly took the TM from Brock's outstretched palm and stated, "Thank you!"

Brock responded. "Good luck on your journey."

Holly grinned again as she turned to leave.

She may not have known who her parents were, or what the research project was about.

But she knew she had won her first badge.

Right now, things couldn't be better.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _So that was the first Gym battle! Brock's three Pokémon were Rhyhorn, Onix, and Vulpix. I knew Vulpix would be the toughest for the team, and would make things interesting. So that's why picked it._

 **-The story of Vulpix makes reference to the anime (which is also probably why Vulpix was included on the team in the first place). In the anime, there was a character named Suzy. She later became Burke's friend and rival. Suzy had a Vulpix that she gave to Brock after she decided to travel to hone her Pokémon breeding skills. Eventually, after forming a bond with Brock, Vulpix returned to its former Trainer. Originally, I thought that I would make this Vulpix the original one, but I couldn't picture Vulpix leaving Suzy for Brock after it had returned. So, I made it have children instead.**

 **-Brock giving out Iron Tail has to do with the way Gym Leader TMs are handled in this RP. When trainer wins a battle, they can have any TM they want. This is true even if the TM is different from the type of Pokémon the Gym Leader uses. I thought it fitting for Brock to be the one to do this, because he's one of the few Gym Leaders who hand out a TM that's different from his type. In the original games he appears in, he hands out Bide, a normal type move.**

 **-Rock and Steel type Pokémon being related to each other comes from the games. In the games, some Pokémon, such as Onix, start out as Rock types before becoming Steel type. It is also stated in the games that Jasmine used to use Rock type Pokémon before moving onto Steel types.**

 **-The friend that Brock is referring to is indeed Jasmine, and her favorite move being Iron Tail is a reference to her originally giving out that TM. Iron tail eventually lost its status as a TM, but since this RP features regions from all over the place, I figured the TMs could be too.**

 **-The reason Brock is friends with Jasmine is that in the anime, he has a bit of a crush on her. Unlike most cases where he has crushes, he and Jasmine could actually work out. They trained the same Pokémon, have the types that work together, and also work together character trait wise (e.g. Jasmine's a big eater, Brock is a cook, Jasmine's character arc in all media has to do with caring for sick Pokémon, while Brock is training to be a doctor). As a result, they are close here.**

 **-Speaking of crushes, in the anime, Brock displays the trait of getting crushes on most girls. That trait is not seen here because I would think Brock would be more professional if he was fighting a challenger. This is because in the games, he never lets his crushes show, even if the player character is female. The only time he's ever really seen in the games is when the player challenges him for his Badge, so the trait is either nonexistent or just hidden away. So it's also easy to assume that he doesn't have problems with his crushes if he's working in the Gym.**

 **This is also seen in the anime, where Ash fights Brock for his badge, and Misty is also there. During that time, he show any sort of crush on Misty. Therefore, the anime also lends some credit towards that interpretation. Hence why I went with it for this response.**


	9. To Catch a Thief

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! There is a prompt here, but it contains spoilers, so it will be detailed after. I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of RP creator Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

8\. To Catch a Thief

Holly wore her smile all the way back to the Pokémon Center. Now that she had the badge, she could truly leave Pewter and see the rest of the region.

There was so much to see! Perhaps she would find her real parents somewhere.

Within no time, her Pokémon were healed, and she was ready to continue.

Just as she was ready to leave the Center, a distant sound pierced her ears.

Holly's eyes went wide as she registered that it was the sound of glass breaking.

Without even stopping to ask what happened, she dashed outside.

She stopped in her tracks, immediately alerted to the glass lying in the middle of the street.

One glance forward told her it was from the nearby museum.

But who would break in?

Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught her eye. Holly strained her eyes, and could make out a figure clad in black leaving the museum. Light reflected off of a shiny object in the figure's hand, although she couldn't make out what it was.

Nevertheless, Holly growled.

That must be the one responsible! He was stealing something from the museum!

She would never tolerate thieves! They were just like bullies!

Holly broke into a run and gave chase.

She was glad she enjoyed the outdoors so much. It had helped her stay in shape.

Her feet were pounding at a full sprint on stony roads, and Holly didn't even feel the least bit tired.

Rather, adrenaline coursed through her body.

First, an epic battle to win a gym Badge, and now, the ability to finally get back at a bully!

And her journey had barely started!

Holly rapidly tailed the thief, although she still wasn't close enough to see anything other than black clothing.

The thief didn't even seem to be aware that she was on his heels.

Or at least, he wouldn't have been, if she hadn't been caught off guard.

Even after being in Pewter City, Holly still couldn't get used the place's winding roads.

A road curved, and Holly did not curve with it.

She stumbled on the rocks, trying to catch herself.

But she was unsuccessful.

As she went crashing to the ground, she heard the footsteps of the thief as he made his escape.

Holly quickly got to her feet.

She wouldn't let a bully escape! They all had to be brought to justice!

But that thief would have surely noticed her by now.

Which meant he would be hiding.

But what place in Pewter would be a good place to hide?

Only one way to find out.

Holly would have to explore the city.

But it was unwise to do it alone.

Holly tossed a Poké Ball in the air.

"Go, Pikachu!"

The yellow mouse appeared, and at first it went into a battle stance.

However, when it realized it was no battle around, it just looked at Holly curiously.

"Pikachu, someone stole treasure from the museum, and we have to get it back! I don't know what the thief looks like other than he's a man in all-black clothing. Can you help tracking down for me?"

Pikachu nodded, letting out a mighty cry.

Holly grinned as she took off running.

Pikachu might not have the strongest nose, but it was the fastest on her team. With it in the lead, they would find the thief in no time.

Or so Holly thought.

She ran to every place in the city, Pikachu with her all the way. The adrenaline still flowed, and she seemed to cover the entire city as though she was flying.

Yet, every time she searched, there was no sign.

Holly even tried going into buildings, to see if the thief had hidden out there.

Well, she couldn't get into some of the houses, but most people let her in when she explained why she was there.

But everywhere she looked, there was nothing.

Holly knew she would need to save her strength.

So, she finally sat down in a nearby garden.

Pikachu slunk down beside her, disappointment written on his face. She petted it as it ears drooped, but that did little to console it. She figured it was still stinging from its recent defeat in the Gym, and left it alone.

Instead, Holly turned to her own thoughts.

The thief couldn't have gotten away; the city was police protected.

Not to mention that Trainers surrounded the areas to the east and south. If the thief tried to run from the police, those Trainers would catch him.

But there was no word from any nearby trainer or police-person.

So Holly continued to sit in the flowers.

Athletic or no, she needed to catch her breath.

The flowers…

Just like the ones that her mother loved…

Her mother…

No, her adoptive mother.

What was she doing now?

Probably taking on challengers, doing things around the Gym, and worrying.

What would she say when she found out her daughter had so many Pokémon?

What would she say when she found that Holly had gotten her first Badge (and in so close a match)?

What would she say now that she was trying to track down a thief in a city she barely knew?

Holly sighed.

She knew she'd have to battle her adoptive mother in order to complete the League challenge. Part of her wondered if her adoptive mother might just hand the Badge and be done with it, but she doubted that would happen.

Her adoptive mother did have a responsibility as a Gym Leader after all.

And she had to uphold them. Adoptive daughter or no.

Holly turned around to focus on the flowers. Pikachu still hadn't moved.

The flowers… They were trembling…

Holly cocked her head.

This was odd.

Why were the flowers trembling? She didn't remember it being windy…

Unless there was someone here.

Someone here…

Holly suddenly bolted upright.

Of course there was someone here! That someone was the thief! From what she'd heard, no one went to the flower gardens in Pewter, so it would be the perfect place to hide!

And that meant she needed to catch him!

Holly instantly snapped into alertness.

She would not let this bully get away!

Pikachu also perked up, eyes bright and ears swiveling.

It let out a cry before charging into the flowers.

Holly wasted no time following.

Her hunch was proven correct, and she soon glimpsed the thief's black clothing contrasting against the bright flowers.

Instantly, all three of them burst from the plants, Pikachu tailing the thief as Holly trailed behind it.

Holly wondered how many plants she'd killed as she nonchalantly trampled over them, and thought her adoptive mother might scold her.

But it didn't matter now. She had a thief to catch!

Once again, Holly was dashing through the entire city in dogged pursuit of her target. Adrenaline rushed through her body, fueling her for the chase. Pikachu seemed even more pumped up on adrenaline, running at a speed Holly didn't even think was possible. Somehow, she kept up. This time, the curved roads posed no problem. Holly easily navigated them without falling.

Yet still the thief ran faster.

Holly didn't know how he ran so fast, but somehow he outpaced them.

Still, Holly and her Pokémon kept right on his heels. And this time, the thief actually seemed to notice.

He glanced back, somehow still keeping his robust pace. Holly noticed he was wearing a mask, so she couldn't see his face.

She couldn't quite understand why he looked back, but she guessed it was a mixture of surprise and fear.

Surprised that she kept up with him, and fearful that she would catch him.

Holly couldn't resist the urge to grin.

She most certainly would catch him, and that fear would be justified!

After all, she had chased him all over the city, and she hadn't even begun to feel the slightest bit of fatigue.

In contrast, he must've been feeling tired by now. He didn't look particularly athletic, and he wasn't using any Pokémon to help.

Behind her, Holly heard the distant echo of many more footsteps. She guessed they had to be the police, catching onto the chase.

They sounded so far away… Had she outrun them?

No, that was absurd. She might've been good, but she could not outrun the entire police force.

It was more likely they didn't know the location before, and were now just catching on.

Nevertheless, Holly and the thief continued to sprint.

After a while, Holly noticed something that made her break out in a grin. There was a large fence, and nowhere to go but back.

Surely, the thief couldn't escape now. This would bring on the surprise!

The thief nearly crashed into the fence as he skidded to a halt. Holly had to take care to not do the same.

The thief whirled around, facing her head on. Pikachu stood between them, tensed and ready to fight.

But the thief didn't release any Pokémon.

Instead, he just eyed Holly warily, clutching the treasure in his left hand. Looking at it more closely, Holly could see that it was a large amount of jewels and fossils.

She didn't know what a thief would want with jewels and fossils, but it wasn't important.

She was about to catch a bully! And she had to get the treasure back!

So she fixed the thief with a stern glare and stated. "It's a dead end. Give it up."

To Holly's surprise, the thief responded without any fear. Instead, his voice carried a mocking tone.

""Give it up." Is that all you can say? You're just a kid! And the beginning Trainer at that. There's not much you can do either."

Pikachu roared, but Holly ignored the insult. She would not buy into the thief's insults. He was just trying to distract her.

She needed to catch him! She couldn't let herself get distracted!

Besides, as someone who was constantly around battle, she heard it a lot. She didn't have many Pokémon as a child, so no one ever got to see her true potential.

But now they would.

And no one would insult her like that anymore.

So Holly asked a burning question. "Why did you steal from the museum?"

The thief snapped back. "It's none of your business!"

Holly responded. "As a Trainer in the city, it is my business, as much as everyone else's!"

Holly clenched her fist. The nerve of this thief! To not only be a bully and steal, but also to insult her on top of it! He deserved the harshest punishments!

And she knew exactly which punishment to give him.

Pikachu roared again, and Holly threw another Poké Ball.

Mawile appeared, fixing the thief with a defiant glare.

Holly knew it had gained confidence and experience from the last battle, and now was the perfect time to use it.

Holly pointed to the thief. "Eat him. I'm sure he'll be tasty."

Mawile nodded, and opened its mouth wide. Holly knew most Pokémon didn't attack and kill humans, but she suspected Mawile would follow the order to some capacity.

After all, it enjoyed biting things.

The thief also seemed to realize this, because he started shaking. Immediately, he dropped all the stolen treasure.

Holly smiled again. She had him on the ropes!

But the thief's fear did not slow him down.

Rather, it empowered him.

In a burst of speed that was almost superhuman, the thief latched onto the fence and began to climb.

Holly clenched her fist. Of course he would drop the treasure if he was going to climb. The weight would only slow him down.

But she still had a chance to bring him to justice! She wasn't about to waste it.

"Don't let him get away!" She screamed, and her Pokémon obliged.

Mawile opened its jaws to snap, but it was far too slow. By the time it had its attack ready, the thief was well out of range.

Pikachu hopped up, hoping to be more successful than its teammate.

It aimed an electric shock at the thief, but that only seemed to make him climb faster. Somehow, he dodged every shock Pikachu threw.

Holly cursed. She had no Pokémon that could fly or float, so there was no way she could get him.

All she could do was watch as the thief climbed to the top of the fence, and without a word, leapt over.

Holly could tell from the silence that followed that there were no police on the other side. The fence led to the route in the east, and the police probably left it open so Trainers could pass through. Plus, it wasn't worth surrounding the city to catch a petty thief. The thief may not have used any Pokémon against her, but he must've been at least a decent Trainer. He had headed straight for a place full of them, and didn't seem to be bothered.

Holly, however, was.

She scooped up the treasure, but her mind was elsewhere.

She had let that thief get away! She had one chance to catch an adult bully, and she let him escape! Who knew how many more crimes he would commit?

Who knew how many more people he would bully?

People like her. Helplessness innocents.

The failure consumed her so deeply that Holly did not see her Pokémon return to her side. At least until Pikachu tugged on her clothing and pointed.

Holly looked up and heaved a sigh.

There may not be any police on the other side of the fence, but she would have to explain things to the ones that were running towards her.

So she explained all of the encounter, from running after the thief to finding him again the garden. Holly told the police what her brave Pikachu and Mawile had done, the two remaining by her side.

Holly left out who she was, other than her name and that she had recently challenged the Gym.

The last thing she wanted to do was worry her adoptive mother. Of course, she might be proud that Holly got the treasure back, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

She handed back the treasures, and one of the police carefully took the precious items back to the museum.

Some of the others called her brave, while still others called her foolish. However, they all agreed that it was a good thing she'd gotten the treasure back.

One suggested she head back near the museum, as the aides there were offering a reward. Holly thought she might as well.

It had gotten late, so she doubted she would be leaving the city today.

The museum had been closed off while people cleaned up the wreckage, but there was an aide standing near the place.

Putting Pikachu and Mawile back into their Poké Balls, she greeted the museum aide.

He responded. "Hello, are you the one who got our treasures back?"

Holly nodded. "Yes, that's me."

"All of us at the museum are very grateful to you for getting back our valuable treasures. We thought we might reward you with a treasure of your own."

With that, the aide produced a bunch of evolution items. Holly's eyes went wide. She'd never seen so many! There was every kind there, except for the stones.

How did the museum get all these items? Did they just have them for trainers to receive?

Then again, they were a museum. Maybe they kept them around for research purposes.

The aide continued. "You can have any one you want, but you can't have more than one, so choose wisely!"

Holly scanned the group of items. There were so many. It almost seemed impossible to pick…

Her eyes fell on one particular item.

It was a white box with a yellow circle and a simple disc.

But to Holly, it meant so much more.

She knew this item like she knew her own name.

It was called an Up-Grade. And the Up-Grade was used to evolve one Pokémon.

Porygon.

Holly remembered seeing the Porygon, their Poké Balls behind the glass cases of the Game Corner. She had always wanted one, but her mother had said no. Holly remembered pouting after that, but now, it made a little sense.

After all, Holly remembered she did have a bit of a problem with gambling. If left to her own devices, she could play the games well into the night. And with Game Corners being available to anyone as long as they were affiliated with Trainers, it was easy to fulfill that desire.

But to have there be a Pokémon available almost exclusively by gambling… And to be so close to it while she was growing up…

To own it now would be a dream…

And Holly didn't have to follow her mother now. She was her own Trainer after all.

But she could also own it without upsetting her mother.

Because now that she was a Trainer, she didn't have to gamble.

She had heard stories of Trainers who, instead of gambling, fought many battles to get Porygon. And then, after they'd won enough, the Pokémon was theirs.

Perhaps that's what she would do.

But she was a long way from being that strong.

So, for now, she eyed the Up-grade.

"Could I please have the Up-grade?"

The scientist nodded, a huge smile on his face as he handed it over.

"Of course, and thank you again!"

Holly nodded again and headed toward the Pokémon Center.

Once there, she found a bed and collapsed into it.

What a day! A new catch, the Gym battle, and running after a thief!

Holly had gone on the trip for adventure, and she admitted she did enjoy it.

But as she drifted off to sleep, she hoped that all her adventures wouldn't be this intense.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _So this chapter is based off of the first optional event. In this event, someone breaks and the museum, and steal some treasure. Players have the option to choose after the thief. If they chase after this leave and successfully recover the treasure, they will be rewarded with whenever evolution they like other than the stones._

 _The thief doesn't get caught by the police no matter what the player does, and refuses to tell the player why they stole from the museum. There's also not much information known, other than the fact they wear a mask. They are hiding out somewhere in Pewter after the break in, and the player has to find them if they want to catch the thief. I figured that the idea of chasing after thieves fits Holly's character, so that's why I did this optional event._

 **-Porygon being a Pokémon only available by gambling is based on older versions of the games. Originally, Porygon was only available in the Game Corner, and could only be gotten by playing at them. In the newer games, that was no longer true as the Game Corner was phased out.**

 **-The idea of anyone being able to gamble if they are affiliated with Trainers has to do with something I noticed in the games. In the games, the player is well below the legal gambling age, yet is able to play the Game Corner all they want. Normally, this would be a problem, yet no one bats an eye. There's no explanation in game for it either. So I came up with this interpretation.**

 **-Trainers fighting to get Porygon also comes from the older games. Another option for people who didn't want to gamble at the slots would be to fight battles over and over. With every battle, the play would win money. After enough, they would have enough money to buy points and get Porygon. This is what I most commonly did in my playthroughs, because I was not good at the Game Corner.**

 **-Finally, the hidden flower gardens in Pewter comes from the area in the games. The player can go up and talk to someone whose is spraying Pokémon Repel in their garden. There's also clearly flowers there. However, the garden is a bit out of the way, hence the reference to no one visiting it. While there is no person minding the garden here, the idea of using it is.**


	10. Undoing

**Onto another chapter of Holly Rising! And with it, another prompt! As usual, I don't own Pokémon, and see the author's note for details. All prompts are the property of the Artist's Zone user Wizardmonfan, and are summarized here with permission.**

 _To the east lies Route 3. Only Trainers with the Boulder Badge can pass through here, and it is the pathway to Mt. Moon. The route is very craggy, with many places formed by craters. Many traders like to hike and battle here. So, a Pokémon Center sits on this Route. Many Pokémon also like to battle here, and it can be a good place to catch some…_

* * *

9\. Undoing

Holly opened her eyes as sunlight streamed through the Pokémon Center windows.

She had slept well, and now it was time to leave.

Yet Holly couldn't ignore the tang of bitterness that resonated within her. She stuck out her tongue, as if to get the taste out of her mouth.

But nothing worked, and Holly knew why.

This was the taste of defeat, and the one who defeated her was that thief.

She clenched her fist as yesterday's memories came flooding back to her.

 _The thief running away from her… Trying to catch up to him… And in the end, losing…_

Holly gritted her teeth. She could let thieves like that continue! She had to destroy them!

And in order to destroy those adult bullies, she had to get stronger.

In order to get stronger, she had to catch more Pokémon.

So Holly headed out to Route 3, situated in between Pewter and the towering Mt. Moon.

Restlessly, she scanned the area. Perhaps there would be a decent flyer… After all, a lack of a flyer was why she could not catch the thief.

The grass rustled, and Holly turned her head.

Within minutes, a creature stepped out from the grass.

This creature looked like a blue rabbit, with a horn on its head. Its spotted fur blew in the slight breeze, and it sniffed the ground at it searched. Red eyes wandered over to Holly with a surprised look. Huge ears swiveled madly, as the Pokémon tried to comprehend what was happening.

Holly blinked.

A Nidoran female.

It was no flyer, but it would do.

She tossed out a Poké Ball.

"Go, Mawile!'

Her type Steel Pokémon appeared, glaring at the Nidoran.

The Nidoran got on all fours, glaring back.

Without warning, she charged. The horn on her head turned purple, and there was no hesitation in her eyes as she sped towards Mawile.

Yet as soon as she poked Mawile with her horn, the Pokémon didn't even flinch. It was as if nothing hit it, and it didn't even move. The Nidoran shrank back, and Holly grinned.

Nidoran's Poison Sting would never work on Mawile! Steel types were immune to poison, after all!

Holly nodded.

"You know what to do."

As usual, Mawile opened its jaws wide. In an instant, it closed them around the Nidoran. The Pokémon's shocked eyes only had a minute to register what was happening before she was caught within the deadly grip. She screamed and thrashed, but there was no escape.

Mawile chewed and grinded, before finally dropping the Nidoran to the ground.

The Pokémon panted, and Holly thought she could see bruises.

Perhaps she would be weak enough to catch, but she was wrong, as the Nidoran charged.

Her horn didn't light up this time, but instead, she lashed out with her legs. The Nidoran furiously kicked, striking Mawile in the center of its deadly jaws.

However, Mawile still didn't flinch, and Holly couldn't even see bruises on its body.

Holly couldn't resist grinning again.

Double Kick was a weak physical move, and there was no way something like that could get through Mawile's powerful defenses.

Holly simply pointed to the Nidoran, and Mawile opened its jaws. Once again, they closed around the Nidoran, and there was nothing she could do. Mawile viciously chewed, before spitting its target back out. The Nidoran was barely moving, and Holly didn't think she could see an area that didn't own a bruise.

Holly smiled again. Now was the perfect time! A Poké Ball appeared in her hand, ready to be thrown.

Yet before she could even start her capture, the Nidoran got up.

Holly's eyes widened.

There was no way she could keep going after that! And Holly might make the Nidoran faint if she weakened her any further!

But there she was, shaking and bruised, but standing. The Nidoran's horn glowed purple again, and she charged.

Holly blinked and cocked her head.

Why Poison Sting again? She should know by now it didn't work against Mawile!

But as the Nidoran ran towards Holly's Pokémon, it suddenly skidded around it. Before Mawile could attack, she was behind it.

Holly's eyes widened even further, and she let out a gasp.

The Nidoran hadn't been going for her Pokémon.

It'd been going for _her_.

Without thinking, Holly grabbed another Poke Ball and recalled Mawile. She still held the empty one in her hand, but her thoughts had now drifted away from capture.

Instead, Holly shook with fear.

Who knew what this Pokémon could do? She had to run to safety!

But as Holly tried to back away, it was too late.

The Nidoran jumped and lunged.

Paint burned through Holly as the Nidoran stabbed its purple horn into her leg. Holly winced, but didn't have time to concentrate as she was alerted to several more stabbing sensations.

Of course the Nidoran would stab her several times. It was the best way to incapacitate her.

Yet now it felt like the stabbing would never end. Tears fell down Holly's face as the burning pain spread throughout her entire body. Everything felt like it was on fire, but two thoughts occupied Holly's mind.

She had to stand, and she had to run!

Yet try as she might, Holly body couldn't do either.

Instead, everything trembled, and Holly let out a scream.

In another minute, her legs buckled, and she crashed to the ground.

She stared right into the eyes of the Nidoran, whose glare pierced harder than her horn as a continued to attack.

The tears continued to fall as Holly cursed her stupidity.

Her mother had taught her about the different types of poison. She had to, in order to do her job with the plants.

Holly hadn't paid much attention, and now regret mixed with the pain.

Her mother had talked about always having antidotes, but Holly hadn't brought any. With the way she zoned out during lessons, she couldn't even remember which antidote worked with which Pokémon.

She could remember one thing, though.

And that was that Pokémon venom was more deadly than any other. So deadly, in fact, that it took effect immediately.

And that was all leading to her pain now.

Holly's vision swam, and she could see black spots dancing in her sight.

Holly might not have remembered her poisons, but she knew it wouldn't be long before she lost consciousness.

She'd heard of unlucky Trainers dying on their journeys.

Would she be one?

Would Holly leave her adoptive mother bereaved and sobbing, all the while not knowing who her real parents were?

To think, that this was all because she went on the stupid research project…

To think, this was all because of her stupid idea of finding a real parents were, even though her adoptive mother treated her like her own…

And now, she was in a place far away, lying injured on the ground while a Pokémon attacked her, because she couldn't catch some stupid thief!

Holly couldn't resist letting the tears flow like a waterfall. If only she were back home!

She was dimly aware of her hands going slack, and the Poké Ball rolling on the ground.

In an instant, the Nidoran was gone.

But the pain still burned, and the tears still stained Holly's face. Now, darkness approached, covering everything like a wave.

And there was nothing Holly could do to stop it.

The last thing Holly registered was the sound of panicked footsteps. Perhaps they were rushing towards her.

There was no way to tell, as the darkness consumed her completely.

* * *

 **Authors notes:**

 **-So Holly's in a bad situation, and is hoping for rescue. But before that, the rest of the prompt.**

 _The Pokémon I could catch in this route were Growlithe, Nidoran (of both genders), Nidorino, Rufflet, Sandshrew, Mankey, Hoothoot, Raticate, Ekans, Nidorina, Budew, Baltoy, Audino, Venonat, Shinx, Venonat, and Salandit. I picked Nidoran female because she has a tendency to start on a lot of my Kanto teams, but never finish with any of them. Since this isn't a run I am playing normally, I figured I may as well give her a chance here._

 **Now for the rest of the chapter…**

 **-I had always planned for Holly to get hurt or sick on her journey, and when I saw that Nidoran was a Pokémon available, I thought this was the perfect chance. I thought it would show a more realistic way of depicting Pokémon journeys, as well as exploring some of Holly's flaws as a character.**

 **-As for Nidoran attacking Holly directly, that was a bit of realism. Realistically, a wild creature wouldn't be too happy about someone encroaching on its territory. Not to mention that since Pokémon are implied to be intelligent, it wouldn't be too difficult for one to figure out that in order to stop a trained Pokémon, it should attack the Trainer.**

 **-There are instances of Pokémon attacking people directly in the games, although it's pretty rare. It's also treated as something very shocking and serious (with a few exceptions, such as a bat Pokémon biting someone in a cave where they are common), which is part of the reason why it's depicted as such here.**

 **Pokémon attacks also occur in the anime and manga, but it's treated differently there. In the anime, characters are mainly annoyed when Pokémon attack them, but it's more lighthearted, and there are less injuries. In the manga, almost all Pokémon attacks are treated as something serious, but the manga is usually darker than both the anime and the games.**

 **-The idea of having antidotes for Pokémon poison comes from the idea that since the poison Pokémon are commonplace, someone would've realistically developed antidotes for the poison.**

 **-The idea with poison taking effect immediately has to do with the games. In the games, Pokémon start showing symptoms and taking damage as soon as the game indicates they are poisoned (which is a few seconds after an attack lands). The idea of Pokémon poison being deadlier than other ones also has to do with the games, where poison is one of the lethal status problems that can be used.**


	11. Companion

**Welcome back to another chapter Holly Rising! This one is a little long, as a warning. It's about as long as a traditional chapter in one of my stories, but quite a bit longer than what this story has seen so far.**

 **As usual, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Artist's Zone Wizardmonfan.**

 **Speaking of which, there is a prompt here, but it will be saved for after the chapter because of spoiler reasons.**

* * *

10: Companion

From then on, everything was a blur.

Her Pokémon were there, Holly knew. But hadn't been seeing them. Instead, her vision alternated between spinning and going black.

Holly couldn't tell how many times that happened.

Holly thought she could hear her Pokemons' desperate cries. Mawile's rang the loudest, its pleading howls unlike anything she'd ever heard from the Pokémon.

Holly didn't hear the Nidoran who started the whole thing, but she suspected it was here somewhere.

Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe she heard nothing.

Maybe nothing else was real.

But some things had to be.

Like the shaking.

Holly registered not being able to do even the simplest of tasks. Things slammed onto the ground as she constantly dropped them. Always, she could register the rapid footsteps of someone picking the dropped objects up.

But there was always more.

And someone was always there, trying to comfort her. They would place the objects in her hands, getting her whatever she was feebly able to ask for. More than once, Holly thought the person was a nurse. There were plenty around here.

But the person didn't seem like a nurse. There was no scent of medical equipment, no aura of someone at work.

Just someone who cared.

Someone who didn't want her to die.

Or perhaps the person was just a figment of her delirious imagination.

It was difficult to tell. But she couldn't concentrate on that.

Because, more than once, Holly followed the objects the ground.

She swore she could hear her own strangled screams as her body betrayed her.

But every time, someone picked Holly up, reassuring her in a voice she did not know.

At one point, Holly looked down at her leg. A massive purple and red wound glared back at her. Holly thought it was oozing something, but she didn't dare touch it. Instead, she howled and tried to tear her gaze away.

And the person was there, comforting her. Holly was dimly aware of someone wrapping something around the wound. But Holly didn't know what, and she couldn't tell who was doing it.

And it didn't bring her any relief.

Instead, more tears stung her face.

But every time, that person was there to wipe them away.

Holly didn't think nurses did that.

But maybe they did and she just didn't know.

Or maybe they weren't doing anything.

But there was one thing Holly knew was real.

And that was her horrific stomach pain.

The pain pierced like a knife and burned like it was on fire. Holly cried out as her stomach did flips and cartwheels.

But Holly knew these were no innocent tricks.

Not when someone held a bucket to her mouth. Holly remembered groaning again, and pitching forward. She was vaguely aware of someone throwing their free hand around her as she vomited into the bucket.

Holly tried to cry again, but it kept going and going. She thought she would start to dry heave, but somehow, it wasn't that bad.

When she finally did stop, tears stained her face as she sobbed openly.

But once again, there was that soothing voice, the one that could've been her imagination.

No matter how bad things were, she could hear it try to calm her.

Holly could specifically make out the words "it will be okay."

But Holly didn't believe that.

Not when she could feel like she was going to be sick while lying down. She could only manage a whimper, and yet the other person was there. A firm hand grabbed onto her shirt collar, and dragged her over to the edge. Holly registered the bucket and another hand tipping her head to the side.

Yet all was a blur when she vomited again.

And sometimes, even a bucket wasn't enough.

The attacks came faster than any Pokémon, to the point where even Holly didn't know their speed. Was she did know was the pain burned through her entire body, scorching her from the inside out.

Holly tried to scream, but it was too late.

All that came out was more vomit, soaking the bed and her clothes. This time, Holly could hear nurses, as they rushed to clean her up.

And yet the person from her hallucinations was rushing too. Holly tried to speak as the other lifted her off the bed. Yet nothing came out as the person rapidly undid her clothes.

Almost immediately, they were replaced with fresh ones. Before Holly knew it, she was back in the bed. The covers were pulled around her, and she was tucked in tight. She couldn't sense the nurses now, but instead, the other person.

Yet, Holly could feel little comfort. Because the pain in her stomach still remained.

And that didn't even include the pain other places.

Like the needles.

Holly didn't remember what the needles looked like, only that she'd been fearful. The other person had stroked her hair, trying to tell her more soothing things.

But it was to no avail, and Holly only whimpered. The other person offered her a hand, and she took it.

Holly thought she could see the other person nodding, but she couldn't focus for long.

Sharp pain shot through Holly's arm, and she squeezed until the other hand turned white.

Holly thought she heard another person let out a gasp, and she only squeezed harder.

Out of the corner, Holly could see another person grimacing.

But she couldn't be sure if it was real.

Dimly, she registered a word.

Antivenom.

But she had no idea what that meant.

And there were, apparently, other things to worry about.

Like the person pressing cup of water to her lips, desperately pleading her to drink.

And yet, Holly shook her head. There was no way.

So instead there were more needles. More hand squeezing. More whimpering. More pain.

At least Holly didn't see the other person cringing. Maybe they'd gotten used to what happened.

Or maybe they weren't there at all.

Holly had reason to believe the latter was the case as her temperature spiked. She groaned when someone touched an ice pack to her head.

But it did nothing.

Holly whimpered as she continued to burn from the inside out. The other person rubbed her sweat soaked hand.

But the gesture brought little comfort, and instead Holly could feel herself grimacing. Things grew hotter and hotter, as she continued to be drenched in sweat and tears.

Holly didn't know what the temperature was, but it felt as though she was sitting inside a furnace. A gasp escaped her, and she instinctively found that the other person's hand. She squeezed, and the temperature continued to climb.

Hotter than a fire.

Hotter than a desert.

Hotter than the sun.

And then…

It ended.

And Holly could only see darkness.

A deep breath escaped from her, as she realized she was still holding another person's hand.

It was the person from her imagination… And she'd come to take her away…

So this was it.

Holly was dead.

This was the end of that brief journey…

And all because of it, she lost her life…

What would things be like from now on?

Would there be fluffy clouds?

Did she have wings, and a halo?

She certainly didn't feel like she had either, but she wondered if that was normal for new angels.

Holly figured she might as well see.

So she opened her eyes.

Only to be greeted by a white room with sunlight streaming through.

And another person's voice. "Oh, thank goodness! You're going to be okay!"

Holly's eyes went wide.

It was the same voice from her dream!

But there weren't any fluffy clouds or angels here…

Which meant…

Holly's eyes widen further as she realized that she was continuing to hold someone else's hand. She tried to jerk her hand away, but the person spoke again.

"It's all right. You can still hold on." The other person chuckled softy as they stated. "I think my hand might be broken, though."

Holly resisted the urge to squeeze as she turned her head. Now, her eyes were the size of saucers.

So everything was real! There really was another person here!

And now she was staring right into the other person's concerned face. The person gave her a reassuring smile, but Holly couldn't smile back.

So, she just continued staring.

The person was a woman. She looked young, yet Holly could see maturity in her eyes. Maybe she just appeared young. Holly supposed she could ask her age, but she figured that was impolite.

So instead she focused on the woman's looks.

Purple eyes shone with relief as the woman smiled at Holly. Purple hair tumbled down her back, surprisingly well-kept. The woman also had bangs, yet somehow they didn't hang in her eyes.

Yet what caught Holly's attention the most was her clothing.

She was barely able to resist a shudder.

The woman's clothing was all black. Holly could find a speck of white underclothing showing inbetween her shirt and long pants. But that was it. Not even the woman's socks could be seen as they were covered by her black shoes.

 _All black clothing… Just like the thief…_

 _The thief that got Holly into all of this…_

 _But the woman couldn't be affiliated with thieves… Otherwise she wouldn't have stayed here with Holly… But she didn't look like anyone Holly knew…_

 _So who was she?_

The woman seemed to realize Holly's question. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Anabel. And you're Holly, right? I heard your name from the nurses."

Holly nodded. At the same moment, she had to wonder.

The name Anabel sounded familiar, but from where?

Regardless, she had more pressing concerns to deal with at the moment.

So she quickly asked. "Where am I?"

Anabel responded. "You're in the Pokémon Center on Route 3. I don't know you realized it, but you were pretty far away from Pewter. I didn't think you would make it if I went all the way back, so I brought you here instead. Thankfully, the nurses knew enough about Pokémon venom to treat you. There wasn't an adult here with you, so the nurses let me stay and help."

Another question was written Holly's eyes.

What about her Pokémon? If this woman was real, then Holly must've heard them too…

Annabelle again detected her question, and replied. "Your Pokémon all got healed up. We had to put them back in their Poké Balls, though. They got a bit... rambunctious when they saw you."

Holly remembered the cries of Mawile. She could only imagine what it would have done in this situation. None of it could have been good.

Instead, Holly turned to Anabel.

Anabel's eyes suddenly adopted a grave look, and Holly tried not to shrink back.

"You're lucky. If I'd been even a few minutes later, you'd have died."

Holly's mouth went dry as she replied. "Thank you for rescuing me. If you hadn't passed through…"

At this, Annabel shook her head, but her grave gaze continued.

"I was not just passing through. I was actually looking for you specifically. But that will have to wait for later."

A slight smile played on the corners of Annabel's face. "You should get some rest. The nurses just changed the sheets, so you should be comfortable. Now, you look like you are about to fall asleep."

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fists. She couldn't rest now! She had a journey to go on!

Yet, Holly was suddenly aware of her entire body drooping.

She tried to speak, but all that came out was a giant yawn.

Anabel nodded. "And that speaks for itself."

Before Holly could protest again, Annabel gently pushed her back down into the bed. Holly registered the movement of the covers as Anabel tucked her in tight.

Holly rolled around, trying to find a sweet spot, but all she could focus on was Annabel as the woman closed the blinds.

 _How long would she be like this? She had a study to complete!_

Again, Annabel answered. "If you rest up and take your time, you will be better before you know it. No point in traveling if you are too sick to go."

Holly saw the room darken as Anabel continued. "Sweet dreams. I will be close, so call me if you need me. Or just ask one of the nurses for help."

Holly nodded, and she heard the woman walk out of the room.

Fatigue overtook her at last, and she quickly drifted off into sleep.

After that, time passed at a crawl. Being awake didn't mean the same thing as being completely better, Holly found out.

There was medicine and more medicine, testing and more testing. Annabel explained that the doctors needed to make sure that the poison was entirely out of her system, but Holly was pretty sure they just wanted to torture her. She was certain she'd never be able to look at a needle after that. Holly tried hard not to crush Anabel's hand as each one went in. She wasn't convinced she succeeded, but at least the woman didn't complain.

And then there was her leg. Holly couldn't help wincing at the purple and red wound that still remained. It might not have been leaking anything, but it was still gross. Annabel patted her shoulder, saying that it would eventually just leave a huge scar and a story to tell. Holly shook her head, responding that she couldn't wait for the day. At least the doctors and Anabel put bandages on it.

After a few days, the nurses finally declared Holly fit enough to leave.

And that was when Anabel approached her.

Holly sighed. She knew why.

So, she figured she may as well start the conversation. "You said you were looking for me before."

Annabel nodded. "Yes."

Holly couldn't resist asking. "Why?"

"Because I am a member of the International Police Force."

Holly's eyes widened.

The International Police force. She had heard of them! Her mother talked about them sometimes. Apparently, they went after only the toughest criminals and cracked the most difficult cases. And they were in every region, not just Kanto.

But then…

If Annabel was a member of the International Police Force, why wasn't she at Pewter?

Probably because it was a petty theft, and as far as Holly knew, the International Police only went after the hardened criminals. Besides, there were already police there.

Holly turned back to Anabel as she asked. "And what does this have to do with me?"

Holly could not miss the stern gaze in Annabel's eyes as she replied. "The force has been observing strange happenings in Kanto. They sent me over to investigate. According to Pewter city police, a thief broke into the museum there. You chased him down and recovered the stolen objects. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Holly responded, but she couldn't help feeling confused.

Where was Annabel going with this?

"It was just a petty theft."

Annabel shook her head. "No, I don't believe it was."

Before Holly could respond, Anabel continued. "We of the International Police believe that it was part of a much larger happening. Perhaps there is an organized crime group around. But we have no evidence of this, and no way to proceed. However, that's where you come in."

"Huh? Why me?"

"Something strange has already happened with you, and if you're headed around the region, there will most certainly be more. If I travel with you, I may be able to better investigate what's happening and help crack the case."

Holly couldn't help blurting out. "You, travel with me? But…"

"But what?"

"Well, wouldn't the International Police be angry if you spent your time traveling with me?"

"I spoke with the International Police while you were hospitalized. They agree that since you've already encountered something strange once, following you is the best plan."

Holly shut her eyes.

This Anabel woman _had_ saved her life, and then treated her with nothing but kindness…

And yet…

How could she let her travel with her?

She barely knew Anabel, and there was no telling what she would do.

She might just use her, like those Trainers in the forest did…

Holly opened her eyes, yanked by her thoughts as Anabel continued.

"Besides, if I go with you, I can supervise you."

Holly's eyes widened.

Supervise? She didn't need to be supervised! Almost all Trainers trained by themselves! They may has well have been adults!

"I don't need supervision." Holly mumbled.

Somehow, Annabel understood her as she responded. "I beg to differ. You could have been killed before, and that was just by a regular Pokémon. With all these unusual events going on, who knows what could happen to you? Besides, I'd like to protect the person that could help me solve this case."

"I don't need protection either!" Holly snapped.

Annabel's eyes hardened as she replied.

"Well, were you carrying any antidotes? Or any healing items at all, for that matter?"

Holly's face burned red with shame, and she squeaked out "no". She honestly hadn't thought about healing items… Her team had been so strong…

Anabel shook her head. "And that proves my point. Someone that reckless needs protection. If you had even one antidote, you could have healed yourself enough to possibly get away. Or at least, call for help.

For now, you can use my healing items. But you owe me for every one you use. And at the next city, you _will_ stock up. Understood?"

Holly nodded. "Yes."

She looked at Anabel again. "Let's get going! We both have things to do!"

Annabel nodded. "Of course."

Holly ran out of the Center, but nearly tripped as Anabel grabbed her arm.

"Wait."

Holly turned back, and she couldn't resist the frustration creeping into her voice. "What now?"

"You've just gotten out of the hospital, and I don't want you straining that leg. It's better for you to ride on a Pokémon, at least for a while."

Holly's eyes widened. Ride on the Pokémon? Hardly anyone did that in Kanto! Did Anabel think they were in Kalos? Or Alola?

But Annabel did have a point. They were still long way from Mt. Moon, and that wasn't even counting any detours. She glanced at her leg. It was wrapped up in bandages now, and the purple was gone.

But it was still, a faded, angry, red. It would be a while before it healed completely.

And any more problems would make it worse.

Nevertheless, Holly responded.

"I don't have any I can ride on."

"Then, you'll have to use mine." Anabel grabbed a yellow and black ball. An Ultra Ball, Holly knew.

She tossed it into the air.

"Come, Salamance!"

A huge blue dragon erupted from the Ball. It sported massive red wings, and Holly almost braced from the wind they created. Its black eyes darted to Anabel, waiting for a command.

"Salamance, let this girl ride on your back. Fly close to the ground, so I can see her if anything happens."

The Salamance nodded, and Anabel gestured to Holly.

"Jump on."

Holly stared at the enormous Pokémon. She had never ridden any Pokémon before, let alone a dragon. But she would have to, if she wanted to keep going.

Holly climbed onto the Salamance, Anabel helping her find a good footing.

Holly shuddered. What would this be like?

Only one way to find out.

Anabel walked to the front of the Pokémon, studying Holly as she held onto its neck.

"Are you comfortable? Can you hang on?"

Holly nodded. She still fought to suppress shudders, and her hands barely went around the creature's neck. She felt like she might fall off. Maybe if she did, Anabel would catch her.

Yet Holly knew if she said no, Anabel would never let her leave.

So, she nodded.

Annabel nodded back

"Let's go."

With a cry, the Salamance took off into the air. Holly's fears of hanging on evaporated as the Salamance began moving. Flying was quite smooth, much more so than walking. And even though the ground was right near her, Holly couldn't resist looking at it. Her eyes widened again, this time because of how fast it whizzed by. Even Anabel looked like she was passing right by she ran next to them. She kept a brisk pace, so she must've been used to training with Salamance.

More than ever, Holly resolved to get herself a flying Pokémon.

But she was interrupted from her thoughts as the grass began to rustle.

Anabel halted abruptly. Holly was worried Salamance would run into its Trainer, but it stopped beside her.

Another rustle, and the Pokémon appeared. It was an orange puppy, with black stripes like a tiger. White fur covered its head and chest, and black eyes held a resolute look.

Holly narrowed her eyes. A Growlithe. It was a Fire type, and she already had one.

Perhaps Anabel would let her knock it out…

But before she could do anything, the Growlithe opened its mouth. It let out a fearsome cry, and Holly covered her ears. The sound was deafening, and Holly thought it would burst her eardrum.

Of course, this Growlithe would know Roar. Most of them did.

Holly found herself biting her tongue, trying not to scream.

She had to get away from the horrible noise!

Holly tried to urge Salamance away, but Anabel held out her arm.

The Growlithe had stopped its Roar and was now looking around. Clearly, it was confused that its target hadn't run, and Holly couldn't blame it.

But Annabel wasn't letting the Pokémon recover.

Her eyes hardened, and she tossed another Ultra Ball into the air. Holly thought she would see another powerful Pokémon appear, but instead the Ultra Ball continued flying.

It hit the Growlithe square in the head, scooping up the stunned Pokémon before could react.

In a single shake, the Pokémon was caught.

Holly wasn't surprised. Ultra Balls could capture most Pokémon no problem. A lot of times, she heard Trainers didn't even weaken them.

As Anabel just proved.

The woman was now turning towards Holly.

"Here, take it."

Holly's eyes widened. "But I already have a Fire type. I don't need this.'

Annabel quickly responded. "It might be useful if something happens. Besides, a beginning Trainer like you can always use more Pokémon."

Holly nodded. "Fine. But as soon as I get to the city, it's going in the box."

Annabel handed Holly the Ultra Ball. "Fair enough, just hang onto it until then."

Holly attached to the Ultra Ball to her belt, and tensed.

There was an extra Poké Ball there.

And she knew what it held.

Nidoran.

The Pokémon that had nearly gotten her killed. The Pokémon that had made hers worry.

But, she supposed, without it, she wouldn't have met Anabel.

So there was some good.

As Holly attached her new Pokémon to her belt, a thought crossed her mind. "If I train this Growlithe, can I be like you?"

Annabel shook her head. "It takes more than a certain Pokémon to be an officer. And only a special group of officers use Growlithe. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them, so I can't teach you anything."

There was no way Anabel could miss the disheartened gaze on Holly's face.

Holly thought that with a Growlithe, she could chase down bullies!

And she could save people!

She could save herself!

Anabel quickly responded. "But if you are interested, I can put you in contact with some of the members of the canine squad. They would definitely be able to tell you more. That would be after this mission, though."

"I will think about it." Holly replied.

Truth be told, she was trying to shake off fatigue. She stifled a yawn, and thankfully Anabel had turned away.

If Anabel knew she was tired, she'd make them stop. And then Holly would get even further behind.

Holly wasn't sure what it made her tired. Perhaps the Roar.

But she had to move on.

So, Salamance continued flying, and Anabel continued running. They seemed to cover a long distance, and Holly was glad she hadn't walked.

Yet the same wave of fatigue assaulted her again. She tried to shake it off, almost losing her grip on Salamence.

She was hoping they wouldn't have to go much further, or Anabel would certainly notice.

Yet, after a while, Anabel stopped again.

"What-" Holly tried to blurt out, but Anabel put a finger to her lips.

"Listen. Can you hear it?"

Holly strained her ears. It was difficult, but she could make out a faint moaning and what sounded like gurgling.

Holly snapped to attention.

There could be an injured person, or a Pokémon!

And there could be a bully! She had to help!

Holly nodded. "Yes, I do! Someone is in trouble!"

"The sound appears to be coming from the grass near us. You should be able to walk there. Get off Salamance, and follow my lead."

Holly quickly dismounted and Anabel recalled her Pokémon.

Holly soon followed, and they crept through the grass.

The moaning and gurgling grew louder, and Holly could not resist wincing. She was glad Anabel couldn't see.

Whatever creature lie beyond, it must've been in horrible pain…

As the grass cleared, they finally found the source of the noise.

Beyond the duo lay a Pokemon. The gurgling clearly came from its nose, which dripped a thick green mucus. But Holly thought she could also hear more gurgling, as the Pokémon coughed. Its eyes, normally full of life, lacked any luster. Instead, they looked red and irritated, and Holly thought she could see tears coming from them.

Tears, much like her own so shortly before.

Holly shook her head. She could not think about that.

So instead she focused on the rest of the Pokémon.

Its body was blue, except for certain parts. Those that weren't were black. The black parts included its legs, it ears, and part of its face that looked like a mask. Holly could see that its eyes were normally red, but not the angry color that they were now.

It was clear that this Pokémon was a Riolu. Riolu were rare, so people would take notice of this one.

But then…

Why hadn't anyone helped it?

Holly unknowingly clenched her fist, and Anabel walked up.

"What's wrong?"

Holly couldn't resist yelling. "This Riolu is clearly suffering! Why hasn't anyone helped it?"

"Because the Riolu is clearly a wild Pokémon. And wild Pokémon can get scared or lash out when they are sick. With a Pokémon as powerful as Riolu, it's easy to see why people would back off."

"Well, I have to help it! There must be some way…"

"It's worth a try, at least."

Holly crept towards the Riolu, but stopped in her tracks. Her nose felt like it was running, and she resisted her own urge to cough. She rubbed her eyes, even though she was sure they weren't red.

"Everything all right?" Holly spun around, trying not to let the surprise show on her face. Anabel clearly didn't hide her emotions, as she was looking at Holly with a mixture of the bewilderment and curiosity.

Holly resisted the urge to groan herself. She had never told Anabel about what happened to her. How would she explain now?

"It's a talent I have. I can feel the pain of people and Pokémon. I don't know where it's from, but I've had it as long as I can remember."

Anabel nodded. "I see. Maybe you can use it to help the Riolu now." As Holly continued to crawl, she thought she could see a wince on Anabel's face.

Holly shook her head. Her "talent" was rather bizarre, and knowing Anabel, she probably just thought she had wasted their time explaining it.

The Riolu looked up as Holly approached.

As she did, a sudden fear approached her. Riolu was weakened, so she couldn't battle it. One blow from the Pokémon would leave her damaged when she already was from before.

So how would she convince it?

She glanced down at the bandage on her leg, and an idea came to her.

She knew pain, and she knew fear.

And it was clear the Pokémon did too.

Now was the time to use what they had in common.

Holly softly stated. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you."

The Riolu looked up at her, curiosity in its eyes.

Holly continued. "I know what it's like to be sick too. It happened to me recently. It was scary, and I was crying and hurting."

She stopped, letting the bandage on her leg be in full view of the Riolu.

"But you know what? This nice lady behind me and some nurses patched me up. And now, I'm all better. And I'm sure, if you come with me, some people can make you better too."

The Riolu stared at Holly, eyes wide. Holly wondered if it would accept. After a while, it tottered over with unsteady steps.

She could see Anabel smile out of the corner of her eye as she remarked. "Well, it seems as though the Riolu thought the feelings you had were true. It would make sense, given its ability to understand emotions."

Holly let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, but then realized something.

How would she carry the Riolu? Not in her arms, certainly. She didn't want it infect the other Pokémon, and she wasn't really looking forward to getting snot all over her.

Holly looked towards Anabel, stating "how should I…"

Anabel replied. "Just capture it like you would a regular Pokémon. As long as you don't enable the capture mechanism, you should be fine. Even if you do on accident, you can just release it like you would your own."

Holly nodded.

With that, she fished out a Poké Ball. The Riolu did not resist as it was sucked into the light. The Poké Ball did not click shut, signaling that the Pokémon was not truly caught. Holly put it into her bag, stepping out of the grass.

But an important question begged to be answered.

"Where should we go? We are not anywhere near any centers or towns."

Annabel responded. "There's a little-known place called Sable City. It's to the south of this route. It's a bit of a ways back, but we should be able to reach it easily. There, we can get Riolu to the Center and stock up on supplies."

She looked straight at Holly. "But first, a rest."

This time, Holly couldn't hide her how tired she was. She could feel herself shaking and struggled to keep her balance. The wave of the fatigue was overpowering now, and Holly thought it would drown her. Her eyelids felt heavy, no matter how hard she desperately tried to keep them open.

Without warning, she lurched forward.

Anabel caught her, safely laying her down. She muttered something about what they did being a bit much for Holly's first day out of the hospital.

But Holly couldn't hear her, shutting her eyes before Anabel even finished lowering her to the ground.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **So… A lot happens in this chapter, but first, the prompt.**

 _There is an injured Riolu on the route. It's refusing help from everyone, and the player has to convince it to get to a Center. The player has to bring to a place called Sable City in the south. Sable City is exclusive to the RP. I chose to have Holly connect with the Pokémon using her injuries because it made the most sense, and connected the rest of the story together. The Growlithe was captured for a reason that will be revealed later on, but right now contains spoilers. Roar is a move that it knows early on, hence why it is used here._

 **-So here is Anabel, the other major character in the RP. Like the title states, she will be a permanent companion to Holly. She similar to how Ash had companions in the anime, even though some of them were held high ranks.**

 **-For those unaware, Anabel is actually a canon character. However, finding her during the games is completely optional. Anabel first appears in Pokémon Emerald, head of a facility called the Battle Frontier. The Battle Frontier can only be accessed after the main game is completed, and contains facilities with incredibly powerful Trainers. Each facility also tests a specific skill in combat. Anabel tests ability by having Trainers win successive battles in her Battle Tower.**

 **Anabel also appears in Pokémon Sun and Moon, although once again her appearance is entirely optional. She appears again after the main game has been completed, although not as the head of the Battle Frontier. Instead, Anabel is working with the International Police, investigating the appearance of mysterious Ultra Beasts on Alola. She tests the player's skill by challenging him to a battle, then recruits them. After all the Ultra Beasts have been found, she can be challenged at a facility known as the Battle Tree.**

 **-Anabel's appearance is based off of her appearance in Sun and Moon, as well as the fact that she is working for the International Police. Anabel's Salamance is also from Sun and Moon, as well as the fact that she uses Ultra Balls.**

 **As for whether or not her Emerald information will carry over, I cannot say, due to spoiler reasons. I will say that things will be a bit different than what the games reveal about her, and she's a large part of the reason this story is labeled alternate universe.**

 **-The International Police is also something that appears in the games. They first appear in Sinnoh, and their only known member is a man named Looker. He is tracking down the dangerous Team Galactic, and like Anabel, recruits the player. Later on, the International Police appear in Pokémon Black and White. Looker gives the player a fishing rod and enlist their help in finding the Seven Sages. The International Police makes yet another appearance in Pokémon X and Y, where Looker is tracking down the remnants of Team Flare. The final appearance to date is during Sun and Moon, in the same quest Anabel appears in.**

 **-The idea of supervision for young trainers being odd and Trainers being like adults is something that I observed in the games. In the game, it's not uncommon for young Trainers to be very far away from home and no adults in sight. Therefore, Holly would find supervision odd, and realistically, Anabel would be concerned with it.**

 **-The police using Growlithe comes from both the games and the anime. In the anime and the games, police officers battle and use Pokémon. At first, their main Pokémon is Growlithe. However, later on, other Pokémon are used alongside or instead of Growlithe. Anabel mentioning the canine squad that uses them comes from the anime, where Ash briefly trains with one.**

 **-Holly talking about Anabel having her ride to Pokémon and whether she thinks this is Kalos or Alola comes from the games. In X and Y (Kalos) the player could ride Pokémon in certain sections of the game. In Sun and Moon (Alola), the player could ride Pokémon on command provided they had progressed to a certain point. The Pokémon in both games were needed to get the player past obstacles. Holly explained that hardly anyone does Kanto has to do with how the other games handle riding Pokémon. The player can ride the Pokémon once they've obtained certain moves, but hardly anyone else's seen doing it. To my knowledge, only Steven and Lance (in Heartgold/Soulsilver remakes only) are seen riding Pokémon in the games.**


	12. Confrontation

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! This chapter is a bit of a longer one, so sit tight and enjoy the ride!**

 **Also, prompts will be after this chapter to avoid spoilers.**

 **I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes below for details. All prompts are the property of The Artist's Zone user Wizardmon, and are being summarized with permission.**

 **See the author's notes below for details.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

11: Confrontation

The first thing Holly was aware of was sunlight. Its beams hit her entire body, warming everything up. It danced across her entire vision, and there was so much that Holly thought she might go blind.

Holly groaned.

How dare this rude sunlight wake her up! She'd never sleep with it!

Yet…

Why was there sunlight here in the first place?

The last thing Holly remembered was that she had been with Anabel. She'd been helping a sick Pokémon, and then she'd fallen towards the ground…

But there was no ground here.

Only… blankets?

Where was she?

Holly groaned.

So early in the journey, and only to get lost again!

Plus, the sunlight was getting far too painful for her liking.

And there was only one way to find out where she was.

Holly opened her eyes, only to be met by Anabel's smile.

"Good afternoon. Did you have a nice nap?"

Holly blinked at her curiously. "Huh… What…?"

Anabel smiled again as she replied. "We are already at the Sable City Pokémon Center. You were very tired after the trip with the Riolu, and I thought it best not to wake you."

"But how in the world did we get here?" Holly couldn't resist blurting out.

"Well, I couldn't carry you, but I do have a bunch of Psychic type Pokémon. I had one of them carry you instead. Salamance carried me the rest of the way. I set you up in a bed when we got here."

Holly looked down, noticing the white sheets of the hospital bed. With that, her face turned bright red.

"What? Is something wrong?" Anabel asked.

Holly quickly shouted. "Well, it's just so embarrassing! You had to put me to bed again!"

Anabel simply smiled. "It's all right. I did that before in the hospital. Many times. Besides, you can't help being tired after all you've gone through."

Holly winced. Anabel was right. There were just some things she couldn't help…

But it was still so embarrassing…

Yet, Holly nearly shot out of bed when she remembered the reason she and Anabel were here.

"That Riolu! Where is it?"

"Still with you. I figured since you got it, you should be the one to be deliver it to the nurses."

Holly nodded.

She needed to hurry! There were more important things than her embarrassment right now! A sick Pokémon still needed help!

Holly kicked off her covers and almost jumped out of bed. She moved so fast that she would've fallen again had Anabel not extended a hand to steady her."

"Be careful. No Pokémon is worth getting injured again."

Holly nodded sheepishly. If she wound up in the hospital again, that waste even more time!

So she slowed her pace as she walked to the front of the center with Anabel. The woman nodded and gestured for Holly to walk up to the front desk. Holly did so, clutching the wild Riolu's Poké Ball in her hand.

"Excuse me, but I found a sick wild Riolu on Route 3. Could someone take a look at it? It's in the Poké Ball here, but it's still wild."

The nurse nodded. "Of course."

She held out her hand, and Holly gingerly placed the Poké Ball in it.

As the nurse walked away, Holly turned to face Anabel.

"Good work, Holly. But now, where's the next place you need to go?"

Holly looked around, confused.

That _was_ what she and Anabel were at Sable City for, right?

Almost too late she remembered the conflict from the hospital.

Holly resisted the urge to groan again. She knew there was a lot going on, but how could she have forgotten?

Well, at least she remembered now.

"Right. The Pokémon Mart."

Anabel nodded approvingly, and led Holly to an area of the Center filled with shelves.

On the shelves stood rows upon rows of every item Holly could think of. There were so many it almost made her dizzy, and she wasn't sure which ones to buy. Luckily, with Anabel's direction, she was able to purchase what she needed. She walked out of the area in a confident stride.

A bunch of items and a tough team of Pokémon… No one would dare stop her now!

Pokémon…

Holly couldn't forget that she had one more place to go…

Holly walked into the right corner of the center, towards her final destination. In the corner there sat a small computer.

Holly quickly typed a few letters on the keyboard, and the machine roared to life.

Before her stood a bright screen, as bright as the sun that morning.

However, Holly ignored it. Instead, she reached for Growlithe's Ultra Ball. Using her free hand, she typed a few more commands. In a few minutes, the Ultra Ball disappeared from her hand. The machine lit up briefly as the Ball was absorbed into it.

Just as Holly was about to leave, she caught sight of a word on the machine. It was one of the commands, something she knew well.

And yet she'd never been faced with using it before.

Until now.

Holly narrowed her eyes as she read the word.

Release.

Release meant returning a Pokémon to the wild. Trainers did that with Pokémon they didn't want anymore, or ones they couldn't handle.

And Holly could think of the Pokémon that fit both those definitions.

Her eyes hardened as she scooped up Nidoran's Poké Ball.

When she first encountered the Pokémon, she'd wanted her.

But she couldn't use her now. Not when she had nearly killed her.

All Holly had to do was type in a few commands, and press a button.

And then Nidoran would be gone forever…

But before Holly could start the process, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Holly whirled around, coming face-to-face with Anabel.

"Is that what you really want to do? Do you really want to release that Pokémon you just caught?"

Holly's eyes went wide. "How do you know what I'm about to do?"

Anabel coolly responded. "I've seen many releases, so I know when a Trainer is about to do one."

Before Holly could protest, Anabel asked her question again. "So, do you really want to do that?"

Holly's eyes burned with rage. "Of course I do! That Pokémon nearly killed me!"

Anabel shook her head. "So you would condemn the Pokémon for something it would do naturally?"

Holly snarled. "How is attacking me natural?"

The look of emotional control never left Anabel's face as she replied. "The Pokémon was acting out of self-defense, and what wild Pokémon wouldn't attack someone who entered their territory? Is it worth releasing over something like that?"

Holly shut her eyes, deep in concentration.

She had wanted the Nidoran. And the Pokémon had her own pain. She could still remember that pain, as the Nidoran thrashed inside the grip of Mawile.

And yet…

It was nothing compared to the pain she had caused Holly. Throwing up for days… The hottest fevers… The piercing, stinging, needles… And the inability to even do the simplest things…

Holly's pain had been much worse, more so than any Pokémon battle.

So, in her mind, the answer was still yes.

But then, another idea came to mind.

If Holly released Nidoran, she could go on to hurt other people and Pokémon.

So, Holly had to make sure Nidoran didn't hurt any other Pokémon again.

She had to make sure Nidoran didn't hurt _anyone_ ever again.

Holly grimaced as she put her Ball back into her belt. Anabel nodded approvingly and walked away.

But instead of following, Holly stared into the distance.

She had made her choice about Nidoran, but how would she do something like that?

Holly closed her eyes again, focusing away from the Center.

She strained her ears, and was suddenly alerted the sound of running water outside.

It could be a river, or a lake. Holly did not care.

It was perfect.

No one would ever know what she was going to do there.

Again, she turned to Anabel.

"I'm going for a walk."

The woman replied. "That's fine. Clear your head."

Holly briefly pondered how easy it was to get away from Anabel.

Didn't she suspect anything?

Well, now was her chance.

Holly slipped out of the Center, dashing towards the sound of rushing water.

There weren't many people around, and it seemed as though no one saw her leave.

So, Holly continued running.

The sound of rushing water got louder and louder, until Holly finally got to its source. Before her was a shimmering lake.

Holly nodded.

Once again, perfect.

Holly unclipped Nidoran's Poké Ball from her belt.

Perhaps she should give her a goodbye.

A frown crossed Holly's face, and she immediately shook her head.

Nidoran didn't deserve it.

No, she deserved the most painful ending possible.

And Holly would happily give it.

Holly threw her right arm back, eyes narrowing as she prepared to toss the Poké Ball into the lake.

But the toss never came.

Instead, a person caught her arm.

Holly couldn't see the person, but she could easily hear who it was.

And when she did, her eyes went wide.

Anabel's voice pierced her ears with a single, stern sentence.

"Put the Ball down. Now."

Instead, Holly stood staring.

How did Anabel know where she was?

Yet Holly had little time to linger on that thought.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Anabel glaring daggers behind her.

The woman may have saved her life before, but it was clear all kindness was gone.

Now, her purple eyes bore into Holly.

Holly tried not to sweat or shake, yet was barely successful.

Perhaps it was because Anabel was holding on to her.

Or perhaps it was the rage blazing through her like fire.

Regardless of the reason, Holly worked up the courage to ask a single question.

"How did you find me?" As Holly spoke, she was amazed to hear her voice come out steady.

Perhaps, after all Holly's years of fighting bullies, Anabel couldn't boss her around.

But now the woman shook her head. There was no mistaking the coldness in her voice. "Put the Ball down, and back away from the lake. Then I will tell you. Oh, and don't make me drag you."

Renewed determination fueled Holly's every limb.

Or perhaps it was renewed anger.

Anabel couldn't drag her. The woman couldn't even take Holly to the Pokémon Center by herself. She'd never be able to drag her away from a huge lake.

Besides, Anabel didn't really understand what was going on.

Anabel couldn't understand her pain.

Anabel was a stranger who barely knew her.

With that, Holly shook her head.

She briefly glanced back, meeting the icy glare in Anabel's eyes.

Before, the sternness would've made her shudder. Yet now she defiantly glared back.

Anabel remained unfazed, as she continued in a voice cold as ice.

"To kill a Pokémon without provocation is murder. And murder is a crime, Holly."

Holly resisted the urge to turn around to spit in Anabel's face.

There _was_ provocation! Couldn't Anabel see that?

So, Holly gazed back again, fixing Anabel with another glare.

Still, Anabel did not give way. "As a member of the International Police, I would be the one punishing you for that crime. I'd make the arrest right here, and that would be the end of your journey as a Trainer. It's not something I want to do to you."

Holly couldn't help balling her free hand into a fist. She gazed back, making sure Anabel could see the rage in her eyes.

Holly was sure Anabel was just trying to scare her. Surely she would realize she wasn't succeeding.

Yet Anabel continued to talk.

"Holly, think about your family. Surely you have some back home. What would they say if they found you in a jail cell?"

A spark of fury burned in Holly.

Anabel had the nerve to bring her family into this? She'd regret it!

The spark turned into a raging inferno, as Holly finally found her voice.

"You don't know me. Stay out of my way." The words came out in a snarl, but Anabel didn't flinch.

"Holly, is doing this worth ruining your life?"

Holly wouldn't stand for anymore of Anabel's lecturing.

Her hand twitched as she continued to try and throw the Poké Ball.

Yet, she had underestimated Anabel.

Quick as lightning, the woman grabbed onto Holly's hand. She forced it into a fist, nearly crushing it and the ball inside.

Holly yelped as Anabel slammed her hand back down to her side. The Poké Ball dropped from it. It was still near the lake, but now it was safe on the banks.

Holly's eyes went wide. She had to finish this!

She tried to run forward, only to feel Anabel's free hand hooked around her waist.

Holly's own free hand clawed at the woman, trying to pry her off.

However, Anabel was ready.

She effortlessly grabbed Holly's other arm, and within minutes, that too was pinned to her side. Holly tried to break free, but Anabel slipped her hands in between Holly's sides and her arms.

Anabel didn't even let out a grunt of effort as she dragged Holly back. If there was strain, she did not show it.

Yet now, Holly was even more determined to lash out.

She tried to kick or step on Anabel, but the woman skillfully avoided her blows. Instead, it was Holly who fell.

As before, Anabel caught her. But now, there was no kindness in her eyes. She forced Holly to remain upright, continuing to drag her back.

After what seemed forever, Anabel gave a sharp tug. Holly screeched as she was thrown backwards onto the grass.

Holly could feel her body throbbing, but that was not what caught her attention.

Instead, she focused on Anabel.

The woman loomed over Holly with her ice cold stare.

"Well, what you have to say for yourself?"

Holly concentrated on the area near the lake. She wasn't close, but she could still see the Poké Ball there.

And the pain wasn't bad enough that she couldn't ignore it.

With a cry, she got up and charged towards the Poké Ball.

Yet, Anabel caught her again by the arms. Effortlessly, she tossed Holly back onto the grass.

As waves of pain assaulted her body, Holly's anger turned to desperation.

She had to finish this!

She tried to get up for one last time, but Anabel delivered a swift kick to her stomach.

This time, there was no ignoring the pain.

The blow left Holly sprawled and panting on the grass.

Anabel mercilessly loomed over her again, and for a while, Holly hesitated.

Eventually, she managed to cry out.

"How did you find me? I didn't leave you any clues to where I was!"

Anabel's response made Holly's blood run cold. "You're not the only one who can feel others' pain, Holly."

Holly's eyes immediately grew wider than saucers.

 _Anabel's strange reaction to her powers, and her reaction to the attempted release…_

It all made sense now.

Yet still, Holly could hardly believe it.

 _Anabel had the same power? How was that possible?_

Holly could only listen as Anabel continued.

"When you were about to release that Pokémon, I felt the pain you had. I thought perhaps I could dissuade you from doing that, and stop the pain. Yet when you declined, there was still pain there. Only this time, it was intense anger. And it showed no signs of calming down. That's when I began to fear the worst. Since the Center was close to this lake, I thought that was the most logical place for you to go."

The woman shook her head.

"I thought that you wouldn't sink this low, but I was wrong."

Holly realized she still had her voice, and immediately snarled. "So you came here to lecture me? What do you know about pain? What do you know about nearly dying?"

Rage burned in Anabel's eyes, but she still spoke in an even tone.

"I know about the pain of losing almost all of my friends and family in a single night, and I nearly died in that same night."

Now, Holly's mouth hung open.

 _What had happened to Anabel?_

But Anabel didn't give Holly a chance to ask as she continued. "I been through so much pain that sometimes I feel like I could destroy the world. But one's own pain is never an excuse for mistreating innocents, no matter who they are."

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Holly.

"And if you think your pain is an excuse, then you're no better than a criminal."

The last words stung Holly like needles.

 _No better than a criminal… Using your pain as an excuse…_

Her mind whirled back to her encounter with the thief. He'd clearly been a criminal, using some excuse to commit his crimes and steal from a museum.

And today, Holly almost joined him.

If Anabel arrested her, she would've.

All because of her own crime, and excuse.

Holly had dreamed of fighting off bullies and criminals.

Yet today, that dream almost shattered.

Today, Holly almost became the one of the people she hated so much.

Today, she almost became the very type of person she strived to protect others against.

The realization hit Holly like a wave.

Before she knew it, she had broken down into huge, gasping, sobs.

At first, Annabel still kept her icy gaze. Eventually, it softened.

Perhaps Anabel could sense Holly's pain, or maybe that she had learned her lesson.

Regardless, Anabel was no longer hostile to Holly when she shakily sat up.

 _Holly wanted to say so much… That she was sorry for what she did… About the bullies and the criminals… About her fear…_

Yet every time she tried, all that came out was more gasping sobs.

But Anabel must've seen the remorse written Holly's eyes, as she produced a handkerchief. Holly immediately seized it, wiping away the tears. She tried to speak again, but Anabel held up her hand.

"Don't try to talk right now. I know this is a hard lesson, but I'm glad you've learned it. Now, you can continue your journey if you promise me two things."

Holly glanced up, tears still staining her face and eyes.

At this, she couldn't help but shudder.

 _What would Anabel have her do? Would she treat her like a criminal throughout the journey? Maybe she deserved it… She did just try to kill her own Pokémon, after all…_

"The first thing is to never again try to do what you did today. And the second, is to treat Nidoran like a regular member of the team. Start off by using her in your next battle. Can you promise me this?"

Holly nodded.

She would do anything to continue the journey! Even if it meant holding back fear and anger.

Somehow, she found her voice again, and managed to choke out. "What you said… about having so many people die… And nearly dying in the same night... What… what… happened to you…"

Anabel shut her eyes, and Holly didn't miss a huge sigh escaping from her.

"I suppose you should know, since we're traveling together. But in return, I want to know about you, and why you did what you did. Do you understand?"

Holly considered shaking her head.

Would Anabel enact further consequences? Could she truly tell her more about herself?

She supposed she had to, now that her journey depended on it. And she supposed Anabel could enact further consequences. But she'd already promised that she wouldn't stop Holly's journey.

And she knew Anabel would keep her promise.

Shakily, Holly nodded again.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Anabel shook her head.

"Not here. Let's go somewhere more private. Let's go back to the city and the Pokémon Center. We can talk in one of the rooms."

Holly weakly nodded as she shakily got up.

Anabel went closer to the lake, grabbing Nidoran's Poké Ball. Holly clumsily accepted it, and placed it on to her belt.

Anabel nodded again, and Holly trailed after her as the two left for the city.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _So the prompt for this area was to bring Riolu to the Pokémon Center. That's it. There was also an optional event, but that will be coming up in a few chapters._

 **As for the rest of it…**

 **-This is where the story takes a bit of a darker turn. It will probably still be milder than some of the other things I've written, but fair warning.**

 **-Originally, I was just planning to have Holly try to do a release, and stop when Anabel is alerted. However, I chose not to. This is mainly because release is considered something pretty common, and usually not very emotional. And something common and unemotional didn't seem appropriate for something as drastic as what happened to Holly.**

 **-Speaking of release, it works in the games exactly like it does in the story. Players use it in order to clean out boxes. They can click a button called release when viewing any PC, and after confirmation, the Pokémon is gone forever. In the anime, release is also used, but the Trainer does not have to be at a PC. Pokémon in the anime are released for the exact same reasons Holly tries to release Nidoran. In the anime, released Pokémon can also be picked up by another Trainer, but that is not the case in the games.**

 **-Anabel having the ability to arrest Holly comes from observation made about the gains. In the games, Looker is a member of the International Police, and he's seen apprehending people several times. In Platinum, he's seen arresting some people from Team Galactic. In Black and White, he does it again as he takes the Seven Sages into custody. In X and Y, he also was on a mission to apprehend the remnants of Team Flare. Although Anabel is never seen arresting people while a member of the International Police, it is noted that she is never seen fighting any of the evil teams. But since eventually ranks above Looker, it's safe to assume she does have those the same powers he does.**

 **-Anabel's ability to send others pain comes from the anime. In it, she is a highly developed sense of empathy and can sense Pokémon are feeling. It's particularly strong when she gets into a battle, and to a lesser extent, she can understand people's feelings as well.**

 **-The severity of what Holly did, and the idea of it being murder is based on the games. In the games, killing Pokémon is rarely seen, but when it is it is considered a serious crime. The most notable offender is Team Rocket, when they kill a mother Marowak. Most NPCs are horrified, believing it to be unforgivable. Therefore, Anabel effectively telling Holly that killing Nidoran will turn her into a criminal comes from examples like that.**


	13. Consequence

**And here comes another chapter! No prompt this time, but see the author's notes for details. I do not own Pokémon, and all prompts are the property of Artist's Zone user Wizardmon. They are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

12\. Consequence

Holly glumly let Anabel escort her to the Pokémon Center. She hoped none of the nurses would notice her tear stained face. If they did, none of them inquired about it. Holly took shaky breaths, trying to stem more from coming. She was aware of Anabel glancing at her as she tried to control herself.

Yet the woman's face was unreadable as she led Holly into the room they'd used before.

Grave thoughts consumed Holly.

 _What would Anabel do to her? What would she do to her Pokémon? She said she wouldn't stop the journey, but would she hinder her somehow?_

 _Would her mother find out? Would she be a criminal forever?_

It was all too much.

Holly couldn't resist bursting into sobs again as she followed Anabel into the room. Hot tears burned Holly's face, and before long her vision was swimming.

She couldn't see much, but she heard Anabel closing the door and lock it tight.

Holly wondered if anyone could hear her sobbing. Would they think she needed rescuing?

She didn't have time to ponder it as she heard Anabel walk over. Holly nearly jumped out of her skin as Anabel grabbed her arm again.

Yet this time, there was no malice or pain, and Holly could feel herself gently being led over to the back of the room. She felt her legs brush up against a chair and instinctively scrambled for a hold.

Yet her hands could not stop shaking, and she missed.

Holly would've fallen if Anabel had not her other arm. She gently maneuvered her in front of the chair. "Sit down." She commanded.

Holly did as she was told, and even through blurry vision, she could see the Anabel had locked eyes with her.

"Stay there for a few minutes. I'm going to get you some water."

Before Holly could protest, Anabel had walked across the room.

She could hear the woman rummaging around in a bag of supplies. Dimly, Holly registered water pouring into a cup.

Anabel's footsteps grew louder, and she spoke to Holly again.

"Here's a cup of water. Can you take it?"

Holly attempted to answer that question, yet her hands were shaking so much she nearly dropped the cup of water.

Luckily, Anabel grabbed it back, stating "I should've known… Wait for just a little longer."

Holly could once again hear Anabel walking away, but soon her ears registered the movement of a chair. The chair clanged a bit as it was moved next to Holly's. Holly could hear the cup of water being set down. She also thought something puffy had been set down.

She reached out her hand, realized it was a tissue box.

"Dry your tears with those, Holly. If you need more water, let me know." Anabel instructed.

Again, her tone of voice left Holly no clues, and she still wondered what Anabel was going to do.

She didn't have time to ponder it much, as she registered something else moving. Even with her blurred vision, Holly could tell that this was a wastebasket, and it had been placed on the side opposite from the second chair.

Holly hoped she wouldn't need it, but the pain in her stomach almost told her otherwise.

What if she was sick in front of Anabel again?

It would be just another way of being embarrassed again today…

Yet if Anabel thought Holly was going to be sick, she gave no indication.

Instead, Holly heard the woman walking around, before she finally sat down in a chair.

Holly rapidly grabbed a tissue, and dried her eyes. She took the time to blow her nose as well, somehow managing to toss the used item into the wastebasket.

Now, she could finally look at Anabel.

The woman was sitting across from her, eyes still betraying no emotion.

Chills ran down Holly's back as she remembered Anabel was a police officer.

Was this what it felt like to be interrogated? Did Anabel think this was an interrogation?

And if so, what did that mean for Holly?

She was snapped from her thoughts as Anabel stated "Start talking, Holly. I want hear your side of things first."

Somehow, Holly's trembling hands lifted up the cup of water. She brought it to her lips and took a huge drink.

Each drop felt like sand against her parched throat, but she forced herself to keep going.

If it kept her from throwing up or crying anymore, it would be worth it.

She set the cup down, and try not to let fear show as she faced Anabel.

"Well, I'm from Celadon." Holly suddenly shook her head.

That was a lie. Who knew where she was from?

So she quickly corrected herself as Anabel waited.

"Well, I'm not really from Celadon. The Gym Leader, Erika, found me when I was a baby. She adopted me and raised me as her own."

Holly remembered now. Her mother had always told her the story.

That story of when, one night, Holly suddenly showed up on the Gym's doorstep. All the authorities could find about her was her name, and any searches for her real parents were futile. Some suggested Erika put Holly in foster care, but her mother had refused.

From that day on, she became the Gym Leader's daughter.

Holly didn't know how much of it was true, but her mother had never lied.

Besides, it was all she had to go on.

Holly resisted the urge to shudder. What would her mother think of her now?

Holly's thoughts were snapped from the past as Anabel focused on the present.

"Your Trainer Card says you begin your journey at Viridian. That's a long way from Celadon. How'd you get so far from home?"

At this, Holly tried even harder not to have her fear make a comeback. Yet she was unsuccessful as she continued to shake.

Anabel was so insistent on supervising her... What would she say when she heard that Holly was allowed to move to Viridian by herself?

Yet the truth had to come out, and it was clear Anabel wouldn't settle for anything less.

So, Holly took another huge swallow of the water.

She tried hard not to let her voice tremble as she spoke. "Well, I heard about this research project from this new professor, Pine. I decided I wanted to participate, and my mother let me leave. The project started in Viridian, though, so I had to move there."

Anabel placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought. However, there was no missing the sternness in her eyes.

"So from what I understand, your mother, Gym Leader Erika of Celadon, let you go to a faraway city, alone. All so you could participate in a research project for a professor hardly anyone knows?" Holly could now hear the slightest hint of exasperation in Anabel's voice.

At this, Holly could not but feel her own rage bubbling inside of her.

Who was Anabel to criticize her mother's decision?

Holly worked to keep her hands from balling into fists as she replied.

"I told her I was strong, and that the journey would be good for me! Besides, most Pokémon Trainers leave when they're younger than me. And the professor paid my mother, too!"

Annabel's eyes hardened, and she adopted the icy cold voice she had used before.

Holly forced herself to make eye contact as another shudder went down her back.

"And yet sending you alone to a remote town where hardly anyone knows you is a tremendous risk. Surely your mother must have known this. Why did you even choose to go on the research project? Why did you choose to take that risk?"

Holly fought to keep her voice even as she stated.

"Well, Erika might've raised me, but I'm nothing like her. We clashed all the time. So I got the chance to leave, I couldn't wait. I wanted to find my real parents, and also who I really was."

"And you did this despite Erika treating you like her own child? Your real parents were that important to you?"

This time, Holly couldn't prevent her voice shaking.

Perhaps Anabel was right, and her reasoning was stupid.

She hadn't told her all of it, though.

So, Holly managed to choke out.

"That's not the only thing! There was also those awful bullies! They were in the schoolyard… The city... Everywhere! They would never stop picking on me, all because I was the Gym Leader's daughter!"

Holly could feel another wave of tears coming on. Somehow, she knew that Anabel wouldn't accept this as a valid answer.

But she had to keep going.

"Bullies... Thieves… Criminals… It doesn't matter who… I'm going to destroy them all! And to do that, I had to get stronger! And leaving on the journey was the best way to do that!"

She paused as she remembered her final reason.

"But more than that, I wanted to develop my own life, apart from my mother! It's the only way to find my real parents! And to make sure those horrible people never torment anyone ever again!"

Holly let out a gasp after she spoke, and noticed Anabel had closed her eyes.

The woman appeared pensive, but in a moment, she had opened her eyes again.

She fixed Holly with the same stern gaze as she spoke. "If you spent your life fending off bullies, then you should know not to act like them. Yet, from your actions earlier today, that is clearly not true. You almost became what you hate… by nearly ending an innocent life."

Holly stiffened, and tears began to well up in her eyes. It hurt to hear the words in her head before, but it hurt even more to hear them from someone else now.

Anabel showed no sympathy in her eyes as she sharply continued.

"So how could someone that went on a journey to stop wrongdoers suddenly decide to murder a Pokémon?"

At this, the tears fell.

Holly knew her reason had been stupid!

And now she had to explain it to someone who held her entire journey in her hands.

Holly lunged for a tissue, trying to stem the flow of tears.

Yet it was no use, and they continued coming.

Holly's vision blurred again, but she was sure Anabel had no kindness in her eyes.

Finally, she managed to barely speak.

"Well… Nidoran had hurt me… and... and… and… I was afraid that if I released her, she would hurt others. So I wanted to make sure… She could never hurt anyone again… And the only way I could think of doing that… Was killing her…"

If Holly's pain affected Anabel, she didn't show it. Instead, she coolly responded.

"So based on what you previously told me… You thought Nidoran was a criminal, and you were going to dispose of her. And you did this without realizing that you were becoming a criminal… Am I correct?"

Holly shakily nodded. What was Anabel going to do?

Yet, the woman's next comment caught Holly off guard.

"Holly, what is your favorite Pokémon on your team?"

Holly's eyes widened. She wanted to ask where that had come from, but she got the better of it.

"Torracat!" She blurted out.

Anabel held out her hand.

"Could you give it to me?"

Holly's eyes continued to grow wide as the shaking did not cease.

Every fiber in her body screamed at her to refuse.

Yet she could not.

Who knew what Anabel would do to her if she did?

Holly's hands trembled so much he nearly dropped Torracat's Poke Ball. Yet somehow she managed to pass it into Anabel's outstretched palm.

Anabel's eyes grew stern, and she held the Poké Ball tightly in her palm.

"Holly, this Torracat is your Nidoran, and it died by your hand today."

At this, Holly's eyes went wide, and she let out a scream that she was sure the entire Center could hear.

"No, don't kill it!"

Anabel remained unmoved. Instead, she focused on Holly.

"I wasn't planning to. What I want to know is how you would feel if what I just said was the case."

Anabel paused, waiting for Holly's response.

Holly looked down at her trembling hands. Her throat went dry as she realized could not speak.

She couldn't imagine a journey without Torracat! She'd probably just quit right there!

Holly took another huge gulp of her water, realizing she had drained the cup. She wanted to ask Anabel for more, but she could still barely speak.

Finally, Holly managed to choke out.

"I would feel horrible about it... And… And… And… sad beyond belief… Probably angry too…"

At this, Anabel looked straight into Holly's eyes. Holly shrank back as the sharp gaze pierced her.

Holly tried looking away at the empty cup, and Anabel seemed to get the message.

Rapidly, she grabbed some water from her supply and refilled Holly's.

Yet the woman never took her eyes off her, and Holly continued shrinking back.

After what seemed like forever, Anabel finally spoke.

"I see you are honest. But honesty is not enough. You need to remember to show compassion for all innocents, not just the ones you like."

The woman locked eyes with Holly again, and she shrunk back a second time.

"Clearly, you need more reminders."

Holly blinked away tears.

More reminders? What sort of reminders did Anabel mean?

Holly knew it couldn't have been good.

But Anabel said next made her blood run cold.

"I think it's time you faced the consequences of your actions, Holly."

Holly tried her hardest not to cry again as her fearful eyes met Anabel's.

Face the consequences? Didn't she already have consequences after what happened at the lake?

And Anabel could do anything!

Was she going to put her in jail?

Was she going to make Holly a criminal for life?

Would she hurt her? Or her Pokémon?

Holly stared at the chair and her trembling hands. She couldn't meet Anabel's eyes. Not when tears were about to fall…

Yet, Anabel's sharp command pierced through her ears.

"Look at me."

Holly didn't dare look away as she shakily met Anabel's icy cold eyes.

But nothing could prepare Holly for what the woman said next.

"Until further notice, I'm keeping Torracat."

Holly screeched. Her vision blurred as tears ran down her face like waterfalls.

How could Anabel keep Torracat? That would make her a thief!

Holly tried to speak, but all that came out was tears. She registered the water and the tissues being shoved into her hand as she heard Torracat's Poké Ball being put away somewhere.

Holly took another drink of the water, wiping her eyes.

She couldn't see Torracat's Poké Ball, but the sternness had not left Anabel's eyes.

Regardless, Holly blurted out. "You can't do that! That's stealing!"

Annabel shook her head. "I asked for Torracat before, and you gave it to me. Therefore, it's not stealing."

Holly glanced Anabel's belt. Six Poké Balls shimmered on it.

Immediately, the tears threatened to spill over again as Holly screeched.

"You already have six Pokémon! You can't take another!"

Yet Anabel betrayed no emotion as she stated. "Trainers can have more than six Pokémon with them as long as some are not their own. As a Gym Leader's adopted daughter, you should know that."

Holly clenched her fist as her vision started to blur again.

This couldn't be happening!

Holly's voice rose to a pitch that she didn't think possible, and it was loud enough to fill the entire room. She screamed. "But I promised!"

Anabel shook her head. "A promise is not enough. I've seen many, many, people make promises, Holly. Yet when they break them, they're just empty words."

Holy shivered and tried to back away, but she was only meant by a dull ache as her back hit the wall.

Is that what the promises her and Anabel had made earlier were? Empty words?

Before Holly could fire off a retort, Anabel spoke again.

"I want you to prove to me that you're not like that. It's not enough to simply say you won't try to kill Pokémon again. The only way to ensure you keep your promise… Is to make sure you feel what losing one would've been like."

Holly found her voice, yelling at the top of her lungs. "I will just go capture more Pokémon!"

Annabel shook her head. "I'm not letting you get off that easy. Until your punishment is done, you are forbidden from having more than five Pokémon on your person. If you capture a sixth, you must give it to me immediately. When we reach a PC, you will put the Pokémon in a box."

Anabel focused her gaze Holly's belt, and an angry finger pointed at the space where Torracat's Poké Ball had been. Holly tried to move away, but Anabel held her in place.

Her words chilled Holly to the bone, but she was forced to listen.

"This will be your reminder of what you did. If you had gone through with your plan today, this is what Nidoran would've been. Empty. Nothing. And all because of you."

At this, the tears cascaded down Holly's face.

 _All because of her…_

 _What had she done?_

Holly rapidly grabbed the tissues and the water.

Anabel stepped back as Holly took a drink and blew her nose.

Anabel's words stung more than needles.

Yet a question still rattled in Holly's mind.

Between sobs and gasps she asked. "What if I need to use Torracat for emergencies? For Gym battles?"

In a softer voice, she continued. "What if I just want to play with it?"

Annabel gazed straight at her and she responded. "You may have Torracat back temporarily with my permission. But if I say no, you listen."

Holly couldn't believe what she was hearing! She wasn't even allowed to play with her own Pokémon anymore?

"But what about training?" She blurted out.

"I will train Torracat for you, and you are welcome to watch. But you cannot interfere."

Alongside all her fright, Holly felt a spark of something.

Defiance that burned like fire, she realized.

So she couldn't even train her own Pokémon now? How dare Anabel take the very image of a Trainer away from her!

Holly shouted. "What if I refuse?"

Anabel's voice was as cold as ice as she replied. "If you go back on your promise, then I go back on mine. Your journey will end here. Today."

At this, Holly let out a gasp. Anabel hadn't specified how she would end Holly's journey. However, Holly had a pretty good idea.

She shook her head furiously.

Annabel looked her straight in the eye as she responded. "Then, do you accept the punishment?"

Holly squeezed right shot, and nodded.

It was then that the floodgates opened.

The tears flowed freely, and Holly couldn't stop them no matter how hard she tried.

But something else returned.

That horrific pain in her stomach.

Holly knew was coming next.

Luckily, Annabel did too.

As Holly lurched forward, Anabel grabbed the wastebasket. She wrapped her free hand around Holly's back as Holly vomited into the container.

As before, the tears didn't stop. If anything, they grew worse.

And with it came the vomiting.

Over and over.

Holly thought it would never end.

But eventually, Anabel took the wastebasket away. She sat Holly up, holding the cup to her lips.

Holly gratefully drained the cup, and Anabel quickly refilled it.

"Drink as much as you can. It will help you to stop."

Holly moved her mouth to say something, but Anabel shook her head.

"Now's not the time to talk. Try to sit and listen."

Holly blinked, confusion written in her eyes.

But Anabel clearly answered her silent question. "You were wondering before about who I was. And since you gave me your story, I'm going to return the favor."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Holly gets the second part of her punishment. I chose this because I thought it fit well with Holly's crime. Furthermore, it prevents her from getting off scott-free, while at the same time not slowing down her journey or the story. I felt like it was also in character for Anabel to do something else, because as someone who has probably seen a lot of criminals, she would really want to make sure Holly does not become one (hence her line about promises and empty words).**

 **-Those who have read the author's note for the first chapter may recognize some of Holly story. What Holly talks about can be found in the history section of her original profile for the RP. The exception is what she says about Erika, since the original profile did not elaborate on how the Gym Leader found her.**

 **-The idea that trainers can have more than six Pokémon as long as some are not their own comes from the Generation IV games. In these games, if the player teamed up with a partner character and had six Pokémon, the partner could still send out all of theirs. This means that seven or more Pokémon could be on the battlefield, despite the fact that the games usually only allowed six. Some of these partner battles also carried over into the newer games, where the same thing could happen. The most extreme example of this is in a battle near the end of Platinum, where was possible for the game to have 12 Pokémon in battle. This is because the partner always had six Pokémon, and the player could have six of their own.**


	14. Faraway Place

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! This one's a bit on the shorter side, but explains a lot about what's going on in the rest of the story! No prompt this time, however.**

 **As always, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizmonfan's and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

13\. Faraway Place

Holly blinked again.

With everything that had happened, Holly had almost forgotten the request she had made.

She wasn't sure it even mattered now. But clearly, Anabel thought it was important enough to tell her.

So, Holly kept her eyes focused on the woman as she walked back across the room.

Anabel sat down in the chair across from Holly, and Holly forced herself to meet her eyes.

To Holly's surprise, there was no trace of commanding coldness Anabel had shown before.

Instead, Anabel's eyes rated with the warmth and kindness Holly had seen at the hospital.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, feeling every part of her body relax.

Anabel gave her a reassuring smile, as she stated. "Are you ready?"

Holly nodded, and Anabel took a deep breath before beginning.

"I'm originally from Hoenn. I used to be the leader of a facility called the Battle Frontier."

Despite Anabel telling her to listen, Holly couldn't resist asking. "Battle Frontier? What's that?"

Anabel quickly replied. "It's an area where many strong Trainers gather. They're a level above most regions have ever seen, Holly. In fact, they're so powerful that most authorities won't let people in until they're on the level of a region's Champion."

Holly's eyes went wide. "Wow, you're stronger than a region's Champion? Those Trainers that conquer the Pokémon League? Then, you must be able to handle anything!"

There was no missing the pain in Anabel's eyes, and Holly simply stared.

What had Anabel gone through that simply saying she could handle anything brought back bad memories? If she was stronger than the Trainers at the Pokémon League, then it couldn't have been a simple loss…

How it suddenly realized how rude she was being, and quietly stated. "I'm sorry."

Annabel shook her head.

"There's no reason to apologize. It just brought something back…"

She closed her eyes before opening them again. "I couldn't handle everything, but I could handle a lot. I had to as the Frontier's Leader."

"Leader, like a Gym Leader?"

"No, not like a Gym Leader. It was my responsibility to look after the entire place. If something went wrong, I was to fix it. But that also meant I was the strongest Trainer in the Frontier. And everyone knew that."

Holly cocked her head.

"So does that mean everyone had to fight lots of Trainers, and then the challenge ended when they got to you?"

Annabel shook her head.

"Battling at the Frontier isn't like battling everywhere else. It's not just using everything to win and stopping when you reach the top. At the Frontier, everyone fights with special rules. There are five Facilities to battle at, and each have their own special requirements. They each have their own leader too. Those leaders are called Frontier Brains."

Holly could see fondness entering in Anabel's eyes as she reminisced. "I ran an area called the Battle Tower. In this place, Trainers had to win 50 battles in a row. They couldn't heal their Pokémon either, but they would get some money that could be used to buy things in the rest of the Frontier. And if they won 50 battles, they could challenge me. Double that, and I would fight them again with a stronger team."

Holly's eyes continued to grow as wide as dinner plates.

50 battles? That was a lot! And then to do it all over again? That seemed almost impossible!

Holly knew she was strong, but she doubted she could even come close to that!

"50 battles, and then 50 more? That's a lot! And all against Trainers stronger than the Champion…"

Anabel nodded. "Very few people got to me. But some were lucky."

"What happened if they beat you?"

"Well, the Frontier had something similar to badges, but instead they were stamps. The stamps were called Symbols, and each one had their own. Trainers who won 50 straight matches got a Silver Symbol. Those who won 100 got gold."

Holly started shivering again, as she could barely contain her excitement.

Symbols… Trainers stronger than the Champion… A Frontier… Different facilities…

How mind-boggling it was that such a place could exist! And yet, from what Anabel said, it must have been true! It would be the ultimate place to battle!

Holly had to go there!

A wide grin spread on her face, and she nearly bounced out of her seat.

"That's all so exciting! I want to go! How do I get there?"

At those words, Anabel recoiled. Holly thought she could see her cringe.

She shook her head.

"You can't, Holly."

A fire burned in Holly's eyes, as she replied.

"You mean I can't because I'm not the Champion. That's not a problem! I'll just become the Champion! No, I will become the strongest Trainer this region's ever seen!"

Annabel shook her head, sadness never leaving her gaze.

"You still can't, Holly."

Holly's eyes widened.

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because the Frontier is gone, Holly."

Holly didn't think her eyes could go any wider, but somehow, they did.

An entire Frontier full of Trainers stronger than region Champions… Just… Gone? How could that be?

"What do you mean?"

Anabel closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Holly wondered if she was trying not to cry.

The woman stared straight at her as she spoke. "Everything was fine, until one night, monsters attacked us."

Holly clenched her fists. "Monsters? What do you mean monsters?"

"I'm not sure myself. All I know is that they were horrific, powerful creatures. They could've been Pokémon, but they weren't anything I'd ever seen. They appeared, and the entire Frontier was laid to waste… No one even stood a chance."

Holly's face went pale, and she could only stare in stunned silence.

Annabel didn't take notice of her distress as she continued.

"I was lucky enough to get out of there, but many I knew weren't. I witnessed many of those dear to me meet gruesome deaths before I escaped with my life. Even then, I barely survived my severe injuries. The fact that I'm standing before you now as a miracle…"

Holly found she was able to talk, and softly said. "Do you know any others who survived?"

Annabel shook her head. "I don't, unfortunately. I fled before the monsters finished their attack, so I never got to see the end results."

Holly found herself squeaking. "But why did the monsters attack you?"

"I don't know that either. Someone might've sent them, but there is no proof of this."

Holly simply shut her eyes to keep the tears from overflowing.

Annabel's words came echoing back to her.

" _I know about the pain of losing almost all of my friends and family in a single night, and I nearly died in that same night."_

" _I've been through so much pain that sometimes I feel like I could destroy the world."_

Holly blinked, still trying to hold back tears.

Annabel had meant every word, and she'd just blown her off.

Annabel's eyes softened. "It's all right. You can cry for me. I think I've long since stopped."

The tears started to fall again, as Holly took another drink.

She managed to ask. "If you ran the tower, how did you become a police officer?"

Annabel quickly replied. "Not many people visited the Frontier, so we couldn't sustain ourselves just by battling. Many of us did other jobs on the side. I already worked as a member of the International Police back then. So, it was easy to become a full-time member after that."

Holly nodded, but now she couldn't stop the tears.

She was stupid… So stupid… Thinking that her pain was something Anabel could never understand, when she had experienced so much more…

Holly managed to gasp out. "I'm sorry. So sorry… Going off on you like that, when all those bad things had happened to you…"

Holly couldn't see again, but she could hear Anabel walking up and throwing her hand around her back. She reached for a tissue, trying to wipe her eyes.

Anabel whispered. "It's all right. You understand everything now."

Holly thought she noticed a glimpse of a smile on Anabel's face.

"Besides, I have a little piece of my time at the Frontier with me now."

Holly stared, a question in her eyes.

What did Anabel mean? Hopefully that was not literal…

Anabel's smile grew wider, her voice warm as she continued.

"When I was in Hoenn, I knew someone named Holly. I'm not sure what happened to her, but I'm glad to hear the name again."

Holly couldn't conceal her surprise. She hardly even noticed that her tears had stopped.

To think that she had the same name as one of Anabel's old friends! It must've been a different person, though. She'd never been to Hoenn, and her mother never mentioned it from when she was a baby.

However, Holly managed to smile back. She might not have been the same person, and she couldn't take away Annabel's pain.

But at least she could ease the woman's suffering.

At least she could make her happy.

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this is it. Anabel's side of the story. Players of Emerald may recognize what she says about the Battle Frontier, as it works in the games exactly like how she described it in the story. It's also worth noting the Annabel's more aggressive side comes from Emerald, because she shown to be somewhat aggressive towards challengers. She's not quite as aggressive in Pokémon Sun and Moon. However, it's worth noting she doesn't battle quite as much there.**

 **-The event that destroyed the Frontier comes from Pokémon Sun and Moon. In these games, it is heavily implied that the Frontier was destroyed by mysterious monsters called Ultra Beasts. Anabel somehow survived the attack, got transported to another world, and ended up Alola. This is how she is working as a member of the International Police.**

 **-There is, however, one major difference in the way the games tell Anabel's story versus how this story uses it. In the games, Anabel has lost all her memories, other than her name, her battling skills, and the fact that she once protected a tower. In this version, she has her memories. This is both for story reasons and the fact that I did not like how the games handled the memory loss.**

 **-According to the games, anyone that gets transported to another world loses their memories during the trip. However, many characters go back and forth between worlds within the course of Pokémon Sun and Moon, and their memories are perfectly fine. This gets even more bizarre because there comes a point where the player character can travel between worlds and stay as long as they want. Needless to say, their memories are never affected. So, Anabel losing her memories during the process made no sense to me. Therefore, it was omitted here.**

 **-The characters working side jobs and Anabel already been a member of the International Police has to do with an observation I made during the games. In the games, Annabel quickly becomes one of the top ranking officers. However, this is despite the bag that she has less experience than anyone else. I thought that was rather odd.**

 **-I also thought that Trainers in the Battle Frontier working side jobs when they were not battling would make a lot of sense, because not a lot of opponents would make it there. Therefore, Anabel working as a police officer on the side seemed logical. It would give a reason for her to rise as quickly as she did, despite being newer to the group.**


	15. Distress

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This one's a bit on the longer side. There is a prompt here, but I will explain afterwards to avoid spoilers. As always, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are summarized here with permission.**

* * *

14\. Distress

After a few minutes, Holly's tears had dried.

Thinking positive memories could do that, it seemed.

After a while, Anabel extended a hand.

"Why don't we get going?"

Holly smiled.

"To the next city?"

Anabel shook her head.

"No, for you to fulfill the next part of your promise. As long as we're here, we may as well find someone for you to battle. Better to fulfill it sooner rather than later, right?"

Holly nodded.

"But where will we go? The city is so small…"

"Well, we will be sure to find someone."

Anabel got up, and Holly followed.

As the woman led her around the city, Holly couldn't see much. Perhaps there was something here. Holly kept staring at the ground.

For once, she didn't want to go into battle.

And she knew why.

Holly clenched her fist.

It was because of Nidoran.

She'd promised Anabel she would use her, but now, Holly wasn't so sure.

What if Nidoran acted up again?

What if she didn't listen to Holly?

What if she hated her?

But Holly knew regardless of how she felt, she still had to battle.

Anabel wouldn't have it any other way.

Holly still could not help feeling glum.

At least, until Anabel put a hand on her shoulder.

"Look up, Holly. There's something here."

Holly stole a glance upward, and her eyes widened.

Before her loomed a giant building.

It looked like a huge fancy mansion, but Holly wondered how many people could live in there. Its white exterior and orange roofs looked like they'd just been polished. Holly could see people scurrying like mice to and from the building, but she had no idea what they were doing.

"Anabel, what is this place?"

Anabel simply pointed.

Holly quickly followed the woman's finger to a sign. She could read the words, "Pokémon Tech."

Holly simply blinked in confusion.

What exactly was this place, and why did Anabel bring her here?

So, Holly couldn't resist the urge to blurt out, "What's Pokémon Tech?"

However, it was not Anabel who replied.

Instead, another voice answered.

"It's a school for Pokémon Trainers."

Holly spun around, and came face-to-face with another woman.

She looked younger than Anabel, but she was definitely older than Holly. Dark brown hair tumbled down her back, and she wore blue professional-looking clothes. Her brown eyes were warm but firm as she greeted the two.

Holly shivered. She might not have known who the woman was, but it was clear she held a position of authority.

Holly tried to say something, but the woman answered instead. "Oh hello, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Giselle, and I'm the head of Pokémon Tech."

She glanced at Holly, who tried to shrink back.

"Now, you were the one who wanted to know what Pokémon Tech was?"

As if sensing Holly's discomfort, Anabel walked up beside her.

"Yes, her name is Holly, and my name is Anabel. Pleased to meet you."

Giselle simply nodded.

"Well, as I said, Pokémon Tech is a school for Trainers. It's a bit different than other schools, though."

Holly blinked.

"Why is that?"

Giselle quickly replied.

"Well, other schools prepare Trainers for journeys. This school is for those who don't want to go on one."

Holly couldn't believe what she was hearing. Why wouldn't a Trainer want to go on a Pokémon journey? They made up a Trainer's very identity!

"Why wouldn't someone want to go on a Pokémon journey?"

Giselle kept her cool and she replied. "Well, a lot of times they can't. There's the issue of money, simply not feeling ready, or even disabilities. For that reason, if a student graduates from our school, they have the same qualifications as someone who got the Badges for the Pokémon League. We've trained many people here, including Cerulean's current Gym Leader. If you see her, say hi to her for me."

Holly's eyes went wide. So someone could just sit in school and be as ready for the Pokémon League as someone who went on a dangerous journey? That didn't seem fair!

And what did Giselle mean by disabilities? Did Trainers go to the school in wheelchairs? Holly shut her eyes, trying to picture wheelchairs everywhere, but she couldn't. How would people like that even get into the Pokémon League?

Maybe they just had lots of help... But still, part of the fun of being a Trainer was being on one's own…

She couldn't imagine not being able to do that!

Why even go?

Holly blurted out again. "Why would a Trainer with a wheelchair go on a Pokémon journey?"

She winced at a smack from Anabel. "Holly! That's not nice! And a disability doesn't always mean a wheelchair!"

But Holly still continued.

"They wouldn't ever be able to go alone, and the journey is dangerous even for a normal person! I can't imagine a handicapped person getting very far!"

Another slap came from Anabel, but Holly ignored it.

Instead, she was lost in her own thoughts.

She remembered the poison, how much that had hurt her, and how she could barely move…

And then there were the less dangerous things, like the fierce battle against Brock's Vulpix…

Or the Growlithe that nearly blew her away with its Roar…

Even the idea of catching Pokémon, and the proper timing with the Poké Balls…

Sometimes, it felt like she could hardly do any of that…

So how could a disabled person?

Holly was ripped back to the present as she noticed that Anabel had fixed her with an icy glare. Giselle's face was considerably softer, but she still held a firmness in it.

"We had one disabled Trainer could do everything a normal Trainer could. And more."

Holly still couldn't believe it.

"How?" She gasped out.

Giselle continued. "Well, for one thing, she wasn't in a wheelchair. She still relied on a machine to move, but she could walk."

Holly continued staring at Giselle. Wasn't a machine that helped people walk a wheelchair?

She opened her mouth to say something but Giselle silenced her.

"She was a phenomenal battler, one of the best I've seen in years. Her first day here, she had no Badges. And yet she took on several students at the top of our beginning class with ease."

When Holly looked dumbfounded, Giselle explained.

"That'd be like if you, on your first day of training, decided that you were going to challenge someone with three or four Badges."

Holly's eyes widened.

She couldn't imagine doing that! Let alone winning!

"How would someone be that strong?" Holly blurted out.

Giselle had a warm smile on her face as she answered.

"Well, I shouldn't say it was her first day. She might not have had any Badges, but she had been working with Pokémon a long time before that. She was used to them helping her."

"But how did she even get to the school? How could she battle? She couldn't have gone on a journey…"

"A sternness flashed in Giselle's eyes as she continued. "She got around the school just like everyone else, but with help from her Pokémon. And she battled with their help too. I remember she had to follow some special rules from the League, but she could have more than six Pokémon."

Holly burst out. "More than six Pokémon? Isn't that cheating?"

Holly couldn't help but feel the rage creeping into her voice. So the Trainer could have more than six Pokémon just because she couldn't walk? That didn't seem fair!

"I don't know the details, but there was something in place from League so that she couldn't cheat. And I do remember she took the rules very seriously."

Holly was so full of rage that she didn't see Anabel walk up towards her. However, Holly could not miss the pained look on Anabel's face.

Was she in pain because of Holly's rage? She should have been used to it by now…

And why slapping her when she mentioned something about that disabled Trainer? Given what Anabel could do, Holly supposed should expect no less. And she could ask her later…

But now the woman was speaking.

"It's not uncommon for disabled Trainers to have a license for more than six Pokémon, Holly. The ones they don't use in battle help them in other ways. They're called service Pokémon. I'm not too familiar about the process myself, but I'm sure we can ask someone."

Holly just couldn't stop staring as Giselle continued. This was all so odd!

"As for the journey, the Trainer found ways to go on one just like any other person. But she chose to stay back for a few years so that she could prepare. By the time she felt ready, she was much older than the usual Pokémon Trainer. But she was also prepared, and had traveled a lot before then."

Confusion was written on Holly's face. Why would someone wait for a journey? It was what defined Pokémon Trainers! And if she was already that good at Pokémon, then what did she have to fear?

Holly tried not to let a smirk show.

Obviously, the Trainer must've been a giant scaredy-cat! Well, she could knock that out of her!

Holly boldly stepped forward.

"Is that Trainer here? I want to battle her!"

Giselle shook her head, but a broad smile crossed her face. "No, she's traveling on her journey now. She's kept in contact with us when she can, so we know she's still around. But, she probably will traveling be for a long time."

Holly couldn't help asking.

"Is it because she moves slower?"

Giselle shook her head.

"I think it's more because of who she is. I remember she was hell bent on becoming a Pokémon Master, and one of her goals was to complete everything in every region… Oh, and she likes challenging herself too… She'd use all these different teams and battle tougher Trainers again and again… I'd imagine she's doing the Gym Challenge more than once, just to see how the different teams work…"

Anabel had also taken to smiling. "Some Trainers are like that. If you get stronger, Holly, you might just meet this one."

Holly tried to hide her confusion, but wasn't sure how successful she was.

Why would anyone want to do the challenge multiple times? Once was hard enough! And why would someone want to complete everything? That sounded almost impossible!

But then again, from the way Anabel talked, it seemed like that was normal for some people. And the woman would know. She'd probably seen a lot of Trainers like that in her Battle Frontier days. Holly thought perhaps she would ask her later.

For now, Holly focused on Giselle, who was still holding her smile.

"Now then, have you come to learn at the school?"

Before Holly could reply, Anabel stepped up.

"No, Holly just wants to battle."

Giselle smiled.

"Well, I'd be happy to provide that! Why don't we battle at one of the places on the grounds? There should be one someone's not using."

Holly nodded. This wouldn't be any disabled Trainer, but this would be good enough.

It didn't take long for Giselle to find a battle arena. The two stood across from each other, while Anabel watched from a nearby bench.

"Let us begin." Giselle stated, and Holly nodded.

She couldn't wait to battle, but more importantly, she couldn't wait to show Anabel she could keep her promise!

Now, it looked like she could do both.

Holly focused on Giselle, and the woman held a Poke Ball in her hand.

She tossed it into the air. "Sylveon, go!"

A Pokémon appeared with a mighty cry. Even though its cream-colored fur looked silky smooth, its bright blue eyes shone with determination. Red and blue ribbons twirled in the slight wind. The Pokémon walked on graceful red paws that matched its huge ears.

But despite its grace, Holly knew it had to be a formidable opponent.

She could not let her guard down, and yet she smiled.

This was the perfect opportunity to impress Anabel! Sylveon was week to Poison, and she knew just who on her team used it.

Holly tossed her own Poké Ball in the air. "Nidoran, let's get going!"

The blue rabbit appeared, and let out a piercing screech.

Hostility burned in its eyes, and Holly was grateful at least it was on her side.

But for now, she thrust out her hand.

"Nidoran, Poison Sting!"

Nidoran dashed towards the Sylveon, horn glowing purple with venom.

It slammed into its opponent, and Sylveon let a scream. It tumbled backward, and took a while to shakily stand up.

Holly grinned. This would be an easy victory!

Yet Giselle didn't seem fazed.

"Sylveon, Fairy Wind!"

Sylveon's ribbons glowed bright pink. In another minute, a fierce wind whipped in the area. Holly thought she could see that the wind was shining and pink, but it was difficult to tell as she covered her eyes. The wind flew towards Nidoran, yet she looked almost bored. To her, it must've just been a light breeze.

Holly smiled again. Someone who ran a school should know better than to use a move that an opposing Pokémon was strong against!

But Giselle wasn't finished.

"Sylveon, Quick Attack!"

Holly quickly countered. "Nidoran, Poison Sting again!"

Yet Sylveon sped off before Nidoran could even ready her horn.

It slammed into the smaller Pokémon, knocking her back. However, Nidoran quickly stood up, eyes burning. Her horn glowed purple again, and she slammed into Sylveon before it could recover.

The opposing Pokémon let out another screech and it tumbled back again. It staggered to its feet, but now it took even longer. Holly could see the pain in the Pokémon's eyes, but she chose not to pay attention.

Victory was close!

Holly's grin grew even wider as she shouted. "Let's finish this! Poison Sting!"

Nidoran let out a cry and charged towards Sylveon. Before the opposing Pokémon could even move, Nidoran rammed it with its deadly, glowing, horn.

Sylveon flew backwards, slamming into the ground again. However, this time, it didn't get up.

Holly pumped her fist in the air.

"Yes! Good work, Nidoran!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Holly could see Anabel smile and nod approvingly.

She'd won a battle, and she'd continued to make Anabel happy! Things couldn't be better!

Holly refocused her attention to see that Gisele was still standing on the battlefield.

She quickly recalled her Pokémon. "Impressive. You and your Nidoran are quite talented."

Holly noticed another Poké Ball gleaming, and tensed as Giselle continued talking.

"But, let's see how you handle this Pokémon."

She tossed her Poké Ball into the air again.

"Go, Scizor!"

A Pokémon erupted on the battlefield, letting out a ferocious roar. It appeared to be encased in red armor, with tiny wings. Its pinchers looked as though it was about to snap up anything, and Holly could see what looked like eyes. The fake eyes on the pinchers matched the real eyes on the Pokémon. Both glowed with a golden fire.

Despite the opposing Pokémon's intimidating appearance, Holly still grinned.

This couldn't be easier!

Scizor was very weak to fire, so all she had to do was use Torracat!

Yet when Holly reached down to grab her Fire Pokémon's Ball, her hand only hit emptiness.

She frowned, feeling for it on her belt.

But there was only a void where Torracat's Poké Ball had been.

It was then that she remembered Anabel's words.

" _Until further notice, I'm keeping Torracat."_

Holly grimaced, and her face went pale.

Of course! Anabel would still have Torracat! She was serious about her word…

But now was an emergency! If Holly didn't have Torracat, she'd lose the battle. Perhaps Anabel would give it back, just for now.

Holly flashed a desperate look in Anabel's direction, hoping she would get the message.

Yet the woman shook her head.

Holly resisted the urge to scream.

She couldn't lose this battle! She just couldn't!

Holly faced Anabel, desperation burning in her eyes. Mouthing the word "please", she glanced straight at the woman.

"No." Anabel's voice was firm in her short response, and Holly shivered as she registered the chilling finality.

Holly's eyes went wide. There was no way she could win! None of her Pokémon were strong enough to face a Scizor!

She was torn back to the battle by Giselle's voice.

"Having a little trouble with your friend, there?" There was no sympathy or mockery in the woman's voice, only curiosity.

Yet Holly fought hard to keep from becoming embarrassed.

How would she tell Gisele what happened? What would the woman say?

Instead, Holly started stuttering. "Well, I, uh…"

Suddenly, Giselle's eyes hardened. "I heard about someone who ran off to the lake with a Poké Ball in their hand this morning. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

At this, Holly gulped.

She felt all the color drain out of her face. Her eyes were wide, and her face twisted into an expression of shock.

How could Giselle know? Holly thought no one had seen her!

She tried to back away, only to feel a firm hand on her shoulder. She tried to struggle, but the hand gave her a hard shove. Holly yelped as she was pushed back into the battle.

Holly whirled around to find Anabel standing behind her, a severe expression on her face.

"Tell the truth." She growled.

Desperation once again burned in Holly's eyes, but once again, the woman was no help. So Holly turned and faced Giselle, the other woman fixing her with her own severe expression.

Holly could feel herself shaking so much that she thought she might collapse. She tried to keep her voice even, but it was shaking too. It was a miracle she managed to talk at all. "That was me! My Pokémon… I…" Holly tried to force herself to talk more, but Giselle cut her off. "…Don't know what you did or why, but if you are a true Pokémon Trainer, you will finish this battle."

Holly nodded shakily. It wasn't like she had any choice!

Giselle shouted. "Scizor, Bullet Punch!"

Scizor zoomed across the battlefield faster than Holly ever thought its appearance could suggest. One of its pinchers glowed blue.

Before Nidoran could even register what was happening, the opponent slammed into her again and again. Holly gritted her teeth, trying to keep herself from crying out with every hit. Nidoran's screams pierced her ears, and yet there was nothing she could do.

That morning, she had tried to end Nidoran's life.

Now, she could only feel its pain.

When Holly finally forced herself to look, Nidoran was battered and bruised.

However, she was still standing.

Somehow, Holly realized she had a voice.

She quickly called out a command.

"Nidoran, Double Kick!"

Nidoran's legs lashed out as it prepared to attack. They make contact with the heavy armor, but the Scizor didn't even flinch. It looked as though nothing had hit it, because the attack didn't even leave a dent.

Giselle simply pointed at Nidoran.

"Bullet Punch."

Again Nidoran was pummeled by Scizor's glowing pincher. Again Holly resisted the urge to cry out as she felt her Pokémon's pain.

But this time, Nidoran couldn't stand. She lay on the ground in a heap, eyes closed.

Holly quickly recalled her and turned to face Giselle. The woman was looking at her expectantly, and Holly grimaced.

She promised Anabel she'd fight to the end…

So she had to send out more Pokémon, no matter how hopeless it was.

Holly clutched another Poké Ball, flinging it into the air.

"Go, Pikachu!"

The mouse Pokémon appeared, glaring at its opponent as it dropped down on all fours.

Holly sighed. At least Pikachu was confident. And Electric type Pokemon did good damage against Steel types.

Maybe Pikachu would have a chance.

But Holly was proven wrong almost immediately.

"Scizor, Quick Attack!"

Scizor sped across the battlefield at blinding speed. Before Holly could even shout out a command, it knocked into Pikachu.

The mouse went flying across the battlefield, crashing to the ground.

Like Nidoran, it lay crumpled in a heap, showing no signs of getting up.

Holly held back tears. She had only one Pokémon left, and it wouldn't do anything!

But she had to fight to the finish.

So, she tossed her last Poké Ball, trying not to keep her eyes focused on the battlefield.

"Go, Mawile."

The Steel type Pokémon appeared, defiantly facing its adversary.

Holly wished she could share its confidence.

Yet again, before she could attack, Giselle issued a command. "Bullet Punch."

Holly gulped.

Perhaps Mawile would be able to withstand the barrage of blows.

Yet even it could not do anything as Scizor charged forward. Scizor punched Mawile repeatedly, and the Pokémon screamed in pain. Holly could see that its metal jaw was noticeably dented, and knew there wasn't long left.

Yet she had to try anyway.

"Mawile, Bite!"

That was a mistake.

Mawile opened its jaws, but it was far too slow. It had barely commenced its attack before Scizor had already moved away.

And now it was wide open.

Giselle didn't waste any time seizing the advantage.

"Scizor, Bullet Punch! Finish this!"

Scizor flew forward, glowing blue pincher punching Mawile straight in its open mouth. The Pokémon made a noise that sounded like half screaming, half choking. Scizor had not even backed away before Mawile fell backwards.

Holly recalled her Pokémon, keeping her face to the ground.

"Is that all you have?" Giselle asked in a soft voice.

Holly nodded, but she couldn't see much as her vision blurred. Tears streamed down her face, and she tried not to sob noisily.

If only she had Torracat, she would've won the match! If only Anabel had given it back… Just this once…

Now she was dealing with a loss. It may not had had been the loss Anabel had in mind, but Holly did not care.

The tears made it sting nonetheless.

Holly was dimly aware of someone running up in front of her. Then, she heard Giselle's voice. "You're Pokémon are very strong. You just need a little more training. Come on, don't cry…"

Another person ran up from behind her, and she registered that it was Anabel.

She resisted the urge to lash out as the woman whispered. "It's okay, it's okay. There will be a lot more battles."

Yet Holly couldn't stop the tears.

It wasn't okay, and who knew there would be any more battles?

Suddenly, she heard Anabel again. "Look, Holly.

Giselle exclaimed. "Oh my!"

Holly wiped away the tears to see that Nidoran was twitching. How odd… She swore was unconscious before…

But just as she was about to walk over, Holly's Pokémon was surrounded by a bright white light. She shielded her eyes but the light still glowed.

Holly wanted to close her eyes, but she knew it would be brief.

Sure enough, after a few minutes, the light stopped.

Holly uncovered her eyes and was face-to-face with a new Pokémon.

Her Nidoran was no more. In her place was another blue rabbit, but it was larger. It still had piercing red eyes, but there was a new maturity within them. The blue horn on Nidoran's head was gone, replaced by blue spikes on the new creatures back. It no longer ran around on all fours, but instead stood proudly on it hind legs.

Holly hadn't ever seen one of her own Pokémon do this before, but she knew what it was.

Giselle said something first, though.

"Congratulations! Your Nidoran evolved into Nidorina!"

Holly mumbled a "thank you" as Anabel responded.

"Congratulations! And Nidoran behaved itself!"

Giselle gave shot her a curious look, and Anabel simply nodded gravely.

Giselle's eyes widened, and Holly imagine she was horrified at the implication.

Things had taken a turn for the worse, and so quickly.

First she lost the battle, and now someone else knew about what happened that morning…

All because of Anabel.

Now, she couldn't even look at her.

Holly recalled her Nidorina. Tears still dripped from her face as she slowly walked up.

A concerned look crossed Anabel's face, but Holly doubted it was genuine.

"Holly…" She started to say, but Holly cut her off.

"Let's just go." Holly muttered, head down as she walked to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _First, an optional prompt. Pokémon Tech is in Sable City, and Giselle is the head. Players can find and battle her, although is not required. Unlike the Gym Leaders, there are no specific Pokémon Giselle's required to use._

 **Now for the rest of it…**

 **-Pokémon Tech first appears in the anime, although there it is in between Cerulean and Vermillion City. As Giselle states, it's an alternate option for Trainers who want to enter the Pokémon League. Once they graduate, Pokémon Trainers automatically entered into the league. In the anime, it's never stated why Trainers choose this over the traditional journey, but I figure the reasons listed above would make sense.**

 **-Also in the anime, Giselle is only a student at Pokémon Tech (albeit stronger than most). However, in this RP, Giselle is stated to be the head of Pokémon Tech. Therefore, I figure the most logical conclusion is that she is older. She's also a bully in her original appearance in the anime. However, as a grade of liberty, I chose to make her quite a bit kinder.**

 **-Her talking about training Cerulean's Gym Leader comes from a battle in the anime. In the anime, Misty becomes angry about how Giselle is treating her fellow students. Misty challenges Giselle to a battle, but Giselle wins easily. She then offers to battle Misty with other Pokémon, but the latter is too frustrated to accept. It's also worth noting that Giselle uses Pokémon that's weak against Water, the type that Misty uses.**

 **-Top beginning Trainers being the equivalent of three or four badges comes from in the anime. When another student, Joe, mentions Giselle being the top of the beginner's class, he mentions that's better than even having three badges.**

 **-In the anime, Giselle's only revealed Pokémon are Cubone and Graveler. However, the anime reveals she has more. Furthermore, it's not unreasonable to think that she would've picked up some more as the years passed. I wanted to have Giselle have a Fairy type because it seemed fitting and it would allow Holly to use Nidoran. As for her other Pokémon, I originally wanted Holly to win this battle, but decided to have her lose to show off the effects of the punishment from the previous chapter. It would also be good example of showing how Holly deals with loss. Scizor was the perfect Pokémon for both things.**

 **-The idea for disabled trainers going to Pokémon Tech comes from an observation I made when I first saw the episode. Since Trainers didn't have to go on Badge collecting journeys, I figured that this could be a place where disabled trainers could go. I thought of that because of my own disability, which would probably prevent me from going on a journey, and then immediately imagined myself studying at the school. When I saw Pokémon Tech again at the RP, I remembered what I'd thought about the episode, and this led to the dialogue in the chapter.**

 **-Similarly, Holly's reaction to a disabled trainer attending school and going on a journey is based on how the Pokémon series works with disabilities. In all Pokémon media, disabled Trainers are hardly ever seen. The few times they are seen, it's never elaborated on how they get around. For example, the Hoenn Pokémon trainer Wally has a breathing problem. Yet he goes through an area known for falling volcanic ash, and somehow gets out fine. Another glaring example is Cyrus, who is implied to have some sort of psychological issue, but it's never explained what it is or how it specifically affects him.**

 **-Service Pokémon is based on a real-life concept called service animals. In real life, animals can be trained to perform tasks for someone with a disability (e.g. a dog flipping off a light switch or closing a door). Since Pokémon are trained to do many different things for Trainers, I didn't think it was that far-fetched for disabled people to want to train them as service animals. However, service animals are never seen in any Pokémon media (as far as I'm aware). So, Holly does not know about them.**

 **-The idea of completing everything and challenging the Gyms with different teams comes from two distinct play styles. Players can choose to complete everything in the games, and some entries in the series will even give rewards for doing so. Using different teams to complete the Gym challenge comes from something called a challenge run. A challenge run is one where a restriction is in place to make the game more difficult. Usually, this involves only using specific teams, although it can also be done using many different ones.**

 **-On another topic, Nidoran evolving one when fainted comes from the games. In the fourth generation onward, Pokémon could evolve even if they fainted.**

 **-And finally, there is an introduction to another OC. This OC will be a recurring and major character in the RP, but she's not limited to it. I also plan to use her in a few other works in the same universe as Holly Rising. As for what she is, she's actually a reimagining of the character I created when I was younger and first trying to write for the Pokémon fandom. However, I will explain more when the character actually appears.**


	16. Plan

**Welcome to the next chapter of Holly Rising, but no prompt this time. As always, see the author's notes below for details.**

 **I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Artist's Zone user Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

15: Plan

Holly stomped into the Pokémon Center, face brewing like a storm cloud.

Anabel followed behind, but Holly didn't pay the woman much attention.

She handed her Pokémon to the nurse, and fixed Anabel with a fiery glare.

"Holly…" Anabel tried to speak, but Holly cut her off.

"I hate you! Because of you, I lost the battle! And now someone has seen _and_ heard what I've done!"

The familiar icy coldness entered Anabel's eyes as she responded. "You're a fool to think that no one would've seen you in a city, however small. Especially with a building as important as Pokémon Tech."

Holly glared straight back Anabel. She had the _nerve_ to lecture her now?

Holly wouldn't have any of it!

She screamed. "I needed Torracat to win that fight! Where is it?"

Anabel's eyes bore into Holly as she stated. "I said no about Torracat, Holly, and you promised you would listen."

Before Holly could retort, Anabel continued. "You want to be the world's best Trainer, right? Then you have some work to do, because right now you certainly aren't acting like a Trainer should."

Holly only glared.

How _dare_ Anabel tell her how to act!

The woman continued. "Well, what should you do?"

Holly held her glare against Anabel.

The woman shook her head before continuing. "You didn't need Torracat for that battle. You only needed a Fire type Pokémon."

Holly's eyes went wide as she registered the implication. "What Fire type Pokémon do you have, Holly?"

Holly found her voice quiet as she responded. "Growlithe."

Anabel nods "So what should you do?"

Holly only clenched her fist.

She knew what she had to do, and she knew what she needed…

But, how could she just throw Torracat away for some other Pokémon she barely knew?

She didn't even catch it herself!

But as she met Anabel's icy eyes, Holly realized she had little choice.

Through gritted teeth she replied "Go get it."

Anabel nodded, and gestured.

Holly carefully walked to the PC, a scowl still on her face. The machine roared to life again as its bright screen appeared. Holly quickly imputed the required commands, and Growlithe's Ultra Ball materialized. She plucked it from the PC, placing it on her belt.

Anabel watched from behind, her stern gaze never leaving her eyes.

Holly adopted another glare in response, and Anabel shook her head.

"If you simply behave yourself, you will get Torracat back. But at this point, I don't think you're ever going to…"

Holly clenched her fist. How _dare_ Anabel say that!

But the woman continued. "Think about the lesson you learned at the lake, and what you're doing now."

At this point, Holly could take no more.

"Shut up!"

She screeched in pain as Anabel hit her with a series of slaps. But the pain did not last, as the blazing rage took over.

Holly couldn't forget what happened.

"It's just like at the Pokémon Tech! You did the same thing! Why did you do that? What do disabled Trainers mean to you?"

At this point, Holly realized the entire Pokémon Center was staring at her and Anabel.

But she still didn't care. She had to get the truth from the woman.

Yet when she stared back. Anabel had simply shut her eyes.

The woman took a deep breath, and stated "I knew a disabled Trainer once, one exactly like the Gisele described."

Holly couldn't resist retorting. "Well, she was probably pretty weak, and a scaredy-cat."

Yet there was no mistaking the fire blazing in Anabel's eyes as she responded. "She beat me, Holly."

Holly's eyes went wide. She tried to speak, but found out she had lost her voice.

How could some disabled Trainer beat Anabel?

But now the woman simply continued. "She defeated me in battle, and has the stamp to prove it. Oh, the Trainer lost a few times, and it took her a while to get to me. But she never stopped trying. The Trainer didn't obtain the Gold Symbol, but for her to even make it to Silver was incredible. She went on to beat a few of the other Brains as well, one of whom was my best friend."

Holly simply shuddered.

How could one Trainer be that strong?

Yet Anabel continued, eyes blazing. "We even considered inviting that Trainer into the Frontier, but she refused. And you know what, Holly? I met her a few times as a police officer, and she showed me nothing but respect."

Holly felt herself resume glaring.

Who cared if this Trainer knew Anabel, and she was so strong and kind? In the end, she was just a Trainer.

Holly opened her mouth to retort, but Anabel stopped her. "That Trainer got sick, too. It wasn't poison, but she was the sickest I'd ever seen anyone. I remember having to help her, just like I did with you. And you know what? She never took her pain out on anyone else."

Holly continued to glare again. Was this some sort of comparison game?

Apparently, Anabel thought so, as she continued speaking in a stern voice. "Just like you, that Trainer knew what it was like to be in pain. She'd felt it her entire life."

Where was Anabel going with this? And why would someone go on a journey if they were always in pain?

Holly tried to speak, but Anabel stopped her with a tone that betrayed no emotion. "Right now, you can't even compare to that Trainer. You have no chance of meeting her with the way you're acting. If you want to meet that Trainer or anyone else, then I suggest you start by growing up."

With that, Anabel turned and started walking away. Over her shoulder, the woman stated. "Come on. Our next destination is Mt. Moon."

Holly wordlessly trailed after. She didn't dare say anything more, now that Anabel was angry.

But as she walked, a plan formed in her mind.

She didn't _need_ Anabel.

Up until the poisoning, Holly had done perfectly well by herself.

And she knew what to do now.

Anabel was just slowing her down. And the woman was annoying her at every turn.

Anabel had taken one of Holly's Pokémon, and didn't act the least bit sorry. That was unforgivable!

So, there was only one thing left to do.

Holly had to get rid of Anabel.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Figured I'd do this section to showcase Holly's rebellious side (mentioned in her profile), as well the logical consequences of Anabel's aggressiveness. A bit shorter than most, but I think it gets the message across well.**

 **-And a bit more about the mysterious Trainer. Perhaps she'll make an appearance soon? Also worth noting that this Trainer's progress is slightly based on my own progress in the Frontier.**

 **-In the frontier, I managed to beat some of the Brains in Emerald. However, the victory I remember the most was not Anabel, but Lucy (the other female Frontier Brain, and who Anabel is referring to when she talks about her best friend). Other Frontier Brains I have beaten have been Darach in Heartgold, Dahlia in either Platinum or Heartgold (don't remember which), Brandon in Emerald, Greta in Emerald, and Argenta in Heartgold. I remember making to Nolan and Tucker, but I don't remember if I beat them. I didn't even get close to making it to Anabel, but I decided to have her get defeated by the mysterious Trainer for the purposes of the story.**

 **-The idea of someone being offered the position of a Frontier Brain comes from the anime. In it, Ash is offered the position after beating all of the facilities. However, he declines.**


	17. Result

**Welcome back to another chapter Holly Rising! This is another short one, but there's a prompt this time!**

 **As always, see author's notes for details. I do not own Pokémon, and all prompts are the property of the Artist's Zone user Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 _Now for the prompt…_

 _Mt. Moon is a giant cave towering in between Pewter and Route 4. Aside from having a trained flying Pokémon, the only way to get to Cerulean in to pass through this rocky place. Many Trainers gather here, including hikers and scientists. It's also possible to find Fossils and stones for evolving Pokémon. The most common being the Moon Stone._

* * *

16\. Result

Holly tried not to let her emotions show as she followed Anabel out of the Center.

If the woman knew what she was thinking, she would stop it immediately.

But if Anabel suspected anything, she gave no indication. For that, Holly was grateful.

After all, she didn't need her plan failing before it even started.

After only a short time, the two reached their destination.

The ominous Mt. Moon towered over them. Holly had heard of Mt. Moon before, but she never realized how huge it was. Trainers that said the cavern was small, but the rocky landmark looked like it could swallow everything up. Holly shuddered at the uninviting inky darkness in front of her in Anabel.

But she quickly regained her composure.

This was the only way to get to Cerulean.

And besides, it was the perfect place to ditch Anabel.

Now it was time to hatch a plan.

She just needed to distract Anabel and get away from her.

If only she could think of something to distract the woman.

Right now, all Holly could think of was elemental stones.

She knew these stones evolved Pokémon, and she had one already.

But now she only wanted more.

And the most common was a Moon Stone.

Holly smiled.

It was the perfect thing for her new Nidorina.

And it was a way of showing Anabel she could keep her promise.

At least she could give the woman that.

Holly was so busy thinking about her plan that she barely noticed as her feet pounded on the rocks of the cave. Suddenly, Anabel pointed up, and Holly looked.

There were several bats hanging upside down with folded wings. These bats had blue bodies, and even bluer wings. If Holly looked closely, she could see purple on the inside.

Zubat. A common Pokémon, and not worth catching when she already had Nidorina.

Nevertheless, Anabel asked her anyway.

"Do you want one?"

Holly shook her head. "No."

However, she almost couldn't tear herself away from the roosting Pokémon.

It was the perfect plan! Riling up a few Pokémon was the perfect way to distract Anabel! And if she did it right, she wouldn't cause them any pain.

Now she just needed to put her plan into action.

"What I'd like to do is look for a Moon Stone. I want to evolve my Nidorina."

Anabel nodded. "All right then. Let's look together."

A Poké Ball appeared in Holly's hand, and she tossed into the air.

"Go, Pikachu!"

The yellow mouse appeared, alert as always.

"Pikachu, let's go find some Moon Stones!" Holly shouted enthusiastically and the mouse Pokémon let out a cry.

When Anabel shot her a questioning look, Holly replied. "Pikachu has always been sensitive. It helped me catch the thief back in Pewter! I figured it would help me find things now!"

Anabel simply nodded and prepared to continue.

Holly resisted the urge to smile.

She hadn't told Anabel the _real_ reason.

Pikachu probably couldn't hurt most of the type-resistant Pokémon in the cave. And it could still aim its shocks so that it disturbed them.

Yet Anabel still suspected nothing.

How easily the woman was falling into Holly's trap!

Pikachu led the way as the two headed toward some rocky crevices. Suddenly, a flash of movement caught Holly's eye.

She glanced up, realizing the Zubat from before had begun to flutter around. There were so many of them that they looked like a giant black mass rather than individual Pokémon. The black mass was on the move, pursuing some target.

As Holly moved closer, it didn't take all along to realize that they were moving right towards her and Anabel.

This was her chance.

Now, she was relieved she had gotten scared so many times. Acting it was so easy.

As the mass of Zubat approached, Holly let out a high-pitched scream. She shook and backed away, almost into Anabel. Pikachu had the same terrified expression. Holly didn't know if the fear was real or not, but she didn't care.

Holly made sure to have her voice shake when she gave her command.

"Pikachu, Thundershock!"

Pikachu launched the bolt of yellow lightning. However, the Zubat mass continued to move as one as it dodged the attack. Instead, the lightning hit the rock wall behind it, sending sparks everywhere.

And that was where all the other Zubat were.

They descended in their own swarms, flying in a single-minded fury. The rest of the cave was barely visible as it was filled with the shrieking bats. Holly quickly nudged Pikachu out of the way and stepped back.

Now, this Zubat no longer saw the small mouse, or the girl who had commanded it to aggravate them.

Instead, they only saw Anabel.

And as predicted, they descended almost on top of her.

Holly could hear the woman shouting as she tried to stop the furious bats. Holly doubted she even had time to lift a Poké Ball.

Yet Holly couldn't even feel a twinge of pity for her. She deserved this, after what she did.

And things were about to get worse.

Pikachu wasn't finished, as it aimed lightning bolt after lightning bolt.

But it did nothing, and instead the sparks hit the ground.

That was enough to aggravate every other Pokémon.

Brown moles and boulders with arms rose from the ground.

Sandshrew and Geodude, Holly knew.

But again, they didn't see her.

Instead, they lunged toward Anabel.

The woman let out a gasp as she was attacked again.

But Holly couldn't focus on that.

Instead, she looked for a way out.

It was difficult to see, but there was a small opening to the left side. Surely, Anabel couldn't find it in the panic.

But it would be there for long.

Holly had to act fast.

Rapidly, she made her move.

Quicker than she ever thought possible, Holly recalled Pikachu, and sprinted towards the open side.

Holly thanked her athleticism as she easily traversed the rocky ground. She might've been in the hospital days before, but now the trip didn't even leave her out of breath.

There was no way Anabel would catch up with her now.

If the woman _ever_ got out of all the chaos.

Holly could hear Anabel shouting something, but the cry only rang in the distance.

Besides, Holly didn't need to concentrate on that now.

A far more important thought consumed her mind.

 _Finally, she was free!_

 _And now, no one could tell her what to do!_

Holly couldn't resist flashing a huge grin as she raced down the stony steps that marked the cave's lower levels.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 _There's not much to do here other than get through Mount Moon. However, players could still battle trainers if they wanted. It's worth noting that players can find any evolution stone they like within Mount Moon. However, there are limits to how many they can find (mainly to keep it realistic). However, returning or trading with other players is allowed. Players can also find fossils here, and unlike stones, there is no limit. However, fossils cannot be revived at this time. Other Pokémon that can be obtained here are Zubat, Sandshrew, Geodude, Paras, and Clefairy._

 **Now for the rest of the chapter…**

 **-The idea of Pikachu not hurting many of the Pokémon in the cave comes from all media. Pikachu tradition doesn't do well in Mount Moon, because many Pokémon there take absently no damage from electric attacks. Two examples are the Sandshrew and the Geodude mentioned earlier.**

 **-Although any evolution stone could be found here, I picked Moon Stone because it made the most sense. Moon Stones are most commonly found in Mount Moon, so it would make sense for Holly to go looking for one.**

 **-The idea of steps marking the next level of the mountain comes from the games. In the games, almost every downward and upward path in a dungeon is marked by a ladder. However, actual caves don't have ladders, so I changed it to steps of stone.**


	18. The Other

**Welcome to do another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt here, but see the author's notes for details! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and all prompts are the property of The Artist's Zone user Wizardmonfan. They're being summarized here with permission.**

 **Also, may as well do a review reply here to a guest (whoever you are, thank you for reviewing). I'm glad you enjoy Holly's character, and her bratty, reckless, character was exactly what I was going for. I think a lot of people fail to realize that Pokémon Trainers are mostly kids, and kids are going to make reckless decisions… I wanted to make a more realistic depiction of that, and Holly was born.**

 **Also, it goes without saying that Holly doesn't realize she'll lose Torracat if she dishes Anabel… She's too consumed with her freedom to realize that… As for whether Anabel will be all right, you should find out shortly.**

 **Now, on with the chapter!**

* * *

17: The Other

Holly could hardly contain her glee as she jumped at the next level of the cave.

Finally, she was away from Anabel! She could do whatever she liked!

Yet her happiness was cut short as she thought she brushed up against more rock. Holly tried to focus her vision, but realized she couldn't see anything.

The joy was replaced by cold unease, as she landed on the ground with a huge thud.

Holly glanced around her, but could find only inky darkness. The same inky darkness that was so uninviting at the front of the cave now surrounded her.

She shuddered.

She was finally free, but now that she was, Holly had no idea what do.

Holly knew that Pokémon could be taught to light up caves, but she didn't have any that could light up this one without constantly using attacks.

But she also knew she had little choice.

So, Holly threw her Poké Ball into the air again.

"Go, Pikachu!"

The mouse Pokémon appeared again, eyes bright and alert. Holly doubted it could see well, but it looked back at her. Holly may not have been able to make out much in the cave, but she could not miss the mouse's look of confusion.

Of course, it wouldn't know what happened. But it could know now.

Holly could feel a smile spreading across her face as she enthusiastically shouted.

"Pikachu, we are away from Anabel! We are free! We can go find some Moon Stones all by ourselves!

She pointed to the darkness.

"Now, let's light up this cave! Thundershock!"

The Pokémon still held a look of hesitation, and Holly couldn't blame it.

After all, she _had_ just ordered it to light up the same cave where it had gotten attacked by a swarm of Pokémon. Perhaps the fear from before was genuine.

But Pikachu showed no fear now as it launched a lightning bolt. The cave briefly flashed yellow, illuminated by Pikachu's attack.

Holly could see there were more Zubat roosting, but they scattered as soon as Pikachu's lighting got anywhere near them.

Not one gathered to form the giant mass from before.

Holly grinned, shouting "Take that!"

Holly continued to wear her giant smile.

Zubat couldn't stop her now!

She turned to her Electric Pokémon, who had now lit up a good portion of the cave.

"Okay, Pikachu! Let's go find some Moon Stones!"

The Pokémon nodded, still crackling with electricity.

Yet Holly didn't even take a step before a sound stopped her in her tracks.

Pikachu cocked its head, but Holly strained her ears.

It was distant, but she could still hear the rhythmic pounding of hard hooves against the stone.

Holly blinked.

This was very odd.

Why would there be the sound of hooves here?

Horses didn't inhabit this cave. It wasn't even suitable for horse Pokémon.

And as far as she knew, Anabel didn't have either.

Holly didn't have time to ponder as she was alerted to another light.

Excitement flooded her again, and briefly overcame confusion. The light burned brightly, a mixture of orange red and yellow.

Holly knew this light like her own name.

Fire.

Yet what would fire be doing here? Anabel didn't have any fire Pokémon, and Holly didn't have any of hers out.

In a minute, she got her answer.

The light seem to be charging straight for her, and Pikachu got down in a battle stance. As it grew closer, Holly could finally see what it belonged to.

Her suspicions were proven correct, as a horse did indeed appear.

But it wasn't just any horse.

The horse blazed with a mane of fire and a tail to match. More fire burned on the horse's legs, right behind its shining black hoofs. A cream-colored coat shown in the darkness, and a white horn always pointed forward. The horse's confident eyes matched its determined stride as it cantered towards Holly.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

A Rapidash.

Holly wondered who would ride one here, but her gaze was immediately drawn to two other Pokémon.

The large orange and yellow ears of a fox matched the Rapidash's flames. Similar determination burned in the creature's black eyes. It had some white fur too, but the rest of it was covered up by a red dress. Holly could briefly see the blue light of psychic energy radiating from the Pokémon. Holly also noticed a stick, flames burning as brightly as those of the Rapidash. The flaming stick levitated slightly in front of the Rapidash, and Holly wondered if it was supposed to be a carrot instead. Carrot or not, the Pokémon strode calmly on the left side of the Rapidash.

Holly may not have known why the Pokémon was there, but she knew what it was.

Delphox.

Yet it was the third Pokémon that caught Holly's eye the most. This Pokémon floated along the right side of the steed.

It had a grey body and was holding a large golden ring. A similar ring was attached to grey horns, and another was around its body. Unlike the Delphox, no psychic energy radiated from this Pokémon. Instead, it held its rings proudly, and Holly suspected they were needed for something. The Pokémon's grey body contrasted well with the pink designs dotted all over it. It might've been a darker color, but there was no missing the light gleaming in its greenish-yellow eyes.

Holly's own eyes went wide, and she suppressed a shudder.

She'd never seen that Pokémon, but she'd heard the tales.

And now its name rang in her head.

Hoopa

It was one of the fabled legendary Pokémon.

Mythical, some called it.

That meant it was comparable to a god.

That meant it was one of the rarest Pokémon in the world.

That meant it had power most could only dream of having.

So what was it doing here? From what Holly had heard, Hoopa was from a region far away…

Perhaps she could find the answer if she found a Trainer.

So, Holly looked up as the Pokémon approached.

But something else caught her eyes.

They went wide in confusion again.

All three had bizarre blue vests. They had some sort of League insignia on them, but it was nothing Holly could recognize. She squinted, and could slowly read the words, "Service Pokémon. Ask Trainer before approaching."

Holly rapidly remembered her conversation with Anabel and Gisele.

Service Pokémon… But that would mean that there was a disabled Trainer around…

And who would _dare_ make such powerful Pokémon servants? Who would _dare_ do that to a legendary Pokemon?

Clearly, someone.

And Holly needed to find out who that "someone" was.

So she continued focusing her gaze, and noticed the Rapidash had a female rider.

She appeared to be older, although not as old as Giselle or Anabel. However, maturity and experience showed in her eyes, and Holly wondered if looks were deceiving. Her dark, curly, collar-length, brown hair was so short Holly almost thought she was a boy. Embarrassingly, she realized her mistaken on closer inspection. The rider had deep dark blue eyes, as sharp as Anabel's purple ones. She had blue clothing to match, and it looked well-traveled. The clothing reminded Holly of the kind Hikers would wear. Yet instead of powerful hiking boots, the girl had a pair of sturdy shorter shoes.

Holly wondered what hiker wouldn't wear boots in the cave, or how a disabled trainer even could hike.

But she couldn't wonder for long, as there was other strange attire.

The Rapidash clearly had reins and a saddle, but it wasn't any Holly had ever seen. The brown saddle had some sort of grip on it, and the Trainer was holding it firmly with her left hand. The reins had two bands, one that was red and one that was white. The Trainer gripped the red one in her right hand, steering her Pokémon with proficient ease.

Holly blinked.

She'd ridden horses before, but never with anything like that.

Who on earth would use such equipment?

But Holly didn't have time to ponder long, as she was alerted to the sound of the rider's booming voice.

"Halt, Echo."

Holly looked up to see the rider pulling on the reins, and the Rapidash stopped in front of Holly. The other Pokémon with the rider followed suit. Oddly, the Trainer did not dismount, but instead towered down from her Pokémon.

Before Holly could speak to her, the rider looked straight at Pikachu. Her eyes hardened and her voice took on a fierce, commanding, tone.

"Stand down. I'm not here to fight."

Pikachu's eyes widened in shock, and it stood up from its combat stance. It backed up beside Holly, and she clenched her fist.

How could this Trainer command her Pokémon? How _dare_ she!

Moreover, how could Pikachu understand her?

Holly could feel rage burning within her. This Trainer was probably just some smug person on a literal high horse!

Well, _she_ would show _her_!

Defiance made its way into Holly's voice as she shouted.

"If you are not here to fight, then what are you doing here?"

If the rider was annoyed, she did not show it. Instead, her narrowed eyes gazed straight at Holly.

"I should ask you the same. I take it you're on your way to Cerulean, but you look a little lost."

The glare never Holly's eyes. How _dare_ this Trainer make assumptions!

Her next words came out a snarl. "I'm not lost! I'm just here to find a Moon Stone!"

The other Trainer's eyes hardened even more, and Holly couldn't help going pale.

Someone as experienced as this would see right through her partial lie!

The rider's next words pierced like a knife.

"Really? Then why are you just staring blankly at the center of the cave, instead of going near the rocks, or digging?"

Holly gulped.

For a moment, she had no retort.

Truth be told, she hadn't thought about either of the things the other mentioned.

But defiance made a triumphant comeback.

She couldn't let this stranger order her around! She might be just like Anabel!

She shouted back. "If you get down from your high horse, maybe I'll talk to you!"

Holly tried resisting breaking into a smug smile. That would show this Trainer!

Yet the other Trainer didn't even flinch at Holly's comment. Instead, she calmly stated.

"Very well. I was about to take a break anyway."

She glanced at the Delphox, and the Pokémon glanced back.

"Google, would you mind helping me dismount?"

The fox Pokémon nodded, and the glow of psychic energy intensified.

Holly's eyes continued to go wide and she stifled a gasp as the Psychic Pokémon lifted the rider from her mount as though she was a feather. The horse didn't even stir, and Holly wondered how it'd gotten used to the process. Yet Holly couldn't focus on that, as psychic energy still surrounded the older Trainer. Her Pokémon gently lowered her, until she was standing on the ground.

Holly tensed, waiting for the Delphox to let go.

Yet it didn't.

The psychic energy burned brighter than ever, and the older Trainer fixed Holly with a resolute gaze.

It was almost as if the other Trainer was waiting for Holly to speak. Yet for once, Holly found her voice frozen.

Why was the Delphox still controlling its Trainer's movements? Was this some sort of trap? Or did she need to mount a rescue?

Holly stepped back, and upon looking down, received her answer.

Holly resisted the urge to gasp again.

Both legs twisted out awkward angles, yet was clear the Trainer favored her right one. She stood on the toe of her left leg, with her heel and foot in the air. Her right one seemed to remain down, although occasionally, the legs would switch places. Holly thought she caught a glimpse of both being down, but it was only for a second, before the left was up again.

It reminded Holly of a bird called a crane. Or maybe this Trainer was secretly a ballet dancer.

She wondered how anyone could walk like that.

And why didn't the Psychic Pokémon force the Trainer's legs down and make them normal?

Couldn't psychic power do anything it wanted?

Perhaps the Trainer was just too stupid to stand on both legs. Surely she must know that two legs were better than one!

Holly was about to voice a retort when the Hoopa flew in front of its Trainer. It said something Holly couldn't understand, but the trainer clearly could. She shook her head.

"Thank you, Mickey, but I don't think I need my walker here."

Holly's eyes went wide. Immediately, her mind flashed back to the conversation at Pokémon Tech.

 _A Trainer who walked with a machine…_

 _And she had many Pokémon…_

 _And lots of experience…_

 _This had to be the Trainer the others were talking about!_

 _And that meant she could finally knock some sense into the scaredy-cat with a battle!_

But before Holly could even open her mouth, she was alerted to the sound of rushing footsteps.

Holly couldn't see who it was, but she certainly registered a slap across the face.

Anabel glared daggers at her, and Holly thought her looks could kill. The woman was littered with bruises and bite marks, but they clearly didn't slow her down. Holly tried not to shrink back from the glare, but found it difficult.

With a shudder, she remembered Anabel shouting something. Holly had just dismissed it as a frightened cry, but now she wondered if it was a Pokémon command…

She didn't have time to think about it long, as Anabel fixed her with a look of pure rage. Her voice boomed through the entire cave as she yelled.

"Holly, what were you-"

Suddenly, Anabel stopped dead. The woman's face went pale as noticed the other Trainer.

The other Trainer only eyed her curiously, psychic power never leaving her. Even her Pokémon remained unmoving.

Holly blinked.

What was going on between those two?

After what seemed like forever, the color returned to Anabel's face.

However, when the woman spoke, it was like a strained whisper.

"Kris? Where have you been? I haven't seen you in years…"

Holly's eyes were the size of saucers.

So this _was_ the trainer that Anabel knew! This Kris also must've been the scaredy-cat from the Pokémon Tech!

But instead of responding to the greeting, the trainer named Kris only shook her head.

A questioning look entered her eyes, and it easily matched her voice. "I'm sorry?"

There was no mistaking Anabel's shock as she responded with her own question.

"Why are you apologizing?"

The trainer named Kris answered rapidly. "Because I don't know you. I don't believe we've met. I'm not sure how you know my name either."

Anabel's voice rose with confusion as she yelled. "You don't know me? But you must! I remember your victory! How did you survive the fall of the tower?"

The other Trainer sadly shook her head. "I've never battled you. And there was no tower falling that I know of. Perhaps you have the wrong person?"

Anabel clearly made no effort to control her emotions as she continued to yell.

"Surely not! I'd remember someone who beat a Frontier Brain! Your Pokémon are different, but you have the same name and face!"

Holly tried her hardest not to let her jaw drop.

This Trainer had the same name and face as the one Anabel knew?

How was that possible?

More importantly, why did the Trainer act like she had never seen Anabel, when Anabel clearly recognized her?

Maybe she was just pretending not to recognize Anabel. Holly didn't know why a Trainer would do that, but knowing how strange this Kris person was, she must've had her reasons.

And now Kris was shaking her head again. Desperation creeped into Anabel's voice, as she thrust out her hand.

"Your Frontier Pass, from Hoenn's Battle Frontier, you must still have it!"

Kris cocked her head, confusion written in her eyes. "The only Battle Frontiers I know of are in Sinnoh and Johto. And I haven't beaten any of the Brains at either of them."

If desperation crept into Anabel's voice before, there was no masking it now. "Then the Pokérus, you must still carry that! I remember how sick it made you!"

Kris only continued shaking her head.

"The only time Pokérus was ever in my possession was when someone gave me a Pokémon infected with it. Even then, it was never transmitted to me."

Holly blinked her eyes, unable to hide her own confusion.

Pokérus? Wasn't that just a rare virus that made Pokémon grow? From what she heard, it didn't even make them sick.

So how could it be transmitted to a human? And why would it make them sick?

Holly decided it didn't matter, and she turned as Kris began to speak again. Remorse seemed to be written on the older Trainer's face. Whether it was for wasting Anabel's time, or not recognizing her, Holly couldn't tell.

"I'm very sorry. I don't know you."

Kris politely nodded and backed away. Holly tensed, realizing the older Trainer was about to leave.

She couldn't let that happen!

Before Kris could even take a step, Holly shouted. "Anabel may not know you, but I do!"

Holly ignored the mixture of surprise and annoyance that flashed in the other Trainer's eyes as she continued.

"You're the student Giselle mentioned! That's scaredy-cat that didn't even want to go on a journey!"

Kris's eyes betrayed no emotion, and she kept her voice even as she responded.

"Scaredy-cat? That's an insult I haven't heard in a while."

Holly was now aware of Anabel screeching.

"And it's one you won't hear again!" She lunged for Holly's arm, but Holly knocked the woman back as she twisted out of the way.

Holly screamed. "No, not after you stole my Pokémon!"

Holly was quickly alerted to Kris taking a step forward. However, the older Trainer did not interfere. Instead, she intently watched the argument, eyes blazing with intense interest.

Holly resisted the urge to turn back to her.

If Kris was interested in what Holly had said, then clearly she was on her side!

And with a Trainer that powerful, Anabel stood no chance!

Holly turned towards the older Trainer.

"That's right! This woman, Anabel, stole my Pokémon, and because of it, I lost a match!"

Anabel's eyes filled with rage, and her furious voice cut through the air like a knife.

"That's only because you tried to kill one of your other ones, and you left me to be attacked by a bunch of wild Pokémon!"

Holly shook her head, ignoring Anabel's rage.

She needed a neutral judge. And she knew just who to use.

She turned to Kris, who still had not made a move. The older Trainer's eyes still burned intensely, but Holly noticed they were narrowed.

Surely she must've understood what a crime Anabel had committed! She must've felt the pain of having her own Pokémon stolen!

It was time to take the next logical step.

Holly tried not to keep her smugness from showing as she asked.

"What do you think?"

The older Trainer shut her eyes, as if she was deep in thought.

However, within a few minutes, she opened them again, and focused on Holly.

"I think that a problem with a Pokémon can only be solved through the same means." The psychic energy flashed again, and Kris held a Poké Ball in her right hand.

Holly ignored and those look of shock as her eyes brightened.

Finally, she would get the chance to teach this Trainer a lesson!

But instead of throwing the Poké Ball, Kris hesitated.

She again focused on Holly, but a look of uncertainty flashed in her eyes.

"You look familiar…"

She suddenly shifted her gaze to Anabel, who was still wearing a look of shock.

"And that energy…"

Holly clenched her fist in fury.

There's no way this Trainer could know her! They'd never met!

And who cared about some stupid energy?

Kris was just delaying the inevitable, because she knew she would lose to Holly!

"I don't know what you're talking about! Just come out and battle!"

At that, the uncertainty left Kris's eyes, and she once again betrayed no emotion.

"That's right. I forgot normal people can't tell…"

She shook her head, then backed up again to stand across from Holly.

"Anyway, let's begin."

Kris tossed the Poké Ball in her right hand.

"Go, Jane!"

A Pokémon appeared, letting out a mighty cry.

Holly couldn't be sure if it was a mushroom or an insect, but she knew it was her opponent. The Pokémon had orange claws and focused on her with its white eyes. The mushroom on its back was huge and red. If Holly looked closely, she could see little yellow dots all over it.

She grinned.

A Parasect.

They were very weak to fire, and very slow.

And now that she had fire, her opponent wouldn't stand a chance.

This battle was over before it even started.

Pikachu cocked his head at her, and Holly realized she had almost forgotten that she hadn't recalled it.

She shook her head, and did so now.

Instead, she held an Ultra Ball in her hand.

"Go, Growlithe!"

The dog Pokémon appeared, letting out a howl.

Holly couldn't resist letting her smile grew wider.

Yet before she could even open her mouth, Kris issued a command. There was no emotion as she spoke.

"Jane, use Spore… On both Growlithe and Holly."

Holly felt her eyes grow wide, and her blood run cold. Kris couldn't do that! Attacking humans with Pokémon was a serious offense!

Yet a new coldness entered Kris's eyes, rivaling even Anabel.

And that was when her Pokémon commenced the attack.

Jane released a white cloud of powder from her mushroom, and quickly, the aforementioned spores filled the air.

Holly heard something crash to the ground, and saw Growlithe collapse in a heap.

Holly shook her head.

She would not lose to a random Trainer who had the nerve to attack people with Pokémon!

She would fight this!

But there was nothing she could do as the white spores enveloped her.

Holly soon felt her eyelids growing heavy, and the rest of her body growing weak. She fought to remain upright, but only succeeded in making the ground rush toward her.

She could hear Anabel rush forward to catch her, and thought she could catch a glimpse of the severe expression on her face.

Whether it was because of Kris attacking her, or because of leaving her behind before, Holly couldn't tell.

The only thing Holly knew was that the last thing she heard before darkness took her was Kris's chilling verdict.

"It doesn't matter who you are. I can never forgive those who try to kill Pokémon."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So here she is, the other main OC, Kris. She will be a major character, but the point of view will still be Holly's. As who she actually is, I won't say much to due to spoilers. However, the inconsistencies in her character are intentional. People are welcome to ask to spoilers about her, and I will respond in the PM.**

 **-As stated before, Kris is a reimaging of a character I created when first writing for the Pokémon fandom. I might as well talk about the similarities and differences here.**

 **-Perhaps the biggest difference between Kris and her previous incarnation was that the latter was not disabled in any way. This was mainly because I wasn't sure how to make a disabled trainer exist in the Pokémon world, and only figured it out as I continue to write experiment. As such, she also did not have things like her service Pokémon, or even any legendary Pokémon. Kris also went by a different name, and was actually younger than the traditional Pokémon Trainer rather than older. While she was around Misty's age her original incarnation, background information implied she had been traveling for a long time, before Trainers usually got Pokémon.**

 **-It's also worth noting in her original incarnation that she knew several famous people, including Clair of Blackthorn and Hoenn's Champion Steven. She still knows a few famous people here, but not those particular ones. In Kris's original incarnation, she was athletic, but that's taken out here for obvious reasons. She was also rebellious, behaving similar to Holly. This rebellious attitude also got her in trouble more than once. The rebelliousness is gone here. It's also noted that in her original incarnation, she was a lot less cold and calculating and much more outwardly aggressive.**

 **-For example, in her original incarnation, she challenged Ash to a battle, destroyed him, and didn't seem the least bit concerned when his Pokémon were hurt. As seen with Holly, she still has some aggression here, but it's more of a survival tactic than anything.**

 **-Other parts of Kris's back story had been altered as well. In her original incarnation, she was a gang leader (similar to Emma in Pokémon X and Y, and Guzma in Pokémon Sun and Moon). This caused a lot of stress, which in turn caused the aggression. This was also meant to be explained further in a prequel, but that prequel never came to light. This aspect of her character has since been removed, but she still suffers a lot of stress.**

 **-However, this version of Kris will have her own prequel, which will detail what she was doing before Holly Rising. She is also set to be a major character in two sequels, one of which revolves around her, the other which uses her and many other characters. Again, I cannot say much and to spoilers, but those who want information on the sequels can request it in a PM.**

 **-Some aspects of Kris's character did carry over from her original incarnation, however. One particular aspect is her ability to talk to and be understood by all Pokémon. This will be explained further in the story, but it worked much the same in her original incarnation. However, her reason for having that power was very different. The idea of her traveling alone and slowly traveling to the regions was also present in her original incarnation. However, she has much different reasons for it this time. She also has keen battle and survival skills in both incarnations. Finally, the last thing to carry over was her ability to ride Pokémon, although the Pokémon she rode were different.**

 **-Pokérus works almost exactly the same as it does in the story. It's a very rare virus Pokémon can get and spread to others. Even though the virus only spread for a short time, the effects are permanent. Each time Pokémon defeat opponents, they get bonuses. If those bonuses are high enough, their stats increase. Pokérus will double these bonuses, regardless of which were obtained. In later generations, it would also double any bonuses received from items.**

 **-Kris and Anabel's dialogue comes from my own experiences. Kris getting sick from it is also from my own experiences. When Pokérus first came out, I was playing Pokémon without a guide. I somehow managed to get it from fighting a wild Psyduck, and got scared because I didn't know what it was. I actually thought my Pokémon were sick because it was a virus, even though the game told me otherwise. So, Anabel's story comes from that, even though no humans have ever been seen getting sick from Pokerus. Later on, I managed to get Pokérus again, but only when people traded me an infected Pokémon.**

 **-The Battle Frontier is Kris is referring to comes from the Platinum, Heartgold, and Soulsilver videogames. In these games, there is a Frontier, and it can be challenged after the player has completed the main game. In the games, the Frontier is the same place, but in this story, I made them two different places.**

 **-Pikachu lighting up the cave comes from Pokémon Yellow. If Pikachu knew Thunder and an area was dark, it would use the move to temporarily light up the cave. This can be done even if Pikachu did not know the move that would normally be used to light up caves. Also, the reason Mt. Moon's lower area is dark is because in the original Pokémon games, the lower area appeared a little darker, even though the player could still see.**

 **-Finally, the vests on the Pokémon are based off of real service animal vests (without the Pokémon League symbols, obviously). One key difference is that a real service animal vest usually says something like "do not pet". I changed the message here because not all Pokémon are suitable for petting.**


	19. The Power

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! It's been a while, mainly because of the long chapters coming up, and the fact that I recently got back from vacation. However, I have a ton of updates ready, so enjoy!**

 **As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes below for details. All prompts are the property of the Artist's Zone user Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

 _Now on to prompt!_

 _Route 4 is between Cerulean City and Mt. Moon. It is short and mostly a one-way road. However, the landscape here is diverse. The place contains everything from cliffs to a lake. However, it is also very windy here, so utmost caution is required._

* * *

18\. The Power

Grogginess filled Holly's body, and she struggled to even move. There were no spores in the air, but her body had never felt so heavy…

However, Holly resisted the urge to throw herself upright, as the sound of someone's voice pierced her ears.

It was a sound she could identify easily.

The voice that had brought her to this fate.

Kris's voice.

"Thank you for letting me take a rest." The older Trainer was saying.

Holly tried not to wince as she heard Anabel. "My pleasure. You looked as though you needed it."

 _Kris… Anabel…_

 _The two were there when Holly was in the cave…_

 _But now…_

Holly's hands hit the ground, feeling for the pounding of skin against rock.

But there was no rock here.

Instead, her hands brushed upon soft grass, and she inhaled its sweet scent. Holly could also hear the distant sound of running water. She felt her hair blowing in the wind.

She didn't know where she was.

But wherever this place was, it was no cave.

Holly groaned. _Now_ where was she?

Suddenly, Kris's voice pierced her ears again.

"Oh, speaking of rest, look who's awake."

Holly's eyes shot open, and she immediately scrambled to her feet.

The Trainer who attacked was still there!

And Anabel allowed the cowardly bully to stay by her!

Holly clenched her fist, and a scowl crossed her face.

However, she stopped as she looked straight into the glaring eyes of Anabel.

Holly thought the woman could burn the whole place down with the fire that they held. Holly could clearly see even more bite and scratch marks than before, but it didn't seem to do anything to impede Anabel. If anything, the injuries seemed to increase the rage in her eyes.

Trying not to shudder, Holly glanced towards Kris. The older Trainer was perched on a tall rock, watching intently.

Her eyes also blazed, but Holly could see they held no rage. Instead, they held the same intense interest that she had when they first met. In contrast, Kris's face was unreadable. Holly did notice that it seemed like it was slightly red, and also noticed the older trainer was slouching a bit. Neither of her feet touch the ground. Instead, she was clearly up on her toes.

She was supposed to be an experienced Trainer, yet one little cave tired her out?

How exactly could she could she travel?

How exactly could she _function?_

Holly glanced around again, and her eyes went wide.

But this time, it wasn't Kris that caught her attention.

No, it was a gadget beside her.

Holly had seen machines before, but nothing like this.

It had big blue bars that wrapped all the way around. At the end of the bars, in front, were four black wheels. Holly could see that there was a little round seat above the bars, but it was clear the machine wasn't a wheelchair. A gray bar towered above all of that, within the handlebars in front. Jet black bags hung on both sides of the machine. Holly could see that there was some space in the center, big enough to fit a person.

The machine had one wheel up against the rock and was turned to the left. It wasn't directly in front of Kris, but it was clearly still within her reach. Holly figured the older Trainer had it placed like that so it would not block her vision.

Holly figured this must be the machine that helped Kris walk. But who would walk with a machine like that, and how?

Holly glanced around again, realizing that they were in the flatter parts of the area. She could hear the cries of wild Pokémon, even from far away. Holly wondered if Anabel made them stop there so Kris could rest.

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

What kind of Trainer traveled if they could not go down hills?

And what kind of Trainer traveled if they needed to rest all the time?

Kris wasn't strong! She was crazy!

But Holly's thoughts were jerked from Kris at the sound of Anabel's voice.

The woman still glared daggers as Holly met her eyes.

"Well?"

Anabel's gaze became expectant, and Holly realized the woman wanted her to speak.

Holly shook her head, a scowl on her face.

She wasn't listening to anyone anymore! Especially not Anabel!

Out of the corner her eye, Holly spied Kris watching.

Yet older Trainer didn't do anything, still perched on her rock.

The fiery intensity didn't leave her eyes, and Holly thought the disabled Trainer would decide to remain neutral.

Yet Holly noticed a hardness in her eyes that was not there before. A closer look revealed that they were narrowed.

It was clear the older Trainer would not take Holly's side.

Holly was once again torn away from Kris by Anabel's furious voice. "You won't speak?"

Holly shook her head again. Anabel should know her by now!

And the woman should also know that if she was going to give a lecture, Holly didn't want to hear any of it. And she should know that Holly was ready for her usual tactics.

But of course, the woman began the same way she had countless times. Her voice took on its familiar icy tone as she started "in that case…"

But before she could finish, Holly cut her off with in a scream.

"I don't want to hear it!"

With that, she lunged toward Anabel, arms outstretched.

Anabel, as predicted, tried to grab them, but Holly twisted away.

She clearly knew the woman's tactics from fighting before, and it was clear her injuries were slowing her down. Anabel's movements were clumsier and slower, and Holly thought she could see a flicker of pain on her face.

Holly tried not to smirk. She had the advantage.

And she had the perfect technique for catching Anabel off guard.

If Anabel was going to cause her pain by having her feel what she did, that there was no reason why Holly couldn't do the same to the woman.

Out of the corner of her eye, Holly could see that Kris still hadn't moved.

Maybe the older Trainer really had decided to remain neutral. Or perhaps she was just too weak to fight.

Maybe she thought that summoning a Pokémon would take too much time, or that the fight would be over quickly.

Regardless, she wasn't interfering, and that made things easier.

Holly twisted around behind Anabel, the woman still slow to react.

Eventually, she faced Holly.

And that was when Holly attacked.

She aimed a punch up, and Anabel moved to block it.

It was at that moment that Holly seized on the fatal mistake.

Her other fist went flying towards her true target.

She smashed it dead center into Anabel's belt.

Anabel staggered backward, but all Holly could see was Ultra Balls going flying.

Holly resisted the urge to smirk again.

The objects would travela long distance, and the wind would only make things worse.

Some of the Ultra Balls landed in the grass, where the wild Pokémon were. She could see some of them emerging, looks of curiosity on their faces.

Other Ultra Balls sailed dangerously close to the cliffs of the edge of the route. She could hear one land in the water. Holly hoped Anabel's Pokémon knew how to swim.

She looked back at the woman. The color drained from her face, and she let out an anguished cry.

Within minutes, she was retreating from Holly and rushing to go get her Pokémon.

But Anabel was not alone.

The wild Pokémon had seized the opportunity to rid themselves of the intruder. She could see them moving, almost in a mass like the Zubat had. Holly couldn't tell the species of the wild Pokémon from where she was, but she knew they were all rushing towards Anabel.

And this time, Anabel was defenseless.

Holly couldn't resist smirking. Her plan had worked perfectly.

But Anabel was not her true target.

Holly had to stop another bully.

So, she focused her gaze on Kris.

The disabled Trainer's eyes went wide, Holly finally breaking through her indifference.

She had realized the implications, and started to lift a Poké Ball.

However, it was too late.

Holly charged toward her, and Kris had just enough time to put her Poké Ball away before Holly slammed into her.

The older Trainer toppled off of the rock, hitting the ground with a hard thud. The stunned look never left her eyes, and Holly wasn't about to let her recover.

She quickly pinned Kris down, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks.

Holly thought the Trainer would be fighting for her life, but instead she was barely struggling. Each blow left Kris breathless, and she could barely look up at Holly.

Kris truly was just a weak bully! And someone who had no business being on a journey!

Holly's ears caught the sound of Anabel yelling, but the cries of the wild Pokémon were louder.

There was no way the woman could help.

She was drawn back to Kris, who was breathing hard.

Somehow, the older Trainer choked out. "Why…"

Holly responded triumphantly. "You know why! It's because you're a bully!"

At this, Kris's face went pale and her eyes wide. The older Trainer had begun to recoil, and Holly knew she had the upper hand.

So she drawled. "Anabel talks about you like you're a great person, but without your Pokémon, you're nothing! Even with them, you're nothing! Because you're just a bully who hurts people with Pokémon!"

Holly's triumphant demeanor didn't diminish as Kris recoiled more and more. Within minutes, she had completely stopped fighting.

Holly didn't know why Kris said recoiled, but she could give a pretty good guess.

And Holly guessed was that what she had said was true.

Desperation now burned in Kris's eyes, and she appeared to be waiting for something.

However, nothing came.

The only sound Holly could hear was Anabel shouting, and this time, she knew there was no Pokémon commands.

Holly decided to aim another blow, but Kris suddenly twisted around. Desperation still burned, but it was mixed with determination.

Kris's eyes focused on where the grass containing the wild Pokémon was. Anabel was nowhere to be seen, so perhaps it was a different area.

Regardless, Kris took a deep breath. She shouted "Help me! I'm being attacked!"

Yet nothing answered the older Trainer's cries.

Holly smirked.

She should know that the wild Pokémon wouldn't help her.

Holly could hear their cries, and thought that they were only focusing on Anabel.

However, Kris continued staring at something in the distance.

She shouted again. "Please help me! I'm being assaulted by another Trainer and I can't defend myself! There's another here too, but she currently can't fight either!"

There was no missing the desperation in her final cry. "We need backup!"

Holly could hear the wild Pokémon again, but realized the cries are different. It was as though the creatures were considering something.

Holly couldn't help shuddering.

The Pokémon seemed to be drawing nearer.

But Holly knew she still had the advantage.

Kris was a fool.

She knew the wild Pokémon would just come for her, and that no wild Pokémon would listen to some ordinary Trainer.

They would unleash their fury on everyone.

Holly started smirking again. She could still win this.

However, the smirk soon faded.

Instead, Holly shivered when she realized Kris's voice was taking on a different tone.

There was no desperation, but instead, icy cold commands.

Holly continued to shiver as she realized this was the same voice Kris had used for Jane and Pikachu.

But Kris couldn't command wild Pokémon? Could she?

Now, Kris was seizing advantage of Holly's hesitation.

Rapidly, the disabled trainer made her move.

"My opponent is the girl you see pinning me down. She's already wounded me. Please, do what you must to make her stop attacking."

She quickly added. "Aside from permanent injury or death. Oh, and help the other person too, if possible."

Holly continued to stare, but quickly shook her head.

Kris was speaking to nothing, it seemed. Wild Pokémon surely couldn't understand all the words she used.

Everything she'd done was useless.

Yet Holly's face went pale as she registered the sounds of wild Pokémon coming closer.

In an instant, it was clear who the sounds belonged to.

A herd of wild Pokémon approached. They growled, snarled, and snapped, yellow eyes blazing with fury. Their black tails lashed, each one having a yellow star in the end. Sparks radiated from the Pokémons' black and blue fur, and Holly thought she could feel her hair stand on end. The ears of the herd swiveled madly, blue and yellow appendages picking up every sound.

Holly gulped.

These were Luxio. And they were headed straight for her.

Triumph turned to terror as Holly immediately got off Kris.

The older Trainer was still in front, so maybe the Luxio would attack her instead…

But instead, the Luxio leaped over Kris. Holly screamed as the Pokémon bowled her over.

Everything was a flurry of scratches, bites, fur, and sparks. Holly could barely see, and as the Luxio overtook her vision. She tried screeching at them to stop, but it was no use. Occasionally, her vision would light up, but she knew it wasn't a good thing, as the Luxio unleashed attack after attack. Now, the lightning that had helped her in the cave was coursing through her entire body.

And now there was nothing but pain.

Holly knew she had to get away, but she couldn't.

Every time she struggled, another Pokémon would attack. Before long, her entire body was covered in bruises, and she thought maybe these were similar to the ones Anabel had. At one point, Holly noticed a red liquid oozing, and let out a gasp as she realized it was blood. Yet the Luxio had no sympathy, and continue to rain down blows.

Eventually, Holly registered the sound of the Luxio again, but they seemed further away. She guessed they were helping Anabel.

But she couldn't wonder for long.

Instead, one other thought consumed her as she wondered through pain.

How had things turned out this way?

How did she go from teaching a lesson to a big bully to getting beaten up herself?

Holly tried to think of an answer, but there was nothing.

Instead, there was only pain.

And the Pokémons' anger.

And her tears.

Yet just when Holly thought she could take no more, her ears finally registered something else.

There seem to be someone running, and Holly guessed it was Anabel.

Once again, Kris's commanding voice pierced Holly's ears. "That's enough. Release the girl."

Holly felt a huge weight roll off of her, as the Luxio halted their attack.

Once again, Holly glanced straight into the glare of Anabel. This time, she could not help going pale again.

But what really caught her attention was Kris.

The older Trainer still had her commanding gaze. She had gotten onto her hands, although her legs were still sloppily sprawled behind her.

It look like she was trying to go into a sitting position, or crawling. But perhaps she had given up.

Or maybe she didn't need to.

The Luxio had gathered around Kris, looking at her reverently.

Despite her wounds, the older Trainer met their gazes head on.

Not a one moved to attack her.

Not a one looked afraid, or aggressive.

Even as she almost lay helpless on the ground.

Holly couldn't help shivering again.

How much power did Kris have?

And if she could command an entire herd of wild Pokémon to save herself…

Then, what else could she do?

Holly tried not to think about it, but was alerted to the sound of Kris's commanding voice.

"Thank you very much. Return to your homes."

The Luxio nodded. Holly could hear their steps again as they scampered away.

For while, the route went quiet.

After what seemed like forever, Anabel broke the silence.

She tossed an Ultra Ball into the air.

A menacing Pokémon appeared, and Holly felt her face go pale.

This Pokémon surveyed the area with its bright red eyes. Sunlight gleamed off of blue-green metal, but some of its face was white. Holly could see it walked on four blue-green claws, although they were also held up by sharp white points. It radiated psychic power, and Holly wondered if it would attack at any moment.

She backed away, instinctively remembering the name of this Pokémon.

Metagross.

Holly froze at the sound of Anabel's cold voice.

The woman pointed to Holly. "Carry her, and make sure she's pinned."

At this, the Metagross's eyes glowed, and blue energy surrounded its body.

Yet this was nothing like the energy that had carried Kris before.

Instead, Holly felt all control being ripped out of her, and she screamed as she was trapped. She tried to resist the Pokémon's power, but could do nothing as her hands were thrown behind her back. Holly's wounds throbbed as she was forced to lie down, yet it brought little comfort.

Not when she was floating in the air, unable to control her own body.

Yet Holly was alerted to another sound. She realized Kris was dragging herself across the ground, trying to get up. But every time, she failed, and crashed onto the grass. She winced in pain. Whether it was from her injuries, or from crashing onto the ground, Holly couldn't tell.

But there was something else different about Kris. Her commanding gaze from before had gone, and her eyes were still wide. It was replaced by a gaze of pure terror, and there was no mistaking her pale face. The older Trainer appeared to be shaking, even though wasn't cold.

Holly stared at her.

That weakling! Holly hadn't hurt her that badly!

And a bully like Kris deserved to be scared and in pain! After all, she had attacked Holly with wild Pokémon!

Anabel focused her gaze on the older Trainer, and Holly wanted to smile.

Of course, Anabel would be aggressive with the other Trainer, too! And Kris would be punished as well!

That would be something Holly would enjoy!

Yet, upon looking at Kris, Anabel's demeanor completely changed. Her voice was soft and polite, almost motherly. Holly could hardly contain her shock as Anabel spoke. "With those injuries, it will be tough for you to walk, Kris. Don't try to. Just let Metagross carry you. It can carry your machine for you too."

Kris stared at Anabel for what seemed like an eternity, before finally nodding.

Psychic energy surrounded Kris as Metagross gently plucked her from the ground. Unlike Holly, Kris was placed in a standing position, although she still floated above the ground. Her machine floated beside her, Metagross being just as gentle.

Yet there was no mistaking the pained look still remaining in the older Trainer's eyes.

Holly wondered why she would still be in pain, when she had caused Holly so much. Holly thought she could sense it, but, instead, it was strangely unreadable.

It was almost as if there were a lot of signals, and everything was being jammed.

Why was Kris in that much pain? Was it because of her injuries, or because of what Holly had said? Perhaps both?

Or maybe what she did before was because of adrenaline, and now it had worn off.

But even though Holly couldn't sense the pain, Anabel had no problem.

She still kept her polite and soft tone of voice as she talked to Kris. "You're going to be fine. Try to relax. Don't pay any mind to what Holly said."

A troubled look entered Kris's eyes, and Holly thought it was justified.

She wasn't going to be fine! Kris had just attacked her with Pokémon! Anabel would discipline her!

Yet Holly resisted the urge to scream at Anabel's next words.

"I saw what happened. What you did was out of self-defense, so you won't get in trouble."

Holly blinked. How could Kris get off scott-free?

Yet she could only watch as Anabel continued talking.

"Cerulean is just ahead. Why don't we get patched up and talk there? That way, you'll be safe, and you can tell me more about yourself."

Holly scowled. She didn't want to know more about this big bully of a Trainer! She thought Kris and Anabel had talked before, but maybe they had only been resting for a short time. It would certainly make sense, seeing how Kris looked when Holly first woke up.

The older Trainer let out a huge breath and shakily nodded.

However, the terror didn't leave her face, so Anabel spoke again.

"If you aren't comfortable talking, I won't force you to. Just think things over, all right?"

Another shaky nod, and Anabel gave her a warm smile.

Her smile faded as she turned to Metagross. Rapidly, Anabel climbed on top of it, situating herself in between Holly and Kris.

"Let's go."

With that, Metagross lumbered away, and Holly could do nothing but remain the Pokémon's prisoner as it headed to Cerulean.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _First, the rest of the prompt! Pokémon they can be captured here are Rufflet, Luxio, Ekans, Mankey, Poliwag, Igglybuff, Jigglypuff, Slowpoke, and Linoone._

 **And now for the rest of the author's notes!**

 **-This scene exists because I needed to do something for Route 4, and I figured something like this would be a good way to introduce some of Kris's strengths and weaknesses. It's also what noting that her ability to command wild Pokémon was left over from her original incarnation. Although she was never actually seen talking to any wild Pokémon in her previous incarnation, a prequel story was going to reveal that she could.**

 **-The machine that Kris uses to walk is based off of a real-life walker that I use, and looks exactly like it does in the story. Holly's bewildered reaction is based off of some reactions that I get from people who have never seen a device like it, and since the Pokémon world does not have many disabled trainers, it is unlikely Holly would've seen something like that.**

 **-Anabel having a Metagross is based off of the anime. She's seen using one, and is a powerful fighter. However, she's never seen having one in any other medium. I don't know what medium the RP is based off of, so I'm simply choosing to combine Anabel's teams from all the different ones.**

 **-Finally, the idea of using Luxio in this scene comes from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. In one of the games in that series, the player heads off to a place called Amp Plains in order to rescue a lost child. However, they are eventually attacked by a group of aggressive Luxio and forced to fight their way through. The difference here is that Holly can't fight past the Pokémon, and in the scene this is based off of, the Luxio were led by their evolved form, Luxray. Luxray can't be found here, so I chose not to use it.**


	20. Victim and Perpetrator

**Onto the next chapter! As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of the Artist's Zone user Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Also, a note of warning. This chapter deals with a character with anxiety issues. Some of these issues, such as panic attacks, may also be shown on screen. The anxiety issues are not a main focus of the story, but expect to see them being brought up and sometimes depicted on screen from this point forward.**

 **Now, onto the prompt!**

 _Cerulean City is considered one of the most beautiful in all of Kanto, and a little bit larger than Pewter before it. It has the traditional Pokémon Center and Mart, as well as a Gym. There is also a bike shop, and a Pokémon daycare is located just to the south of the city._

* * *

19: Victim and Perpetrator

Holly didn't have much time to study Cerulean as Metagross stomped through the city. She thought she could see a few people staring, and she didn't blame them. After all, a large and rare Pokémon like Metagross was bound to attract attention.

But she could only watch as the Pokémon headed to the hospital. The white building fortunately didn't look too crowded, but it also didn't look like an ideal place to stay.

Holly hoped she and the rest of the group wouldn't be spending the night there.

Out of the corner of her eye, Holly could see that Kris still appeared be shaking. The older Trainer had a bit of green entering her pale face, and she looked as though she might be sick.

Holly resisted the urge to snicker.

First she couldn't fight, then she got tired out from one cave, and now she got scared of a hospital?

Kris was even more of a wimp than Holly thought!

But Holly didn't have much time to ponder as Metagross walked into the building. There was no missing the nurse's look of surprise as Anabel dismounted.

She rapidly engaged in conversation with the nurse, but Holly couldn't hear what they were saying.

Holly did see Anabel gesture to her a few times, and the nurse's eyes hardened. In contrast, the woman flashed a warm smile at Kris. However, it didn't seem to make the older Trainer feel any better, as she was still trembling.

Within minutes, Holly could hear more steps.

A bunch of nurses appeared along with a Pokémon, and Holly guessed they were there to take her and Kris back.

The Pokémon radiated with psychic energy, giving Holly time to focus on it.

The Pokémon was round with a giant egg in a pouch. Holly could see that though its lower body was white, its upper body and legs were pink. Its black eyes concentrated as it lifted Holly and Kris off of Anabel's Metagross.

Holly knew this Pokémon. It was favored by all nurses.

Its name was Blissey.

Anabel recalled her Metagross as the Blissey took Kris and Holly into a back hallway.

Holly let out a sigh of relief.

Blissey was a kindhearted Pokémon. Surely it wouldn't keep her pinned…

Yet Holly quickly discovered she was wrong.

The psychic restraints burned and at the same time felt like iron chains. Holly tried to struggle against them as she was pinned to a table.

But it was no use. If anything, struggling only brought her more pain.

Holly tried to scream in defiance, but the same psychic power kept her mouth shut.

Holly caught a glimpse of the nurse's eyes, and realize they were cold. There was no trace of the kindness that had treated her when she was poisoned.

Holly still didn't know what Anabel said about her.

But she was beginning to suspect that the woman had labeled her as "dangerous".

Holly wished she had her Pokémon, but they had been taken away somewhere. She had no idea where, and it wasn't like she could ask.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of more struggling and psychic restraints, Holly's injuries were bandaged up.

She was placed on her right side, and quickly figured that Anabel would come to pick her up.

The restraints made it so she couldn't leave, so instead Holly watched out a window.

Despite the restraints, Holly was able to see outside into some sort of waiting room.

Kris was there, her machine parked in the corner. She had been bandaged up, and, unlike Holly ,could leave. Perhaps, she also was waiting for Anabel.

Kris was looking in her direction, but the older Trainer seemed to be staring at something far away.

Holly didn't know what was going on, but it was clear just bandages weren't going to make the older Trainer better.

Her face was still pale and she was still shaking. Kris's eyes were as wide as saucers, and a look of terror never left her.

Holly thought she would get a laugh if the older Trainer fell off her chair. Yet somehow, her trembling hands grasped the handle bars, and she held on.

Holly was aware of another sound, and realized it was Kris's harsh, rapid, and ragged breathing. When she looked closer, it appeared the older Trainer was sweating.

Holly wondered why she would be sweating and shivering when it was neither hot nor cold.

Yet suddenly, Kris's hands flew down to her stomach. She let out a gasp and looked around wildly.

Holly smirked. That bully could just throw up all she wanted! Maybe she was really a big baby, getting scared because of a hospital!

Suddenly, Anabel dashed up, her own injuries bandaged. Concern was written in the woman's eyes as she immediately talked to Kris.

Holly still stared, but this time her eyes were wide in confusion.

What was wrong? It was just a stomachache. Anabel was probably just overreacting…

Within minutes, Holly could hear Anabel's steps again as she ran off. Within moments, the woman returned with a wastebasket. A grateful look appeared in Kris's eyes, as she seized the wastebasket and vomited into it.

Kris let out a strangled groan and Anabel talked to her again.

Holly couldn't hear what they were saying, but that didn't stop the questions.

This Trainer was such a wimp, and why was Annabel encouraging it?

Why was she babying her?

Yet Kris was now saying something else to Anabel. Anabel nodded and dashed off again. The woman returned with what looked like a medicine bag over her shoulder, and a cup of water in her hand.

Kris immediately dug around, coming out with a prescription bottle. The older Trainer tried to open it, but her hands were shaking so much she almost dropped it instead. Anabel quickly opened the bottle for her, and placed a yellow, round, pill in Kris's hand. The woman held the glass of water steady, as Kris threw the medicine into her mouth, and took a huge gulp.

Holly cocked her head. Why would Kris need more medicine if she was already at a hospital? And couldn't the nurses just get something for her? Why did Anabel have to do it?

Holly glanced at the two again.

Anabel had placed a hand on Kris's shoulder, and was asking her something.

Holly noticed Kris's eyes were squeezed shut, as though she was in pain. However, the older trainer still nodded, giving Anabel the now empty cup.

Anabel dashed off again, returning quickly with a can of soda.

Holly wondered why Anabel would give Kris a can of soda when she just gave her water.

But Kris did not drink. She didn't even open the can. Instead, she simply held it within her trembling hands.

Holly blinked. Why would Kris have a soda if she wasn't going to drink it?

Yet Holly's eyes focused on Anabel as the woman continued to talk.

Kris's still wasn't looking at what was in front of her, but instead, also appeared to be focusing on Anabel. She still had paleness in her face, along with shaking and sweating. And her eyes were still wide with terror. The woman continued to talk, and occasionally nod.

Holly wished she could clench her fist. Why was Anabel just talking to Kris? It clearly wasn't doing anything…

Yet after about ten minutes, Kris said something else. Anabel nodded, and with a soothing smile, brought Kris her machine.

Holly watch the older Trainer shakily stand up, her body positioned in between the two handlebars.

Once Kris was situated, she looked Anabel again. The woman nodded, then slowly walked beside the disabled Trainer as the two exited.

Holly blinked as a question rang in her head. What had just happened?

The question continued to rattle, even as an Anabel returned later.

She still held icy coldness in her eyes, and Holly felt psychic powers surrounding her.

Holly barely had time to speak before psychic power lifted her off the table and restrained her in the air again.

Anabel tossed an Ultra Ball into the air, and another Pokémon appeared. This one looked similar to a cat, but it was light pink. Its purple eyes gleamed, their shine matching the red jewel on the Pokémon's head. Its forked tail moved to and fro, splitting into two directions at the end.

Holly glanced fearfully at the Pokémon, now radiating with psychic energy.

Espeon.

She might not have known Anabel had this Pokémon, but she knew what it was going to do.

Anabel pointed, and Holly's psychic restraints were reapplied as Espeon took hold of her.

Holly couldn't even speak as she was led to the Pokémon Center.

Holly didn't believe there could be so many people in one place, but there was. The noise was deafening as they crowded around the nurse, shouting at her to heal their Pokémon. The poor nurse looked overwhelmed, almost helpless as she tried to grant the waiting Trainers' requests. The Trainers were so preoccupied with themselves that they didn't notice Holly or Anabel.

For that, Holly was grateful. This would take a while to explain.

Anabel's expression was unreadable as she skillfully weaved through the crowds. Espeon trotted alongside her, and they came to a large room.

Anabel opened the door, locking it when Espeon and Holly entered.

Holly was lowered into a chair, but her restraints prevented her from moving. She could see Kris sitting on one of three beds. The older Trainer still clutched the soda can, but Holly noticed her hands didn't shake as much. Some color was in her face, and it no longer looked green. Holly saw a cup full of tan liquid on a table beside Kris. Holly guessed it was apple juice, but she wasn't sure.

It didn't seem to matter, as Holly's gaze was forced towards Anabel.

Her familiar icy coldness pierced Holly, and her voice matched the look in her eyes. "I was going to give you a chance to explain yourself, but you've thrown that chance away."

Holly felt her blood run cold. Her own face went pale as Anabel's spoke her next words.

"Now the only thing left is to give you a punishment. A punishment worthy of your many crimes."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, a couple things here. There is a Gym Leader in Cerulean, but I'm holding off explaining about her until I actually get the Gym. It won't be for a while, because the Gym is the last thing to do in the city. Also, a word of warning. I will be spending quite a bit of time in cities from this point forward, mainly for character development purposes. So it will be a while before the group leaves Cerulean, but a lot will have happened in that time.**

 **-As for the chapter itself, this is the first of a few encounters with one of Kris's major weaknesses, anxiety. As stated, it's not a major focus of the story, but it does play a role in some of the plot.**

 **-The techniques Kris uses try and calm herself are actual techniques for calming anxiety attacks. The medicine she uses is also a real-life medicine for anxiety. Finally, the symptoms are all things that can happen during an anxiety attack, particularly a severe one. It's also worth noting in the original draft of this story, Kris was intended to have PTSD. However, I realize that would have to drastically change some parts of her personality, and chose instead to just use anxiety itself.**

 **-Blissey being a Pokémon favored by nurses has to do with some of the lore of the Pokémon world. Nurses in the Pokémon world are usually seen with Blissey's pre-evolution Chansey. However, a Blissey is seen once as a nurse in the anime, and one of the ways a Chansey can evolve into one is constant experience. Therefore, with so many experienced nurses in the Pokémon world, I didn't think it would be much of a stretch for one of those Chansey to evolve.**

 **-Blissey using psychic power is based off of the fact that both it and Chansey can learn psychic type moves. However, neither of them can do so naturally, and have to be taught the moves by the player.**

 **-Anabel owning an Espeon is once again based off the anime, and is one of her main Pokémon. Sometimes, it can be seen following her outside of its Poké Ball.**


	21. Criminal

**Onto the next chapter of Holly Rising! No prompts this time, but a lot of things happen! See the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Artist's Zone User Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

20\. Criminal

Holly had never been interrogated by police, but she was sure she was going to be now.

Anabel had stated she had committed many crimes, and the woman clearly wanted information…

And wasn't asking criminals for information what police officers did during interrogation?

It certainly seemed what Anabel was going to do.

Anabel's icy cold eyes still pierced Holly's, and she flinched back.

Dark thoughts consumed Holly.

 _Being read her Miranda rights…_

 _Being hauled off to jail…_

 _And having an entire court staring at her…_

But this wasn't a trial. Or at least it didn't seem to be. Usually, at a trial, both sides spoke, and Anabel said that she wouldn't let Holly give her opinion on what happened.

But if not a trial, then what was this?

Holly's gaze wandered to Kris. The older Trainer was still sitting on the bed, but there was still fear in her eyes.

Was she afraid _for_ Anabel, or _of_ her?

Perhaps the older trainer was afraid of Holly?

Perhaps it was something else?

Kris's pain was still jammed, and Holly could detect nothing.

But she did know that a bully had a right to be afraid.

Yet her attention was jerked away from Kris, as Holly was forced to look at Anabel.

The woman was sitting across from her in a chair. Kris and the bed were to her right.

Holly's head was jerked upward, and she stared straight into Anabel's icy eyes.

The woman's voice held no emotion as she started to speak. "Holly of Celadon, you have committed many wrongs. First, you nearly killed a Pokémon. There was no provocation, and you showed almost no remorse."

Holly clenched her fists.

Anabel was wrong!

There was provocation, and she showed remorse afterward!

Holly tried to speak, but found she couldn't.

Psychic power radiated, and the Espeon focused.

It was clear the Pokémon didn't want Holly to speak until Anabel was done.

Anabel continued. "After that, you decided you would abandon me by getting me attacked by wild Pokémon. All because you blamed me for a loss in battle."

Holly glared at Anabel. That battle was her fault! Anabel took Torracat away, and because of that, Holly had lost!

Anabel glanced towards Kris as she continued. "But that's not all. This Trainer, Kris, decided to show you mercy when she heard of your crimes. She simply incapacitated you with her Pokémon, when she could've done much worse."

Holly fixed Anabel with a fiery glare, yet the woman appeared unnerved. Using a Parasect to put her to sleep in some dark cave was "simply incapacitating"? That wasn't incapacitating! That was an attack!

Couldn't Anabel see that?

Yet the woman was already continuing. "However, you repaid that mercy by heavily injuring Kris, to the point where she had to use wild Pokémon to save herself."

Now, Holly was sure Anabel was overreacting. Kris had trouble standing at the end, but she was not that badly hurt. At least, Holly knew _her_ injuries were worse.

Yet Anabel did not care as she continued. "You also put me and my Pokémon at risk by scattering my Poké Balls over a dangerous area. Both my Pokémon and I could've died."

Holly continued to glare. Anabel had gotten her Pokémon back, so what was there to worry about?

But Anabel only fixed Holly with another cold glare as she continued to speak. "Finally, you made Kris so distressed that she had a major panic attack and had to be moved here."

At the mention of her name, Kris looked straight at Anabel, but her expression still held fear.

Perhaps Kris didn't want Anabel standing up for her. But Holly thought the older Trainer would've said something…

Instead, she continued sitting and staring.

Holly might not have known what Kris was thinking, but she knew what panic attacks were.

And she knew almost everything about them was fake.

Kris was probably just having the attack because she wanted attention.

Besides, Holly had a reason for doing what she did.

She had to stop all bullies.

Even ones like her own Pokémon, and powerful Trainers like Kris.

She defiantly glared at Anabel, and the woman shook her head.

"As a member of the International Police, it is my duty to stop criminals, and Holly, right now, you are a criminal. Right now, I should throw you in a jail cell."

Holly felt her blood run cold, and she couldn't stop shaking.

She couldn't be a criminal!

That would make her like the bullies she hated!

And she had done everything she did to stop them!

Anabel couldn't throw her in a jail cell! She said she wouldn't stop the journey!

But looking at Anabel's piercing eyes, she wondered if the woman would do just that.

Yet what Anabel said next made Holly shake even more.

"Kris has a device that allows her to contact many people. We've already contacted the Professor."

Holly's eyes went wide, and her face went pale.

How could they have done that? They didn't even know the Professor! Hardly anyone did!

But now Holly could see a device in Kris's left hand. It looked like a cell phone, but Holly could see that it had many different buttons. Not to mention, Kris seemed to have a place where she could wear it on her hand. Holly briefly wondered what kind of device that was, but Anabel snapped her from her thoughts.

"The Professor has agreed that it would be possible to remove you from the study. Everything you have, including your badges and your Pokémon, would be transferred to Kris. She would continue on in your place."

Holly wanted to scream back at Anabel, but still found out she couldn't.

Kris couldn't participate in the study! She was much too old! And why use a rookie Trainer's Pokémon when she had all her own?

She glanced at Kris, hoping to get some answer from the older Trainer. However, the expression had changed from fear to something unreadable.

Holly was thrown back to look at Anabel as she spoke again. "The Professor did agree that it would be a bit of an inconvenience due to Kris's age, but after everything that's happened, she's willing to make an exception. She says Kris might be a good way to observe how younger trainers contrast with older ones. And she's very excited to study a disabled trainer, because, apparently, no one else has."

Holly shook her head, stifling a scream.

This couldn't be happening! Anabel promised she wouldn't stop the journey!

Yet Holly felt no relief as Anabel shook her head again. "Lucky for you, Kris has declined. However, the Professor is still leaving that option open, and she might even force it if you act up again."

Holly's eyes continued to go wide, but Anabel showed no sympathy.

Her next words stung more than needles. "The Professor wasn't the only one that was contacted. Kris knows how to contact Erika too."

Holly shakes her head, and could feel bile rising in her throat. Luckily, the psychic energy forced it down, but Holly still couldn't help feeling nauseated.

Her mother now knew everything! What did that mean for Holly?

Anabel continued coldly. "Erika knows everything you did. Your mother wants you removed from the League challenge, Holly."

Holly could feel a scream rising up, but she still couldn't speak.

The study would evaporate, and so would her dreams!

She wouldn't even be able to use the facilities like a regular Trainer could!

Anabel's next words brought little comfort. "Luckily, I was able to negotiate on your behalf. She has instead agreed to place you on a Gym Leader's watch list. This means that all of the Gym Leaders and other League authorities can see what you're doing. If you start to hurt people or Pokémon out of malice, they have the right to turn you in to me or any other member of the police. They also have the right to refuse you entry to their Gyms if they feel you will be a threat to them. Some have requested that Kris battle in your place if that happens, but we've yet to come to a full agreement on that."

Holly glanced at Kris. The Trainer now how the look of sorrow in her eyes.

Holly couldn't bear to see her fake sadness! That bully was probably happy that she would see Holly suffer! Besides, she was just sad that she would need to do extra work!

Holly fixed her with the most intimidating glare she could. Kris met her head-on, taking the intense gaze that Holly had known her for.

Holly blinked.

How could she not be easily frightened, and yet still have panic attacks?

It didn't make any sense.

Holly thought she could still sense pain, but once again Kris's signal was jammed.

It was impossible to tell what the older Trainer was thinking.

All Holly knew was that she truly was being treated like a criminal.

Anabel coldly stated her verdict. "This punishment is to take effect until further notice."

Somehow, Holly found herself smiling a bit with relief.

The punishment might be annoying, but Anabel still wasn't stopping the journey.

However, the woman still looked at her with hardened eyes. "Don't think I'm through with you just yet, Holly. I promised not to stop your journey, but I can most certainly slow it down. I see you value your freedom, so it is best to take that away." At this, Anabel's Espeon glowed as its psychic power intensified.

But this was different than the restraints holding Holly down. Her eyes went wide, and she finally found the psychic Pokémon had allowed her to scream. It felt like something was being ripped out of her, but Holly didn't exactly know what. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Instead she looked towards Anabel, eyes begging for an explanation.

But there was none, as the woman's eyes were completely devoid of kindness.

The psychic power was also radiating from Anabel, but the woman didn't seem to care.

Yet the pain and the ripping of the object only grew as time passed. Holly winced and her face turned white. She shut her eyes.

It was as if the pain would never go away!

But eventually, it stopped.

Espeon took control again, and Holly was forced to look at her left side.

She let out a gasp.

On her left side was a pink tether, and the other side was connected to Anabel's waist.

Was Holly some sort of dog, and Anabel her owner?

Now, the woman spoke coldly. "You committed your crimes by running away from me, so this will make sure you don't ever run away again. I have the right to use this tether to restrain you, and it will be your mobile prison. I will also extend and shorten it as necessary. You may have the tether off for things that require privacy, or for emergencies. But the psychic energies shall still surround you, so my Pokémon and I will know what you're doing. From this moment on, Holly, you will never be alone."

Holly tried fixing Anabel with another glare, but she could feel her fire fading.

Anabel couldn't do this! She was not some _thing_ she could lead around!

Anabel shook her head.

"You might earn your freedom back if you behave, but I'm not sure that will ever happen."

Holly's glare returned.

Anabel couldn't do this, because she knew Holly would defy her at every turn!

Anabel's eyes kept their icy coldness as she turned to Kris. The older trainer had finally put down the soda can, but had fixed Anabel with her familiar intense gaze.

Anabel nodded, then turned back to Holly.

"Since you attacked Kris and endangered her life, she will also play a part in your punishment. While I take away your physical freedom, Kris will take away your freedom of choice."

Holly's eyes continued to widen. Kris couldn't control everything! It would not even be Holly's journey anymore!

Yet Anabel held no sympathy as she continued.

"Everything you do from now on is not subject to either my or Kris's approval. Furthermore, Kris now has control over all parts of your journey, including what you do, what Pokémon you use, and where to go. If she asks you to go somewhere, you follow. And if Kris wants something, but is unable to retrieve it, you are to retrieve it for her unless she opts to use a Pokémon."

Holly sent a massive glare in Kris's direction, but the older trainer remained unperturbed. Instead, she fixed Holly with her own hardened gaze, and Holly tried not to shrink back.

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist, but instead shook her head.

There was no way any of this could be happening!

There was no way her entire journey could be controlled by some rogue Trainer!

There was no way she was one snarky comment away from getting kicked out of the League challenge!

There was no way she could lose her place in the study, and there was no way her mother knew everything she'd done!

And yet, as she met the glaring eyes of Anabel and the intense ones of Kris, she was reminded that this was exactly what happened.

Holly tried her hardest to glare back, but was aware that she had lost much of her fire.

Anabel quickly shook her head, and turned to Kris.

Softly, she asked. "Are you able to talk now?"

Kris nodded, and Holly noticed there seemed to be both color and strength in her face.

"I am. I may as well tell you a bit about myself."

Holly gritted her teeth.

She didn't want to hear anything about this adult bully!

Yet before she could open her mouth to protest, Kris began to speak.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, before delving into Holly's punishment, I'd like to go into what could have been, and how it affects future works. Originally, I did want Holly to get hauled off to jail, and Kris to continue on in her place. This is because, as Anabel stated, Holly is a criminal, and legally fits that definition (since she committed her crimes in front of Anabel, a police officer). However, I realized that would not work, mainly because without Holly, there would be no RP. Furthermore, even if this did happen in the RP, there would be a lot of time skipping as Holly somehow gained enough freedom to continue the journey.**

 **Unlike some of my other ideas, this idea will still be used.**

 **-I have decided to create another series where Holly does get convicted and Kris continues on the journey. Since it takes place in the same universe, some background events will stay the same, but many will be heavily altered. It will also read like a traditional story of mine with longer chapters, more description, and generally, slower updates and pace. It will also go more into Holly's world, the characters of the story, and Kris's own character. It is also planned to be quite a bit darker, which is also traditional for my stories.**

 **-Currently, this story is still in the planning phase, but is planned to be called Usurping. It is also planned to be in the first-person point of view. Of the two timelines, Usurping is the canon timeline, while Holly Rising is the what-if. The reason for this is because I consider it more logical for Holly to get hauled off to jail, and it allows me to go into a detail that the RP cannot. A journey with Kris as the main character was always my intention, and, other than the prequels and the sequels, Usurping is my way of doing that.**

 **-However, this also affects the timeline of Holly Rising. There is currently a companion fan fiction in progress called Safety, and it takes place in the timeline of Holly Rising. I am planning on also doing a fan fiction for Usurping's timeline known as Daughter. Once both of these fan fictions are done, Usurping will start. Just like Holly Rising, Usurping will have two sequels. And also like Holly Rising, the first sequel will be featuring Kris and many others, with the second one featuring her only. There is also a short story planned where the protagonists of the two timelines meet each other. As far as Kris's prequel story, it is the same in both timelines. If anyone wants spoilers on any of these upcoming works, they may send me a PM.**

 **Now, as for the punishment Holly did receive…**

 **-I picked the idea of Holly being on a tether from something in real life. In real life, adults can use tethers for children who are prone to wandering. And since Holly got into trouble by wandering off, I figured this was appropriate. The idea of Kris taking away the freedom of choice actually has to do with the type a punishment that happened with my siblings and I. If we were mean to each other, one of the possible punishments was that the victim would have complete control over what the perpetrator did for a certain amount of time. And since Holly attacked Kris, I figured that this was also appropriate.**

 **-A Gym Leader's watchlist is also based off of a real-life punishment. Certain offenses have criminals placed on watch lists, and they are forbidden from doing certain things. Usually, the punishment is for severe offenses, which Holly has committed. The idea of banning people from Gyms comes from the anime, when Erika does this to Ash after he directly insults her and her perfume. There is also a lesser example in the games, where someone states that only girls are allowed in Erika's Gym, and everyone acts annoyed or surprised if a male challenger comes in.**

 **-The device Kris uses is based off of some devices in the Pokémon world. The Pokémon world has many different technological devices with different functions. Their gifted trainers and called by are many different names. Therefore, the device Kris uses is a bit of a mishmash of these devices. One of the common functions is to use it like a cell phone, which is why Kris can use it that way.**

 **-The idea of knowing how to contact Gym leaders also comes from the games. In certain games in the series, Gym Leaders can be contacted via phone for rematches once their Badge is obtained. They will use stronger Pokémon, and sometimes it takes multiple matches before their strongest team is obtained.**


	22. The Third

**And here's another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I don't own Pokémon and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

21\. The Third

The older Trainer took a deep breath as she stated. "I suppose you want to know why I was so frazzled during that fight."

Holly glared at her.

She didn't want to know anything!

But Anabel nodded, and Kris took it as a signal to continue. She closed her eyes, and her words came out slowly. "What Holly said... wasn't a lie."

Holly resisted the urge to grin in triumph.

So she did expose a bully!

Kris's voice remained almost emotionless, but Holly thought she could sense a broken tone to it.

"It's true that without Pokémon, I'm nothing. I have no other means of self-defense, and as you saw, I'm near useless in physical fight."

Anabel's cold eyes softened as she replied, "Why didn't you learn psychic powers or magic? You clearly have a high mental capacity, so you'd be good at it."

There was no missing the sorrow that entered Kris's voice as she stated. "I was too focused on honing my skills with Pokémon. I became excellent with training and traveling, but at the expense of being able to defend myself with anything else."

Holly wondered why such a powerful Trainer would be sorrowful at her talent. With her Pokémon, she could defend herself far better than Holly ever could!

Maybe she was just overreacting.

Or, as Holly thought about it again, maybe she was just stupid. What kind of trainer would only rely on Pokémon in a world full of danger?

Regardless, Kris began again, her voice still taking on a melancholy tone. "Holly calling me a bully is no lie either."

Triumph once again entered Holly.

She knew she had told the truth!

Yet her triumph was cut short by Anabel's response.

"But you were clearly defending herself before."

A darkness entered Kris's eyes, and Holly resisted the urge to shiver. Whatever Anabel had said, the memories it reminded Kris of were not pleasant.

As she spoke, a new anger crept into Kris's voice.

"You don't know how far "before" stems back. I have hurt many. Killed many. I've seen countless innocents die."

Kris glanced straight at Anabel, rage still burning in her eyes.

"If you knew what I did, you would probably have _me_ in a jail cell."

Yet Anabel was unintimidated as she responded. "The International Police already know about you, though, and your record is a clean slate. Whatever you did in the past, they didn't find it worth prosecuting."

Kris looked like she was about to say something, but Anabel continued. "You have close ties with the League, and you're not acting like a fugitive. And according to some other members that I've been in contact with, you've been acting as a vigilante for a while. But because you take down criminals, the International Police respects you and sees you as a valued asset to their efforts."

Kris shut her eyes, then slowly nodded.

"I suppose you're right about that."

A soothing smile crossed Anabel's face as she continued. "So I'm inclined to believe you're an honest Trainer."

Kris quickly responded. "You're too kind."

Holly wished desperately she could clench her fists.

How was Kris let off easily when she wasn't?

Sure, Kris was chasing criminals and bullies, but so was she!

She turned her gaze toward Anabel as the woman started speaking again.

"When you met Holly and me, you mentioned some sort of energy. Do you mind if I ask what that is?"

A flicker of pain was on Kris's face, and Holly wondered if the older Trainer would answer. After what seemed like an eternity, she replied. "Call it a talent of mine. I received the ability to sense energy coming from certain people and Pokémon when I first got my Trainer's license. But most people can't sense it, and the ability has done me more harm than good. I have no means of getting rid of it, though."

Kris suddenly let out a laugh, and it seemed to be mocking.

Holly wondered what other dark secrets the older Trainer was hiding.

She scowled. Why did Anabel continue to trust her?

Holly turned towards the woman, who had continued speaking. "What about talking to Pokémon? Is that related?"

Kris shrugged her shoulders. "Sort of. I've had to rely on Pokémon as long as I can remember. I was with them so much that I eventually picked up the ability to understand them, and be understood. I found out I'm also naturally good at languages, so with that, it didn't take me long to directly communicate with Pokémon. I suppose there's some relation to my ability to sense energy, because the power did get better with that."

Kris's voice took on another sorrowful, almost mocking tone. "Just because Pokémon understand me doesn't mean they'll listen, though."

Holly quickly remembered Kris waiting, the light of desperation burning in her eyes. She had seemed confident when she retaliated against Holly, but now Holly realized Kris had been gambling with her life.

Perhaps that was why she was so afraid before.

If those Luxio hadn't listened…

Holly shook her head. She didn't want to think what would happen.

But Kris surely knew the risks of doing something like what she did.

So why did she do it anyway?

Anabel didn't respond. Instead her hand was on her chin, deep in thought.

After what seemed like forever, she stated. "You sound a lot like the Kris I know, aside from your ability to sense energy."

Holly gritted her teeth.

Why was Anabel still comparing? She really needed to stop…

Kris looked like she was about to speak again, but suddenly a timer rang on her device.

She quickly shut it off, and an exasperated look crossed her face.

Anabel's eyes flashed with concern. "What's wrong?"

The exasperated look in her eyes entered Kris's voice as she stated. "Oh, I just have to take my medicine."

The concern never left Anabel's eyes as she offered. "Do you need your bag again?"

Kris shakes her head, and Holly could see she was cringing.

"No, it's with a needle."

Holly's eyes went wide and her mind immediately flashed back to the poison.

She had to get stabbed by all those horrible needles before. She couldn't imagine having to be stabbed regularly with one!

Perhaps she would get lucky and she wouldn't see one…

Kris continued. "Really, I should do this at the hospital. If the nurses here weren't so swamped with Trainers, I'd ask one of them to help me."

Annabel shook her head. "No, this is a medical facility. If you have the medicine with you and one of your Pokémon is trained to give it, then I see no reason not to take it here. Unless, you need privacy."

Kris shook her head.

Holly couldn't believe what she was hearing. She didn't want to see someone get injected with a needle!

She shot a glare in the direction of the two, and luckily, both saw.

Anabel sharply retorted. "If you're squeamish, you can look away."

Holly gritted her teeth. She should've figured her pleas would go unanswered.

Rapidly, Kris released two Pokémon. One was the Hoopa from before. The other one was a Blissey, similar to what the nurses had, except it wore the strange blue vest.

'Mickey, could you get the things for my shot, please?" The Hoopa nodded, raising its rings.

Holly's eyes went wide as the walls eerily erupted into a huge dark purple and yellow hole. The hole seem like it would suck everything in, yet somehow, it did not. Holly wasn't sure where lead, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

She couldn't even understand how Kris was seemingly around the holes regularly. The Trainer didn't even flinch, instead staring straight into the hole.

But the strangest thing wasn't what went into the hole.

It was what came out of it.

The Hoopa moved its rings back and forth, as if it were trying to command the hole to do something.

And sure enough, it did.

Slowly, and carefully, a tray full of needles, Band-Aids, and other medical accoutrements appeared from the hole. The tray floated across the room, flying as though it had wings. Holly thought something would get dropped, but nothing was. Instead, the tray landed precisely on the table, near Kris's apple juice. Luckily, she moved the drink in time. The Hoopa made another motion, and the hole quickly closed.

Kris glanced at the Blissey. "Faith, would you do the honors?"

The Blissey nodded, and Holly could see now that there were little gloves in the shape of Pokémon hands. The Blissey quickly put them on as Kris rolled up her sleeve.

The Blissey grabbed the needle, filling it with medicine. Kris didn't even wince in pain as the needle plunged into her left shoulder. The Blissey rapidly cleaned up a bit of blood, before sticking a Band-Aid onto the area were Kris had been stabbed. The Blissey carefully walked to a bathroom in the back of the room. Holly remembered there were special trash cans for needles and gloves, and figured that's where the Blissey was going.

Sure enough, she heard a small trashcan opening and closing, as the Pokémon disposed of the medical items.

The Blissey came back out, and Kris nodded.

"Thank you."

She quickly recalled her Blissey, and nodded again to the Hoopa. The bizarre hole appeared again, and the tray sailed back into it. Within another minute, Kris recalled her Pokémon.

Holly blinked. How odd that was! And gross too!

But Anabel didn't seem to have any negative reaction, as if she'd seen it before.

Rapidly, the woman asked. "If you don't mind me asking, what was the medicine for?"

Kris coolly replied. "It prevents me from having children."

Holly's eyes went wide. Who would do that to themselves? Why take away the choice?

Holly had never thought about children.

Instead she thought about her mother.

Her mother loved her a lot, but she knew she could easily have her own child.

Holly couldn't imagine taking that option from her!

Holly's mind swirled with confusion, but there was no missing the sadness and pain present in Anabel's eyes.

Holly blinked.

Why would Anabel be sorrowful about someone not having children? It wasn't like she had any of her own…

As if Kris read Holly's mind, she spoke. "There are certain changes when one is ready to have children. Normally, they're just mildly annoying. But with me, something went wrong, and instead, I became violently ill. I decided having children was not worth sacrificing my own health. So I take this injection every few months instead."

Suddenly, Anabel was deep in thought. And Holly didn't know why. Surely there wasn't much to think about?

After a while, she spoke. "I do remember the Kris I knew mentioned something like being sick every month. But I don't remember her taking any medicine like that. Of course, she could have found out about it much later."

Kris's eyes adopted almost a glare, and Holly trembled as she wondered what had agitated the older Trainer.

"How much later is later? I went on my journey when I was 18." Anabel's eyes went wide, and so did Holly's.

Why would a Trainer start so late? There was no point in enjoying the independence from one's parents if a person was an adult by the time they were going to go!

Anabel apparently had the same question, as Kris replied.

"One of the reasons I started so late is that I was trying to figure out all of my medical conditions. Luckily, I found out about all of them and had full treatment shortly before I turned 18. I went on a Pokémon journey later that year, and I've been on ever since."

Anabel's eyes only widened further as she stated. "The Kris I knew went on the journey at the same age. But she didn't seem to have any medicine like that,"

Kris quickly responded. "Then I suspect she had the same conditions I do. But she probably never found out or even got treatment for them. Unless she took time off of her journey to do it."

Anabel shook her head.

"I never saw her do that during any of the times I met her. Not even in the hospital. She didn't look nearly as healthy as you, either."

Kris's eyes suddenly became narrowed, and her tone grave.

"Is this proof then? That she and I are different people?"

Holly stiffened, noticing Anabel's face had gone slightly pale.

To admit that this Kris was different than the one she knew was almost like admitting she had lost the latter…

After what seemed like forever, Anabel gritted her teeth and nodded.

Holly's mind whisked her back her conversation with the woman, when she found out she shared the same name with someone she knew.

" _Besides, I have a little piece of my time at the Frontier with me now."_

Did Anabel just feel like she lost one of those pieces?

Now Kris was nodding, an apologetic expression spreading over her face. "If the Kris you knew wasn't as healthy as me, then it's probable she didn't survive the fall of the tower you told me about. I don't know what happened to the one you knew, but I just know I'm not her. In fact, after Holly's punishment is over, I will take my leave."

A sharpness entered Anabel's eyes.

What she said next made Holly's blood run cold.

"No, please join us."

Holly shook her head furiously. Anabel couldn't possibly be serious!

Was she that desperate to get something similar to the person she knew back?

But now Kris's eyes were going wide.

The older trainer was clearly controlling her voice so as not to yell.

"What?"

Anabel looked directly Kris, the sharpness never leaving her eyes.

"You heard what I said. Your power with Pokémon is invaluable. With your abilities, I'm certain you could help me crack the case of what is going on in Kanto."

Uncertainty flashed in Kris's eyes. "But with my physical impediment, I will only slow you down."

Anabel shook her head, responding. "No, you won't."

Before Kris could reply, she continued. "If you cannot walk, then my Pokémon will carry you. And, even with that, you've proven you can traverse the region easily enough. Besides, if you're with us, you can be protected, and you can do much more with others than wandering alone."

The older trainer closed her eyes, and Holly could tell she was considering Anabel's offer.

Holly secretly hoped she would say no.

But the older Trainer's eyes did not open, and Anabel quickly added. "You may not be the Kris I know, but with you around, it feels like having her back. And if I have a chance to get back anyone I've lost…"

She took a deep breath before continuing. "I will do it."

In a softer voice, Anabel added. "Perhaps I will even find the one I know again."

Kris slowly opened her eyes, and she had a resolute nod.

Holly felt a trickle of dread as Kris spoke her next words. "Very well. I will accompany you."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Kris is the second traveling companion, similar to those like Brock and Misty in the anime. Interestingly, an original drafts, she was only supposed to be a reoccurring character, but I decided that figuring out where and when she would appear would be difficult to write, so she was made a regular traveling companion instead.**

 **-Kris's past as a vigilante is inspired by how the player characters treated in the games. In the games, the player character often takes the law into their own hands, single-handedly taking down dangerous criminals. Whatever authority there is in the region often rewards and recognizes them for their efforts. I figured with the way the player character is treated, having someone with the past of a well-liked vigilante makes sense.**

 **-Finally, the medicine Kris uses in this chapter is based off of a real-life medicine. It works exactly the same as it does in the story, with one exception. In real life, the medicine has to be given at a doctor's office. But that wouldn't work with Kris because she needs to travel. So instead I had her train Pokémon to give it (like a mobile doctor's office).**


	23. Backtracking

**And another chapter of Holly Rising! Still no prompt, but still things happening! As always, check the author's notes at the end for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

22\. Backtracking

Holly hadn't realized it was night until the Center was dark. She glanced out a window, realizing the moon was high in the sky. They'd apparently been talking for a long time, and the extra events that happened that day didn't help.

Holly clenched her fist.

They'd wasted so much time! Now she wouldn't be able to get to the Gym until tomorrow!

If she _ever_ got there.

Anabel unclipped Holly's tether, looking at her expectantly.

She glanced back at the bed, and it was clear where the woman wanted to Holly to go.

But Holly had to resist anyway.

She fixed Anabel was an angry glare.

"I don't want to go to bed now! I want to go to the Gym!"

Anabel put her hands on her hips, a stern look entering her eyes.

"You have no choice, Holly. Besides, you're tired and recovering from injuries. You need rest."

Holly fixed Anabel with another scowl.

She might've had a tether, but she still wasn't about to let Anabel tell her what to do!

Holly suddenly noticed Kris behind Anabel.

It was clear the conflict had captivated the older Trainer's interest, as she stared straight at Holly.

Holly glared back. Kris was so rude to her!

"Hey! Stop staring!" She shouted.

Kris glanced down, a defeated look on her face. She noticed the older Trainer was mumbling something about "bad habit", but she didn't dare ask what she meant.

She was drawn back to the present by Anabel's voice.

"Well, Holly?"

Holly shook her head. She would not obey Anabel's orders in a thousand years!

So she glared defiantly back.

Anabel shook her head and glanced at her Espeon. The Pokémon began radiating psychic energy, and the energy grabbed Holly. Her eyes went wide.

She wouldn't be controlled and restrained again!

She screeched. "Okay, okay I'll do what you say! Just let me go from those awful psychic powers!"

Holly glanced at Kris. The older Trainer was trying hard not to stare, but Holly thought her attempts looked forced.

How could Kris deal with this every day of her life? Holly could barely take a few minutes of it!

Surprisingly, Anabel nodded at Holly's request.

"Let her go, but grab her again if she doesn't get ready for bed."

The Espeon obliged, and stopped radiating psychic energy.

Holly felt the freedom to move her limbs again, and sighed.

At least she could move around on her own now.

Holly quickly headed into the bathroom and made her bedtime preparations.

She was suddenly aware of the psychic energy still orbiting around her.

Holly sighed again.

Of course, she wasn't truly free.

Nevertheless, she finished up and made her way back to the bed.

Kris immediately got into her strange machine, then took her turn.

Unfortunately, she was noticeably less quick.

Holly could hear the scrape of metal against wood as Kris crashed around.

She thought she heard the older trainer swear, and mutter something about places needing handicapped accessible bathrooms.

Holly shook her head.

She didn't know what that meant, and who cared who Kris needed!

Right now she was being so loud Holly thought the entire Pokémon Center could hear!

Anabel seemed to have concern in her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

Maybe her Kris has had this problem too…

Eventually, Kris reappeared with her machine, looking mildly annoyed.

"Next time, I am parking my walker outside and walking in."

Holly's eyes went wide.

If Kris could walk into places, then why did she use machines to walk? Was she pretending she was worse off than she really was?

But Holly didn't have time to ask any questions, as Kris's eyes softened when she saw Anabel's concerned gaze.

"It's all right. This happens to me all the time. Traveling can be a nightmare."

Anabel nodded. "I imagine."

Holly couldn't resist glaring. How was she supposed to sleep if Kris was going to be so loud!

"I'm not going to sleep with that noisy thing! How could anyone?"

Before Anabel could respond, Kris answered in an exasperated tone. "Could I please knock her out?"

Anabel silenced them both with their own angry glare.

"Holly, Kris can't help that her machine is noisy. And Kris, you should know better than to throw insults around like that. You're an adult, not a child!"

Instead, Holly fixed Kris with eyes full of rage. The older Trainer rapidly returned the favor, not even shrinking back. Anabel could've outdone them both, though, as she yelled.

"If you two don't get along, I am quitting the journey right here and hauling you both off to the stationhouse!"

Holly shuddered and shrunk back.

She didn't know what that meant for Kris, but after what had happened, she knew Anabel was serious about her.

The threat must have been serious for Kris too, because a flicker of fear crossed her eyes as she moved back.

Holly blinked.

What had Kris done that made her so afraid of Anabel?

Was there something so secret that even the International Police did not know about it?

But she didn't get the chance to ask as Anabel once again put her hands on her hips with a stern look on her face.

"Get in bed, you two."

Holly was reminded of her mother, and briefly wondered if she had been wrong about Anabel not having children.

To Holly's surprise, Kris actually rolled her eyes. She muttered something about "I'm 25. I shouldn't have to be told when to go to bed."

Anabel rapidly responded with. "Headstrong as ever, but if you're 25, you should know that you have to go to bed."

Kris only sighed in exasperation, and Holly wondered if she'd heard that before.

At least she shared something in common with the older Trainer.

Kris parked her machine next to her bed, slowly getting into it.

Holly quickly got into into her bed, before Anabel could give any more commands.

She could hear the woman getting up and walking around. Within another minute, the lights went off. Holly could hear Anabel saying "Good night, everyone."

Holly didn't have the time to reply, as she turned on her side.

Within minutes, she was asleep.

However, she was awoken again by a sharp tug on her side.

Holly slowly cracked her eyes open, flinching at the sunlight that streamed through the windows.

But the sunlight didn't make her flinch as much as the sound of Anabel's icy cold voice.

"Holly, get up. It's morning, and Kris is already awake."

Holly shook her head, wincing again as she rolled further into the bed.

She couldn't get up this early! And she wasn't about to listen to Anabel!

Yet Anabel's voice was firm, and Holly felt another, sharper, tug on her tether.

"I said, get up."

Holly once again shook her head, grabbing onto the bed.

Anabel would have to _make_ her get up!

But the woman wasn't above doing it.

"All right, Espeon. I'm going to need a little assistance here."

Holly flinched as she felt psychic energy surrounding her. Her hands were pried off the bed and Anabel gave more tugs on the tether.

Holly was forced into a sitting position without a touch of gentleness, but eventually the psychic power dissipated.

Holly glanced at Kris. The older Trainer was still watching, but now she looked almost embarrassed. She must've been regretting her decision to take part in the punishment, but she knew it was too late now.

The older Trainer still held a soda can, but this one was open. She clearly had drained the drink, as she set it on the nearby table.

Holly glanced at the clothing Kris was now wearing. She seemed to have on a purple nightdress, but it looked more like something one would wear to prom than to bed.

Why did the disabled trainer wear such fancy clothing if she was going to go to bed? It made no sense!

But Holly couldn't focus on the older trainer as Anabel's voice pierced her ears.

"Let's get dressed, and then we can go eat."

Holly still wore her scowl, but not wanting to get dragged again, reluctantly obliged.

Kris held a Poké Ball in her hand, and Holly thought that she would release another Pokémon with one of those bizarre vests.

Was she really that helpless? That she needed a Pokémon for getting dressed?

How was she even traveling?

Holly didn't have time to ask those questions, as the three of them took turns using the bathroom. Of course, Kris took longer and told them not to wait. But Anabel insisted, and Holly was forced to comply.

She rolled her eyes. Kris was slowing them down even now! How would she get through an entire journey with the disabled Trainer?

Eventually, Kris appeared, and they headed to the lobby.

Thankfully, it was less crowded now, and the trio was easily able to find a table.

Holly wondered how she would sit down when Anabel had her tethered, but thankfully the woman extended her restraints. Somehow, no one questioned what was going on. Perhaps, they had seen it before.

That didn't stop Holly from questioning other things.

Such as what happened when a Chansey brought them some orange juice. The Pokémon handed it to Anabel and Holly no problem, but Kris looked at the drink with sadness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I can't drink orange juice. Could you bring me apple instead?"

The Chansey nodded, and Anabel quickly replied. "I'll take hers, if you don't mind."

The Chansey nodded again and handed Anabel the drink. Shortly after, it returned with the one Kris had requested.

As Kris took a sip, Holly glared.

Why was this trainer getting all the special attention? Why didn't she just drink something as simple as orange juice? Why did she drink soda, but not orange juice? She must have been faking something!

Chris noticed the gaze, and Holly shouted. "Why can't you just drink orange juice? What are you going to do, get sick and die?"

Kris's eyes suddenly turned serious, and the sadness resumed.

"I just might."

Suddenly, Holly was alerted to more sharp tugs on her tether, and she winced as she met the cold eyes of Anabel.

"Holly, you don't take food allergies lightly, ever."

Kris simply replied. "Yes, I suppose you could call it that."

Holly cocked her head. What did Kris mean by "I suppose?" People were either allergic to food or they weren't!

She had no more time to argue as another Chansey brought them their food. Holly couldn't help staring at Kris's. It was an omelette with sausage inside, but Holly could also see many green foods and red tomatoes. And, Holly thought she couldn't see much cheese.

Another bottle was brought to them, and Kris quickly opened it up. Out of the bottle came a red chunky liquid, dousing Kris's omelette in the same color.

Holly made a face and was thankful Anabel couldn't see. Kris didn't seem to mind as she dug in.

Who would eat vegetables for breakfast? And why didn't Kris put cheese on eggs? Everyone did! And what was up with that chunky red liquid? It looked so gross! Holly couldn't imagine putting the liquid on anything, let alone eggs!

But she didn't have time to continue staring at her stomach rumbled. Holly quickly realized she hadn't eaten anything on her own plate, and quickly devoured her food.

Within time, the Chansey took the plates away, and they were free to go.

Or at least, Holly thought they were free.

As soon as the group stepped outside, Anabel turned to Kris. "Well, Kris is there a place you would like to go? Perhaps there is a place would like Holly to go?"

Holly clenched her fists, remembering the punishment. Of course, she wasn't free! And now Kris had control over everything!

But, how dare Anabel rub it in Holly's face!

She scowled as Kris paused. The older Trainer had taken the time to switch out her Pokémon before they left, but she still had her Delphox with her. Now, its psychic powers surrounded her, and she looked like she was levitating even though she touched the ground.

Dread crept down Holly's back as Kris responded.

"I'd like to go back to Route 4. I think there are some Pokémon that would be useful to Holly there."

Holly resisted the urge to scream.

She didn't want to go back to Route 4! She had a Gym battle to win!

Holly shouted. "No, I want to go to the Gym!"

She let out a screech as pain shot through her waist. Anabel yanked hard on the tether, and Holly tried not to fall over. Cold icy eyes met hers as the woman stated. "You will have no say. This is where Kris wants to go, so this is where we will travel."

Holly glared again. They might've said she had no say, but she knew the perfect way to resist!

She tugged her tether downward as she sat down on the street.

The two couldn't force her to a place if she didn't move!

Yet neither betrayed any emotion. Instead, Anabel tossed a Poké Ball, and her Espeon appeared.

Anabel spoke without a hint of exasperation. "I need a little more help."

The Pokémon's eyes glowed again, and Holly howled as she was picked up and moved against her will.

Anabel nodded to Kris, and the group traveled to Route 4.

The familiar winds brushed through Holly's hair, the scent of grass tickling her nostrils. She could spot the familiar cliffs, and the place where the wild Pokémon were. The sound of running water pierced her ears.

She noticed Kris was looking towards it, and Anabel asked.

"Kris, where in the route would you like to go? What Pokémon are you looking for?"

Kris wasted no time stating "I'm looking for a Poliwag, so I would like to go near the lake."

Holly snarled. "I hope you fall in!" Her body stung again as Anabel slapped her over and over.

Kris finally seem to stop staring, and simply muttered "I'm not listening."

Holly gritted her teeth. She didn't want to train a tadpole. She tried to resist again, but Anabel's sharp eyes stopped her cold.

"Don't try it. Or you might get an even worse fate."

Holly didn't know what that was, but she wasn't about to risk it. So, she kept silent as the group continued. Anabel once again kept the tether extended, probably in case Holly wanted to look herself.

But she couldn't see anything, nor did she want to.

As the group continued, the sound of running water got louder and louder. It was so loud that one point that Holly thought she might go deaf. They were standing right next to the lake, and there were no Poliwag to be seen. Holly thought perhaps that Kris would change her mind and she wouldn't have to make a capture today. Yet, the older Trainer simply kept looking, and waiting.

After what seemed like forever, a Pokémon finally stepped out of the reeds next to the lake.

The Pokémon was round and blue with big black eyes. Its pink lips slowly moved up and down, as if it was surveying its surroundings. A black and white swirl was on the center of its body, and its tail was clear and see-through.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Poliwag.

All of a sudden, she heard Kris's voice.

"You have a Mawile, don't you? Use it."

Holly thought about glaring, but noticed Anabel's icy eyes. She resisted the urge to shudder, and discarded the idea. Who knew what either of them would do if she disobeyed?

But then… How did Kris know she had a Mawile? Perhaps it was because of her power with Pokémon, or maybe Anabel had told her.

Regardless, Holly threw the ball. "Go, Mawile!"

Holly's Steel type Pokémon appeared, glaring defiantly.

Holly was about to give it a command, but noticed Kris's surprised face.

"That energy again… It's here, but it's faint…"

The older Trainer quickly shook her head, as if to reorient herself.

"Your Mawile knows Iron Tail. Use it against the Poliwag."

Holly's eyes went wide. She couldn't remember teaching Mawile Iron Tail…

Inwardly, she groaned.

Kris must've been through her supplies, too. That would explain why she knew her Pokémon…

Nevertheless, the battle had to go on.

The Poliwag shot a stream of water at Mawile, and the Pokémon gasped as it was hit.

Holly knew she had to act fast.

"Mawile, Iron Tail!"

Mawile's jaw glowed gray, and Holly could see the metal gleaming on it. In one swift motion, it slammed into the Poliwag. The Pokémon screamed as it was knocked back, and Holly could see it had an ugly red bruise.

Just as she was about to order another command, Kris's voice stopped her.

"Use the Poké Ball now, Holly. It doesn't look like the Poliwag will take another hit."

Holly gritted her teeth, and threw the capsule at the injured creature. The Poké Ball bonked the Poliwag on the head before sucking it into the device. It wiggled a bit, before the light signaled that the Poliwag was caught.

Holly walked over to the Poké Ball, but no joy showed in her face.

She hadn't wanted this Pokémon. What did Kris plan to do with it?

She went to go place it on her belt, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Anabel shook her head, and held out her hand.

"You can only have five Pokémon, Holly. Either give this one to me, or choose someone else to put away."

Holly clenched her fist as she remembered the punishment from before.

How could she forget?

Slowly, she went to go place the Poké Ball in Anabel's hand.

Suddenly, Kris's voice stopped her.

"Switch out Poliwag for Tangela, Holly."

Holly's eyes widened.

Why would she do that? The gym was Water type!

Kris responded. "Tangela has supportive power, but little else. You want to go to the Gym, right? Then, Poliwag will be more useful."

Holly scowled. How could Poliwag be more useful than a Grass type? Surely, Kris's reasoning was flawed!

But as she looked to Anabel for support, Holly found none.

"Do as she says, Holly." Anabel still held out her hand, and her voice held no emotion.

Holly growled and passed Anabel the Poké Ball.

She quickly attached Poliwag's Poké Ball, and followed behind Anabel.

As the group headed towards the Pokémon Center, Holly could only think one thing.

If this was all the journey was going to be from now on, then she couldn't wait for it to end!

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So a bit of the dynamic between Kris and Holly and action… Doesn't start off very good, unfortunately… At least Holly gets a new Pokémon out of it…**

 **-Also, more of Kris's physical condition is revealed. As with most of them, the condition similar to a food allergy and the inability to drink orange juice is based off of a real-life condition, although as Kris states, it's not a food allergy. Kris's problems with areas not have enough room for her walker is based off of real-life issues that I've had with the same thing.**

 **-It's also worth noting that how much of Kris's medical conditions is revealed depends on the story. Some will be given a full explanation, while others will only be given a passing mention. In stories revolving around her, however, all of Kris's will be detailed and shown in full. The exception may be the final sequel in both series, since almost all of the other characters know what conditions she has by then (and, provided all the books have been read, the audience does too).**


	24. Fear

**And here's another chapter for Holly Rising! This one is actually a new area with a new prompt, but since the prompt gives spoilers for the chapter, I won't be explaining it until later. As usual, I don't own Pokémon, and check the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

* * *

23: Fear

Holly was aware of her dwindling freedom as she stepped out of the Pokémon Center.

Yet she still glared at Kris.

She wouldn't let that big bully have her way!

But it seems Anabel had different ideas as she turned to the older Trainer.

"Where would you like to go next?"

Kris glanced directly in front of them.

"The Nugget Bridge is to the north. Many battles are held there. It will be a good place for Holly to get stronger."

Holly's eyes flashed with rage.

She didn't want to get stronger! She was plenty strong! She wanted to go to the Gym right now!

Yet as Holly struggled against her tether, Anabel's cold eyes met hers.

"Don't even think about it."

Holly glared back, fire once again leaving her eyes.

It was clear her choices had been made for her.

So she said nothing as she was led to the bridge in the north.

Within minutes, she could see the many Trainers there. Most of them were around her age, but they glanced at the three with hungry eyes.

Holly tried not to shiver as she, Anabel, and Kris approached.

The Trainers looked up at the group, but Holly noticed they weren't focusing on her.

Instead, all eyes looked straight to her tether.

A prickle of dread ran down Holly's spine as one Trainer called out. "Are you a dog, and is that your owner?"

Before Holly could respond, another trainer taunted. "Of course she's a dog! Why else would she have a leash?" The other Trainer quickly made dog noises, and drawled. "Here doggie, wanna a meaty treat?"

Before Holly could respond, she heard the high-pitched voice of another Trainer. "No, that's not a dog, that's a Pokémon! What did the woman use to catch it? A Human Ball?"

A final voice rang out like a bell. "She didn't use any ball to catch it, because no one would have a Pokémon that weak!" A chorus of laughter pierced Holly's ears, and she tried her hardest to wipe away the tears stinging her vision.

She would let those bullies win! But still… To be reminded of everything she'd done… And to now have the tether physically showing it to the world…

It was all too much…

It hurt too much…

She saw Anabel had stepped forward, but it didn't seem to intimidate the Trainers any.

Just when the woman was about to say something, a flame flew through the air. It landed at the Trainer's feet, and the scattered in fear.

Even Anabel's eyes widened in shock as Kris stepped up. Both of her feet were firmly on the ground, and her eyes blazed with rage. Her Delphox was now carrying its flaming stick, and it burned just as brightly as its Trainer's eyes. The opposing Trainers backed away in fear, and Kris's scorching gaze swept over them all.

Holly thought she would destroy the entire place just by looking at it.

Kris's voice boomed throughout the area, so that everyone on the bridge could hear. "Taunt her again, and I will burn this entire bridge down."

Holly only had to take one look into Kris's blazing eyes to know that she meant it.

Holly started trembling, but she knew it was not because of those Trainers.

Kris was someone so strong she could command any Pokémon she liked. Who knew what she would do them? Who knew what she would do Holly?

Thinking about herself, Holly realized one thing didn't make sense.

Kris clearly didn't like her, and refused to defend her when she found that she had nearly killed her own Pokémon. Looking back, the older Trainer had no reason to. After all, Holly had attacked her when she was defenseless.

And yet…

Here she was now, about to burn down a bridge to stop a bunch of bullies tormenting Holly.

She knew she was taking a risk. She knew she would be in trouble with the League. Yet, she had attacked anyway.

Holly found her voice, and shakily asked. "Kris, why are you…"

She responded with her firm, commanding voice, and Holly couldn't resist the urge to shiver again. "Taking away your freedom was the punishment. Public humiliation was not."

Holly glanced again into Kris's rage filled eyes, hoping that that was indeed the answer.

But once again, she couldn't detect the older Trainer's pain. It was the same jammed signal, as always.

Yet, though she couldn't detect the source of the older Trainer's fury, it was clear that there was also something else in her eyes. Holly tried to figure it out, but her vision was filled with the terrified trainers.

The Trainers shrunk further and further back against the bridge, until some of them banged into each other. Fear filled their eyes, and she thought she could see at least one vomiting over the side. Even Anabel had backed away, as if she was afraid even to touch the one she had been close to before.

The Trainers were clearly in pain, yet all Holly could focus on was Kris.

It was at that point that Holly realized what was going on.

Holly gulped and trembled.

She hadn't ever seen this emotion before, but she had heard of what it was.

This wasn't rage.

This wasn't sadness.

This wasn't even fear.

This wasn't pain.

No, this was _hate._

Pure, unbridled, hate.

The most powerful emotion that Holly could think of. And the most terrifying.

And what made it even more frightening was that she was standing right in front of it.

But what had happened to Kris that she would automatically hate a bunch of child Trainers just because they bullied someone? What had happened that would make the older Trainer threaten to burn a bridge down, and probably keep her word?

Clearly, this wasn't just about Holly…

But then, who was this about?

Holly forced herself to look as Kris continued speaking.

"Fools, did your parents teach you any decency?"

When no one responded, Kris yelled.

"Answer me!"

Slowly, the children staggered forward.

They still wore looks of fear on their faces, but that look of fear soon diminished.

Holly wondered why, then noticed the children were looking directly at Kris's twisted legs.

"Oh look, the puppy has a pet cripple." The children jeered and howled as another yelled.

"Look, she is so crippled that she has to rely on her Pokémon to walk!"

Holly heard another Trainer cut through the chaos. "Look at all those psychic powers! Who the heck floats with those? No one can be scared of you with how weird you are!"

Yet another Trainer burst through the group. "Why don't you come down and battle us, weird lady? Oh, you probably can't, because you're crippled!"

Kris's hatred remained in her eyes, and if anything it burned even stronger. Holly wondered if she would take the offer. She had to, if hated the bullies that much.

But before the disabled Trainer could speak, Anabel walked up.

Her eyes contained their own icy fury as she yelled. "I am a member of the International Police, and I'll not tolerate this kind of behavior. Let us pass."

A young male, obviously the leader, let out a hyena-like laugh. "Cops don't scare us! They never come here! We're the Nugget Gang! You can't pass through the bridge without paying our toll! And for you, the toll is battle!"

Anabel had a rueful look on her face. "The Nugget Gang… I should've known…"

Holly blinked. How did Anabel know these bullies?

Holly may have been frightened of Anabel before, but she worked up the courage to ask. "The Nugget Gang?"

Anabel nodded.

"They're a gang of teenagers who recently took up residence on Nugget Bridge. They're forcing everyone to pay a toll, and bullying those who don't. The International Police never went after them, because we figured they were rather small time."

A grave tone entered her voice as Anabel stated.

"I see now that assumption was a mistake."

Holly shakily tensed at Anabel's next words.

"Holly, get ready. This is your chance to grow stronger."

Yet Holly couldn't stop shaking.

She wanted to be beat these bullies.

She wanted to prove to them she was not a dog.

She wanted to grow stronger.

But how could she do that when they were right there, mocking her?

How could she do that when she was tethered to Anabel?

Holly suddenly felt a push forward, and Anabel coldly stated.

"If you do not let us pass, then my friend Holly will battle you."

The gesture was meant to be intimidating, but the Trainers still howled with laughter.

The young male who led them took a step forward. "Oh no, we don't fight dogs."

He glanced straight at Kris. "We'll fight _her._ "

Holly's face drained of color, and even Anabel looked shocked.

A simple street gang would fight Kris? Who knew what the disabled Trainer would do to them? With the way she felt, she'd probably kill them all!

Kris's eyes still blazed with hatred, as the young male stepped up even closer. Holly thought she would burn him down, but the older trainer did nothing. Instead, the leader examined her, as though he was looking for something.

Holly blinked.

What could he be looking for? It wasn't like any of them knew Kris…

Suddenly, the Trainer's eyes blazed with rage.

His voice boomed across the bridge, and Holly couldn't help shrinking back.

"I've heard of you! You took down several of our own! You made us suffer, and now you must pay!"

The other trainers adopted similar angry glares, and they pierced Kris like a bunch of daggers.

Yet there was no mistaking Anabel's surprise, and she shouted. "What?"

Holly could feel her own eyes going wide.

How was that possible?

What did those bullies mean?

Animal had said they were a recent gang, so Kris couldn't have had contact with them unless she decided to destroy them before.

Holly supposed that was a possibility.

But things didn't add up.

None of the Trainers knew Kris's name, and they didn't even recognize her until they got close to her. And everything they were aware of was apparently based off of hearsay.

So Kris had probably never passed through here when they were there.

Perhaps she passed through earlier on her journeys?

But that wouldn't make sense either.

The Trainers were all around Holly's age, and that would make them much too young to be traveling at the time Kris started. If any of them were even born yet.

Yet, clearly, they knew her from somewhere.

But how?

And what did Kris have to pay for?

Holly glanced back at the older Trainer again.

Her hatred had diminished, instead replaced by simple rage. Yet Holly detected regret flashing in Kris's eyes.

What did Kris have to be regretful for? And if she was taking down bullies, why was she so regretful?

Yet Holly detected no remorse in the older Trainer's voice as she spoke.

"Very well, I accept your challenge. But I will not battle."

Holly's eyes went wide. What was the point of accepting a challenge if Kris wasn't going to battle?

Anabel's eyes also went wide, and Holly wasn't sure the woman knew what Kris was doing anymore.

But the disabled trainer kept her cool as she continued.

"Street gang or not, you deserve a fair fight. But I can't give that to you. I am far too strong."

Holly blinked. Why would Kris give bullies fair anything? They didn't deserve that!

Holly gritted her teeth.

Maybe it was because Kris was secretly a bully herself.

Holly never believed that more than she did now.

But Kris's next words made her blood run cold.

"This girl, Holly, is closer to your strength. And she could use more. So she will battle in my place."

Holly's eyes were wide, and she felt her throat go dry.

She couldn't battle those bullies! Now when the subject of their taunts was right beside her!

And she certainly couldn't be controlled by another one!

Anabel slowly pushed her forward, seemingly broken out of her daze. Holly could feel the tether lengthening, but she paid it no mind.

"Go, Holly. You have to fight."

Yet laughs erupted from the opposing Trainers, and it filled the entire area.

They stared straight at Kris, mockery evident in their eyes.

"So you're fighting with the dog. You coward!"

They turned to Holly, who suddenly couldn't stop shaking.

One of the girls fixed her cruel eyes on Holly.

"Well, puppy, will you obey your owner?"

Holly's face went pale, and she shut her eyes.

Here she was, the chance to face some bullies.

The chance to take them down.

The chance to keep others safe.

And yet…

She couldn't do it. She wouldn't do it.

Not when she truly was like a dog trailing after its owner…

Not when she had no retorts…

Not one another, bigger bully, controlled every aspect of her journey…

With that in mind, Holly shook her head, again trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. She sniffled, hoping her nose would not run.

Yet the bullies only jeered more.

They all faced Kris, and their leader stated "See, you're so low that even a dog won't fight for you!"

One of the other Trainers chimed in. "Fitting, considering what you did."

The laughter filled the air as they howled, and Holly could not stop her eyes from stinging.

It was true! There were bullies in front of her, and she couldn't stop them!

She truly was a dog!

Holly could hear the words of a female Trainer fly through the air. "So doggy, how does it feel to be chained to your owner, yet be unable to do anything? Pretty terrible, huh?"

Holly couldn't see the bullies anymore as her vision swam.

Instead, hot tears ran down her face.

She had wanted to stand up to those horrible bullies, but not when everything they said was true!

Now, she had nothing to stand up against!

Now, she was completely helpless!

Holly backed up, and would've fallen into Anabel had the woman not caught her.

A sharp gaze entered Anabel's eyes, and it seemed as though she wanted to say something.

However, Kris stepped up instead.

Her Delphox's flame burned brightly, but Pokémon did not move to attack.

Holly couldn't see much at this point, and given Kris's anger, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

Holly was sure her next command would be fire, as Kris ordered her Pokémon to burn the bridge down.

However, Kris's next words had nothing to do with fire.

Instead, they were eerily calm.

"I have no choice."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Not much to say here without spoiling, so have a prompt instead.**

 _Nugget Bridge is to the north of Cerulean and draws in many people. However, a local gang of teenagers have chosen to take it over, calling themselves the Nugget Gang. Now, innocent people cannot pass without paying the toll. The only way to stop the Gang is to defeat them all in battle._

 _It's also worth noting that players can choose to fight however many Trainers and whatever Pokémon they want, but if they want to see the area beyond the Nugget Bridge, they must defeat at least three. However, this area the Nugget Bridge and all areas surrounding it are optional._


	25. Will to Fight

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt this time, though. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and check the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

24: Will to Fight

Holly found herself shaking, and her eyes were wide.

What did Kris mean by "I have no choice?"

Was she going to set the bridge on fire after all?

Was she going to attack with her Pokémon?

Kris's next words made Holly's blood run cold.

"If Holly will not fight… then I shall use her Pokémon."

Holly let out a gasp, and shook so hard she nearly fell over. She couldn't stop her blurry vision as hot tears made their way down her face.

Kris couldn't use her Pokémon! That would be stealing, and make the older Trainer a thief! And a thief would be a criminal!

Holly dried her vision enough to glance at Anabel.

Surely the woman would do something! It was her duty to enforce the law!

Yet the woman simply stared, shock still written on her face. She looked as though she wanted to say something, but there was no response. Holly thought Anabel would make a move, but there was nothing.

Holly blinked, not believing her eyes.

Anabel was a Frontier Brain, one of the strongest Trainers in the world!

Was she truly no match for Kris and her Pokémon?

And if Anabel wasn't, then who was?

Was anyone?

It didn't seem like it.

But then…

If no one was a match for Kris, what was the outcome of the coming battle?

Holly didn't have time to ponder these thoughts very long as Kris's voice tore her from them.

The older Trainer glanced at her Delphox, and her next command made Holly's blood run cold.

"Google, please give me Holly's Poké Balls."

Holly gasped, and a severe expression crossed Anabel's face.

Whether it was because of Kris's order, or because of Holly's refusal, she couldn't tell.

But she did know that Kris's Pokémon couldn't possibly follow such an order!

An honest Trainer did not steal from another!

And the Pokémon must have known what would happen if they stole!

Surely they must realize this was a bad idea!

Holly gave the Pokémon a pleading look, hoping it would reconsider.

But the Delphox's eyes held no sympathy as they filled with psychic power.

Holly could feel her Poké Balls being ripped off her belt, and she let out a scream.

She tried desperately to grab at them with her hands, but she was far too slow.

Now, the Poké Balls flew through the air, making no sound as they latched somewhere onto Kris's clothing. The older Trainer's eyes held no expression, her gaze the same intense one she had used when Holly met her.

Tears overtook Holly's vision now, and she howled so loudly she was sure even those back in the city could hear.

It was one thing not to be able to use her own Pokémon, but to have them stolen in front of her?

And to be able to do nothing about it?

What would she do?

What could she do?

Holly wanted to be able to stop Kris.

Holly wanted to be able to fight.

Holly wanted her Pokémon back, and to be able to flee from the Bridge.

But she couldn't.

Not when Kris was so strong she could take on even Anabel.

Not when she had taken away Holly's Pokémon.

Not when she was tethered to Anabel, and every sense of freedom was lost.

So, all Holly do was cry, tears growing louder and more numerous every minute.

She expected to hear the place filled with the cruel laughter of the Bridge Trainers, or perhaps Anabel would comfort her.

But instead there was only an eerie silence.

Holly saw through her blurred vision that the Bridge trainers stared at Kris. Their eyes were wide in shock, faces pale. Yet Kris swept her intense gaze over all of them, the fiery hatred never leaving her eyes.

Holly wondered why Kris didn't just destroy the Trainers themselves outright.

In fact, she didn't even attack.

Instead, she stood, waiting expectantly.

Holly wondered if there was anything to wait for. After all, couldn't Kris attack while she had the advantage?

Eventually, the other Trainers seemed to have recovered from their shock and stepped forward.

Yet their shock was soon replaced by their mockery, and Holly clapped her hands her ears as the same laughter from before filled the air.

Yet it was almost worthless.

The Bridge trainers pointed at Kris, and, try as she might to block them out, Holly could still hear the other Trainers' cruel taunts.

"So your fighting with the dog's Pokémon. Are you truly a Pokémon Trainer? Or just a pathetic rookie? " A young male drawled, and he did not give Kris time to answer.

Instead, a female voice pierced the air.

"Only five Pokémon? No, the cripple can't be a Pokémon trainer if she has to rely on a dog! And of course she's a rookie! Only a rookie would be that stupid!"

Another young male continued the conversation. "Well, since they're the dog's Pokémon, I say the dog isn't a true Trainer either! Of course, the dog's a rookie! And I forgot, dogs can't even be Trainers!"

He made barking noises at Holly. "Isn't that right, doggy?"

Holly could hardly see the male Trainer as her vision swam in hot tears.

She made no effort to hide what was happening as she sobbed noisily. She could feel her sinuses stuff, and nausea gripped her stomach.

The tears dripped onto the bridge, but Holly paid no attention as she could feel the grit on her face. Snot dripped out of her nose, staining her clothes and face.

Holly knew she was too old for that, but she didn't even try to wipe it away.

The want came again.

The want to prove herself…

The want to make things stop…

Yet she still couldn't…

Not when she was rooted to the spot…

Not when her tears overtook everything…

She heard Anabel walk up, and thought the woman would offer her a handkerchief.

But what she said made Holly's blood run cold.

"You know, Holly does have one more Pokémon."

Even in her sorry state, Holly let out a whimper.

But the woman only look back at Holly, and Holly did not miss the severe and disgusted look on her face.

Holly only shivered, even though it wasn't cold.

Anabel couldn't mean…

She wouldn't…

Yet Holly couldn't finish her panicked thoughts, as she saw Anabel grab something red and white.

With a nod, she tossed it over to Kris.

The older Trainer looked at the woman curiously, before giving a silent command to her Delphox.

Psychic power radiated from it again, as the Pokémon seized the capsule. The capsule was engulfed in the same psychic power, freezing in midair. In another second, it flew over to Kris's belt.

The older Trainer's eyes became sharp again, as she turned back to her opponents.

Yet Holly couldn't resist screaming. Her stomach was doing cartwheels, and she knew what was coming next.

Luckily, Anabel did too. Yet there was still no gentleness.

Anabel tugged on the tether, grabbing Holly's shoulders. Rapidly, the woman guided and dragged Holly over to the edge of the bridge.

Holly stuck her hands out, barely able to see as more tears fell. Yet somehow her hands smacked into the hard railing of the bridge. Anabel's own hand switched to Holly's neck as the woman forced her head down.

Holly opened her mouth, and the contents of her stomach emptied into the water below. Somehow, Holly could hear a muffled splash.

She shook more than a leaf, and would've fallen if Anabel's other hand didn't have a firm grip over her back.

Dark thoughts rattled around in Holly's head.

This couldn't be happening!

Torracat couldn't be in the hands of some rogue Trainer, denying Holly her own Pokémon before her very eyes!

And even when the battle was finished, the others would act like Torracat wasn't hers to begin with! That couldn't be!

And Torracat couldn't follow the commands of some random Trainer! She must have known it wouldn't listen to her!

But Holly was torn from her thoughts as Anabel forced her head back up. The woman thrust a few handkerchiefs into Holly's hands. She gratefully blew her nose and wiped her tears.

Perhaps Anabel was her side after all?

But Anabel quashed that thought with the grave look in her eyes. Holly shivered as her icy gaze pierced straight through her.

She wanted to say something, but found she couldn't dare. Instead, her hand shot out behind her, protectively grabbing the bridge.

Instead, Anabel shook her head, and tugged on the tether. Holly howled as she was dragged back towards the others.

She shook her head.

This was the last thing she wanted to see! Who knew what Kris would do?

But Anabel left her no choice.

The woman stopped near the center of the bridge, close to where the conflict was taking place.

"Watch." She commanded coldly.

Holly shook her head, tears threatening to spill over again.

She couldn't watch this! She just couldn't!

Yet Anabel left with no choice. The woman placed her hands on both sides of Holly's face, forcing her to stare.

Kris was still fixing the Trainers with their intense gaze, until one of them spoke. It was one of the males, and his voice was still in a high-pitched drawl.

"So the dog has six Pokémon! Good for it!"

A female joined in. "But will six Pokémon enough to beat all of us? I don't think so!"

Holly winced as another male Trainer joined the chorus.

"Six Pokémon or not, you still have to pay the toll. In battle. Anyone has to battle regardless of who they are."

Yet Kris seemed unperturbed by their words, and her hateful gaze had been replaced by the intense commanding aura Holly had seen before. "I will, so long as it teaches you a lesson."

Holly cringed and tried to duck away from the laughter of the Trainers, but Anabel held her in place.

"Teach us a lesson? Who's going to get taught a lesson after this? Certainly not us! And not by some cripple!" A male Trainer stepped up, still snickering.

Kris's intense gaze remained as she focused on the Trainers. "Enough talk. Let us begin."

One of the male Trainers stepped up, still snickering. "This should be over quickly!"

Kris remained indifferent as her opponent tossed a Poké Ball into the air. "Go, Caterpie!"

In a flash of light, a bug appeared. This bug looked like a green caterpillar, but it had a yellow underside. It stared at Kris with big black eyes, red antennae twitching.

Yet Holly couldn't focus on the Caterpie. Instead, Kris's next words made her stiffen.

"Let's go, Torracat."

At this, Holly screamed. Anabel let out a hiss, but Holly didn't care. The tears flowed again, freely down Holly's face. This time, Anabel did not wipe them away.

How could Kris do that?

She couldn't use Torracat in front of Holly! She just couldn't!

That would be too cruel!

And yet, she was. The disabled Trainer didn't even look towards Holly at the sound of the scream, nor did she pay any attention to Anabel. Instead, she calmly held a Poké Ball and tossed it in the air.

The catlike Pokémon appeared with a yowl, and its opponent seemed to shrink away. It glanced around wildly, and its eyes widened when it saw Holly.

Holly yelled. "No, Torracat! Don't listen to her! Come back to me!"

Anabel was finally broken from her trance, giving Holly a resounding slap.

"Torracat, do as Kris says. Holly is not your Trainer now."

Holly let out another scream. She was met by another slap, but she didn't care.

No matter what happened, she was Torracat's Trainer! Surely it would realize that and refuse to fight!

Even now, Torracat looked hesitant, glancing back and forth between Kris and Holly. Holly could see confusion written in its eyes, with a tinge of sadness.

Holly resisted the urge to cry out.

Did it know what she had done?

With so many people contacted, Holly didn't think there was a person who didn't.

Anabel made no move, and Kris simply continued to stand calmly. Even the Delphox, so freely throwing fire before, did nothing.

Yet while Kris was calm, her opponent certainly wasn't.

The male Trainer stamped his foot on the ground in annoyance. Exasperation was present in gaze, mixed in the burning of impatient rage. "Fight or surrender!"

Kris met his gaze evenly. "I'll do neither until my Pokémon is ready. There is no reason for sending a Pokémon into battle if it does not wish to fight."

Indeed, Torracat didn't look like it wanted to fight, continuing to glance between Kris and Holly.

Kris's voice took on a commanding tone as she stated. "Torracat, if you do not fight with me now, then you'll be back with Anabel. Who knows when you will be able to battle after that, if at all?"

Torracat lashed its tail, as if it was considering what Kris had said.

But it didn't have to think very long.

Within minutes, it set its paws firmly on the ground. Its eyes glowed as it faced its opponent, and the Caterpie only shrunk back further. Torracat let out another hiss, and Kris approvingly nodded.

Holly blinked and the tears continued coming.

To think that Torracat had ignored her so easily! All for a Trainer didn't know! All for chance to battle!

It could not have forgotten the journey together! It just couldn't of!

And yet, as Holly's first Pokémon stood at Kris's side, Holly wondered if everything had gone up in smoke.

Or fire.

Like the ones Torracat was about to shoot at Kris's command. The disabled Trainer pointed at her opponent.

"Torracat, Ember."

Torracat opened its mouth and tiny red-orange flames shot out of it. They engulfed the Caterpie, and within minutes, it lay defeated.

Torracat let out a victory roar, and Holly thought Kris would praise it.

But instead, the older trainer just responded pensively. "How strange… This Torracat doesn't have the energy… Doesn't that mean…"

Yet the male Trainer interrupted her thoughts.

"No one cares what that means! Switch out your Pokémon, or continue!"

The older Trainer remain undeterred.

"Ah, apologies. Let's continue, Torracat."

Torracat let out another roar, and its opponent threw another Poké Ball.

"Go, Weedle!"

Another bug appeared on the field, and this one was brown. Its strikingly red dots on its body matched its nose. It had a white sharp barb on its head and tail.

It glared threateningly at Torracat, waiving its barb at the fire Pokémon.

Yet Torracat didn't back down, instead sizing up its opponent. Its golden eyes glittered as it waited for the next command.

Luckily, Kris was ready to give it.

"Again, Torracat."

The Pokémon shot out its flames the second time, and Weedle was surrounded by a raging inferno. As soon as the fire cleared, and it also lay defeated.

The male Trainer quickly recalled his Pokémon, but did not retreat from the battle.

And while Holly did not see the desperation burning in his eyes, she could hear it in his voice.

The battle could not go on for much longer.

"Metapod, we can win this!"

With that, the trainer tossed the Poké Ball into the air. A bug materialized, but didn't look much stronger than its brethren. It was a green cocoon, and it moved so little Holly feared it dead. However, there was a sign of life, as its white and black eyes blinked lazily.

But laziness did not stop Kris for making a move.

"Once more, Torracat," Holly thought she almost sounded bored, but she didn't blame her with a battle so simple and easy.

Of course, who knew how many battles Kris had actually fought? Maybe she'd fought hundreds just like this.

Regardless, the familiar flames were summoned, and for a third time, Torracat's opponent hit the ground.

Desperation changed to fear, and the opposing Trainer's voice became high-pitched.

"Kakuna, turn this around!"

A final bug emerged from a thrown Poké Ball. It was yellow, with sharp black eyes pointed at Torracat.

Yet soon those eyes would see nothing.

The last thing Holly registered before the battle ended was Kris's cold, harsh, command. "Finish it, Torracat."

Torracat let out a cry before shooting its flames for one final time. The Kakuna didn't even move, and it quickly crashed to the ground.

Holly felt herself beginning to follow. Her legs grew weak, her tears more numerous, and her cries louder. Snot dribbled out her nose, but she could not grab a handkerchief. Holly's hands flailed as she tried to steady herself, but in the end, it was useless. Holly wanted to stop her fall, but she couldn't see. Instead, her vision only swam with tears as the ground hurtled towards her. Holly could feel Anabel preparing to catch her, but it was too late. Holly could also feel the tug of the tether, but only winced as she hit the ground hard.

Surprisingly, the other Trainers did not laugh, but she suspected the reason why was because there were all afraid of the wrath of Kris. She wondered how long the fear would last, but she knew hers still did.

Yet there was something more terrifying than Kris…

Something that hurt more than her wounds which stung from the fall…

And that was seeing Torracat commanded by another Trainer…

Obeying that other Trainer…

Acting like she didn't exist even though she was right there…

Even though she had started her journey with it…

The sight of that was enough to make Holly scream again. Her screams echoed throughout the entire bridge, but it was not mocking laughter that greeted her.

Instead, she felt more handkerchiefs thrust into her hands. Holly wiped her tears and nose, only to be met by the stern eyes of Anabel.

The woman bore into Holly, throwing her free hand under her chin.

She forced her to look her in the eyes, a severe tone in her voice.

"You want this to stop?"

Weakly, Holly nodded.

She would do anything to make it stop!

The humiliation…

Having her Pokémon used by a stranger…

And most of all, not even owning one of them…

Out of the corner of her eye, Holly could see Kris looking at her curiously.

Was the older Trainer interested in the outcome, or interested in continuing battle?

Holly could see across from her, none of the other Trainers moved. All had shock and fear written on their faces, and none dared take a step.

Yet Kris didn't seem to care about the ones she held hostage, and only watched Holly intently.

Holly was aware of Anabel watching too, almost expectantly.

But no matter her strength, Holly couldn't speak. Instead, she looked Anabel with pleading eyes.

Anabel shook her head.

"You want this to stop? Then, you know what to do, Holly."

Holly shook her head.

She didn't know what to do!

What could she do?

Yet Anabel showed no sympathy, as she continued speaking in her severe tone.

"Holly, if you want this to stop, then you have to fight. So stand up, and get into battle."

Yet Holly shook her head again.

How could she going to battle, when her every move was controlled by someone else?

How could she fight against bullies, when she was controlled by a bully herself?

Anabel continued. "Holly, I understand you don't want Kris to command you. But it's part of the punishment, and only you can stop it. Not me. Not Kris. Only you."

Holly shuddered.

How could she stop what was happening by being someone else's dog?

She kept shaking her head, but Anabel didn't stop.

"Holly, your freedom was what was taken away, and only you can earn it back."

Holly flinched.

Her freedom…

She did want it back…

And the only way to stop all this…

Was to regain her freedom…

And yet…

Could she truly regain her freedom by being under the control of someone else?

Was it worth having everything decided for her, with freedom only being a distant promise?

Her mind flashed back to Anabel, stating that she could have her freedom back if she behaved…

Was being under the control of someone else truly behaving?

Maybe it was or maybe it wasn't.

But if it wasn't, then…

Another memory pierced Holly's brain as she recalled Anabel asking what a true Trainer would do.

Well, what did a true Trainer do?

A true Trainer would fight, regardless of the opponent.

A true Trainer would protect others with the Pokémon, no matter the situation.

A true Trainer would use any Pokémon, no matter who they were.

And behaving meant being a true Trainer.

And that meant…

That being a true Trainer would give Holly her freedom back.

So that meant she would fight. No matter how much it hurt.

Holly shakily tried to stand up, and Anabel helped her to her feet.

The woman's eyes held no emotion as Holly inched closer to the other Trainers. The only movement, other than Holly's own steps, was Anabel extending the tether as she moved further away.

Holly couldn't stop herself from shaking as all eyes were upon her. The Trainers still held their mocking looks, but they didn't dare speak. Kris still had them captive, but the other Trainer now watched with intense interest.

Holly tried not to flinch as she moved close to her, eventually stopping slightly in front of the disabled Trainer.

Now she was across from all of the Bridge Trainers.

Close enough to lock eyes with all of them.

Holly couldn't entrap them in a hateful gaze like Kris had done.

But she could still grab their attention.

Holly took a deep breath, and spoke her fateful decision.

"I will fight."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Holly chooses to fight the Bridge Trainers, and is a bit of Kris in action. However, Kris will not be seen battling much in this story, mainly because the RP focuses on Holly. This is also because, as Kris states, she is too strong to fight the majority of the Trainers Holly is encountering.**

 **-Also, a little bit about the Nugget Bridge. In Kthe games, the player has to fight seven Trainers in a row (although they can heal between battles). Defeating all seven Trainers grants access to the land beyond, and the player earns a Nugget (hence the name Nugget Bridge). There is also someone at the end of the bridge that will ask them if they want to join Team Rocket. The player automatically refuses and battles them. The Nugget Bridge appears in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow as well as their remakes. It also appears in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, as well as the remakes for these games. There is a tribute to it in Sun and Moon, although it is completely optional and more lighthearted.**

 **-For this RP, I will be doing all seven battles. However, this means the battles will be fast, and less descriptive than what I would normally do. It's also worth noting that the Pokémon the Nugget Bridge Trainers use vary depending on what games they are fought in. I will be using the sets from the Red, Blue, and Yellow remakes, Firered and Leafgreen.**


	26. Combat

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! Bit of a warning, this is the longest chapter in the work so far. Mainly, as the title states, because of all the battles. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

25\. Combat

Holly shivered, and was suddenly aware of Kris speaking.

"You'll battle as my representative? Are you certain?"

Holly nodded firmly.

Anything to command her own Pokémon!

Anything to get her freedom back!

Kris responded. "In that case…"

Rapidly, the older Trainer recalled Torracat. Before she finished her sentence, she nodded to her Delphox.

The glow of psychic power once again appeared in the Pokémon's eyes. Holly couldn't resist smiling in relief as her Poké Balls sailed back to her belt.

Yet her face hardened again as she noticed one of them flying back to Anabel.

Torracat.

Holly clenched her fist. She had to get it back!

But, she supposed, this was the start.

By now, Kris had stepped back. And it seemed as though the other Trainers were broken from their spell.

Their mocking laughs now filled the air and the male from before jeered.

"And now the dog wants to fight! Too scared before, doggie?"

Holly resisted the urge to cry again, taking the bravest face she could muster.

She had to take down these bullies, for the people of Cerulean and for herself!

And if only because Kris had ordered her to fight!

Yet the Bridge Trainers still taunted and laughed. Holly tried to stand her ground, but couldn't help feeling a sense of confusion.

Why weren't any of them going into battle? She'd said she'd fight as Kris's representative…

Yet the male from before still wore a sneer on his face. "We don't fight dogs. We fight only real Trainers!"

A female's drawling pierced the air as she stared straight at Kris. "Yeah! Who's scared now, huh?"

The older Trainer retained her intense gaze, not saying a word. However, Holly could see Anabel clenching her fists.

She must've been annoyed at how ridiculous this was getting! They should have been at the Cape long time ago!

But if the Trainers refused to battle, how would they pass? Fighting was the only way through!

Suddenly, Kris stepped up. Holly's eyes went wide and she looked around in confusion. Even Anabel appeared perplexed.

What was Kris going to do? Had changed her mind?

The other trainers stared straight at Kris, suddenly at attention.

But Kris ignored them. Instead, she turned to her Pokémon.

"You know what to do."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Was she going to take the Poké Balls again? After Holly had already promised to fight?

Holly shivered again.

Anything but that!

Psychic power again radiated in the Delphox's eyes.

But not a shred of it was pointed towards Holly's Pokémon.

Instead, Holly felt the psychic power surround her.

Holly let out a yelp as the energy took hold. It felt as though all of it was concentrated at her head. She wanted so desperately to grab it, but the powers prevented her from moving.

She saw Anabel frantically rush toward her, but Kris's Pokémon kept back.

Holly blinked, eyes wide.

What was the point of excluding Anabel? Surely Kris would tell her something?

Holly wished the psychic powers would let her shiver.

What was going on?

All of a sudden, Holly felt the familiar sensation of something coming out of her. A prickle of dread ran down her back.

The sensation now was the same one that Anabel had used with the tether.

And Holly knew Kris had full control over her every action.

So was this another tether?

Was her bid to get her freedom ripped away from her?

Holly didn't know. All she knew was that she wanted it to end.

But it didn't end.

The psychic power held her in place. Holly tried to scream, and found that she couldn't.

Was she going to be trapped by psychic power forever? What was the point of holding her here? Was she going to be restrained like before?

Suddenly, the sensation stopped, and Holly was aware of Kris's voice.

" _Hello. Can you hear me?"_

Holly glanced around. Where had Kris spoken from? It didn't seem like anywhere Holly knew…

Holly finally found Kris still standing across from the mass of stunned onlookers.

But the older Trainer's mouth was firmly closed.

So how had she spoken before?

Holly didn't have time to ponder the thought as Kris spoke again.

" _Testing, testing, 123! Earth to Holly! Hello, are you alive in there?"_

Holly blinked. Kris was speaking in that same strange way she had before. And she clearly wanted Holly to respond.

But Holly wasn't entirely sure how.

Or even if she could.

Could she really use that same strange manner of speaking?

Holly supposed she had no choice.

So she responded without moving her mouth. _"Yes, I can hear you. But how…"_

Her sentence trailed off Kris let out a laugh.

" _You've never communicated telepathically before? I'm surprised. I know both Anabel and Erika have Psychic type Pokémon."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

Her mother did have Psychic Pokémon, but they never communicated with her. And there was that one friend that was a psychic, but she'd never tried either…

And now…

This is what it was like to communicate with one's mind?

Holly expected to be something mystical and magical, but really, it was more like a telephone call where no one spoke.

How strange…

Everyone spoke so highly of it…

And yet…

Holly couldn't help feeling a twinge of anger. This was most certainly an invasion of privacy! Kris could have at least asked…

But then, if she didn't ask…

Maybe they weren't communicating with their minds after all?

Holly figured she might as well pose the question.

" _So are we communicating with our minds?"_

Kris's answer, however, was dripping with sarcasm.

" _No, we're communicating with our mouths that happen to be frozen. Or we are just randomly imagining we're communicating."_

Holly winced at the sharp tone. She could do without it. Perhaps Kris had gotten tired of explaining things.

Kris's exasperated tone continued as she explained further _. "Yes, we are communicating with our minds. That's what telepathy does."_

Holly wondered if anyone could hear them, yet right now everyone seemed to be focused on her and Kris. Holly caught sight of Anabel. The woman still had her fist clenched and her teeth gritted.

Holly wasn't sure what she was angry about, and wondered if she knew what was going on.

She blurted out. _"Can anyone hear us?"_

Kris responded an even tone. _"Only if you want them to, or rather, if I want to. I'm the one in charge of the connection, so I can control who hears you and who doesn't. Right now, no one can hear us, but the psychic powers are still on. So they know we are talking."_

Holly found herself finally clenching her fist.

That's right! Kris still had control over everything!

So she must've done this as a means to control her! And she still had the final say over what Holly did!

But the older trainer didn't have any control over psychic powers…

So how did she…

Kris seemed to sense the question Holly was asking as she responded in an exasperated tone of voice. _"I have a Psychic Pokémon right next to me, Holly. Psychic Pokémon use telepathy. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out I made the connection."_

Holly nodded, wanting to slap her forehead. Of course, service Pokémon could do _that_ for Kris too. As if the disabled Trainer needed another way to get someone's attention.

But then another thought pierced Holly's mind.

"But why did you…"

" _It's part of the punishment, because I control what you do in battle. Shouting at you might be fine for wild Pokémon battles, but it's different for battles with Trainers. Trainers can understand exactly what I tell you, so they might use my words against you before you can even make a move. And that's hardly fair. After all, what's the point of having a battle if your opponent figures out the strategy before you even use it?"_

Holly scowled.

Since when did Kris even care about fairness? If she did, she would not have given Holly commands in battle, or even set up this stupid connection!

But now Kris was laughing again.

" _Come to think of it, I don't even know if shouting commands at you with safe with wild Pokémon. Given my "talent", who knows what they might be hearing?"_

She stopped laughing and continued. _"From now on, I will be communicating with you like this whenever you go into a battle. The connection will last until your punishment is over. So you'd best get used to it."_

Holly's eyes burned with rage as she protested. _"But…!"_

First her physical freedom…

That her freedom of choice…

And now her mind? Her freedom to think thoughts?

But Kris pretended not to hear.

" _Oh, looks like you have some battles to finish. Better get back into them! See you soon!"_

In an action so fast Holly let out a yelp, the sensation of the mental tether vanished from her head. Holly felt she could move her own limbs again, but she could also still feel the psychic energy surrounding her.

Holly groaned. Kris clearly wasn't done.

Holly quickly glanced back at Anabel, and the woman still wore a severe expression on her face. Whether it was because of Kris's method of communication, or Holly's response to it, Holly couldn't tell.

But what she could decipher was that Kris was speaking to the Bridge Trainers.

"No, I still won't fight. But I have established a psychic link with the one who will represent me. With that, she will follow my every order. Is this acceptable?"

The male Trainer looked deep in thought. Holly wondered if he would reconsider.

But he continued.

"Well, I guess if you're telling her everything, then it is the same as having you battle... Besides, if you both fight, then we can take you both down!"

The laughter of the Trainers filled the air again as one of the females stated. "Oh look, poor little doggie has to do everything its owner says! Little doggie want a treat?"

Another male Trainer jeered. "Of course, the cripple can't fight, so she has to send her dog to go play fetch!"

The Trainers continued to laugh, and Holly couldn't resist cringing.

Could she really do this?

Suddenly, Kris stepped up.

"Let's just get this over with."

One of the female Trainers continued laughing she faced Holly.

"This will be nice and quick." She held a Poké Ball in her hand, tossing it into the air.

"Go, Pidgey!"

A small bird erupted onto the battlefield, letting out a piercing squawk. It had brown feathers, although the ones under it were tan. It had black eyes, with pink talons. The talons matched its pink beak.

Before Holly could make a move, she heard a Kris's voice in her head.

" _Holly, use Pikachu. One Thundershock should be enough to take it out."_

Holly nodded, Pikachu's Poké Ball in her hand.

But before she could even start to fight, Kris suddenly adopted a look of surprise. Her eyes were wide and she began to speak. "That… Pidgey. It has that energy… That means it's weaker…"

Holly blinked in surprise.

How could an energy make Pokémon weak?

Yet she didn't have much time to ponder, as the female Trainer stamped her foot.

"How dare you call my Pidgey weak? Send out one of your Pokémon, now!"

Holly held the Poké Ball in her hand. "Go, Pikachu!"

Her Pokémon appeared, immediately going into its combat stance.

Before the opponent could retaliate, Holly shouted. "Thundershock!"

Pikachu let loose a yellow bolts of lightning. The lightning arced upward, heading straight towards the Pidgey. Holly's opponent eyes went wide, her face pale.

"Pidgey, fly away!" She screamed.

But it was far too late.

Before the bird Pokémon could even spread its wings, Pikachu's Thundershock collided with it. The bird was briefly illuminated in a yellow light as the lightning bolt kept it suspended in the air.

After a while, the lightning bolt stopped, and the Pidgey tumbled to the ground.

It showed no signs of getting up.

The female Trainer hissed as she recalled her Pokémon. A furious look appeared on her face as she shouted. "Let's see how you handle this one!"

With that, she tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

The Pokémon emerging from it had a blue body with red eyes. A green weed sprouted from the top of its head.

Holly blinked.

Oddish. She had seen plenty in her mother's gym, and they were quite powerful.

Holly wondered how this one would fair.

Yet Kris seemed to have no issues as she commanded confidently. _"Use Growlithe this time."_

Holly not tried to wince as she held up Growlithe's Ultra Ball.

Torracat was so close, and now there was the reminder that it was far away again!

But she had no choice as she threw Growlithe's Ball into the air.

"Go, Growlithe!"

The fiery dog appeared on the battlefield, letting out a ferocious bark.

Yet the female Trainer only snickered.

"The dog has a matching Pokémon! Of course!"

Holly clenched her fist. She would show them!

Or Kris would.

The older Trainer's voice calmly registered in Holly's head. _"Just use Ember until you win. It's Grass type, so it should be easy."_

"Growlithe, Ember!" Holly commanded.

The dog Pokémon let out a howl and small flames burst out of its path. They crackled and popped as they enveloped the Oddish. The poor creature screamed, but there was nothing he could do.

When the flames cleared, it lay crumpled in a heap.

The female Trainer cursed under her breath, eyes burning as she recalled her Pokémon.

"Take this!" She screamed.

At her command, a final Pokémon appeared.

It had a brown root with green leaves on the sides. Beady black eyes poked out from a yellow head. There was a pink round mouth, and looked it willing to suck in anything.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

A Bellsprout. Another strong Pokémon seen in her mother's gym.

But if it was anything like its comrade, then it wouldn't last long.

Kris seemed to agree. _"Same song and dance."_

Holly noted that the older Trainer sounded almost bored. Perhaps she'd seen many matches like this.

Regardless, Holly had to continue.

"Growlithe, Ember!"

Again the flames came, surrounding the Grass type opponent in a raging inferno. The opposing Pokémon didn't even let out a cough as the flames licked hungrily at it.

Yet when they cleared, it had collapsed.

The female Trainer recalled her Pokémon and hissed at Kris, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Yet Kris met her with the same intense gaze, and the female Trainer shrunk back.

"Next." She called, not even bothering to hide her boredom.

Another male Trainer stepped out from the crowd. His eyes blazed, and he cried. "You won't beat me as easily as you beat them!"

A smirk crossed Kris's face. "Bring it."

The young male Trainer flung a Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Sandshrew!"

Holly could see a tan mole appear, matching the ones from Mount Moon. The mole had a white underbelly and vibrant blue eyes.

Holly knew from Mount Moon that Sandshrew were fearsome battlers.

Yet Kris was prepared.

Almost immediately after the Pokémon appeared, Holly heard the older Trainer's instructions.

" _Use Poliwag."_

Holly nodded.

"Go, Poliwag."

The tadpole Pokémon appeared, letting out a high-pitched cry. The Sandshrew glared back, but Poliwag didn't even concede an inch of ground.

And apparently, Kris didn't either.

"Water Gun should take it out."

Holly nodded again.

Fire blazed in her eyes as she shouted. "Poliwag, Water Gun!"

Poliwag took a deep breath, and a jet of water burst from its mouth. The water blasted the Sandshrew, drenching it. The Pokémon screamed, but Poliwag did not let up. The chilly water only seemed to grow more forceful over time.

Until at last, Poliwag stopped, and its opponent toppled to the ground.

The male Trainer cringed, stomping his foot before recalling his Pokémon.

"You really are tough! But can you take this?"

The boy threw another Poké Ball in the air.

"Go, Ekans!"

A purple snake appeared on the battlefield. At first it was coiled, but briefly uncurled itself to hiss at Holly. Bright yellow eyes gleamed as they matched a yellow stripe on its neck. It had a rattle that was also yellow and it waved back and forth menacingly.

Yet Holly was not perturbed. She had seen Ekans in many battles, and they almost always lost.

This one would too. She was sure of it.

Without wasting a second, Kris gave her next order, and Holly couldn't help smiling.

" _Switch out Mawile for Growlithe. Mawile resists almost all of its attacks, so Ekans can barely do any damage to it."_

Holly rapidly recalled Growlithe, then tossed Mawile onto the field. Though there was nothing to bite, the Pokémon's jaws chomped the air up and down hungrily.

Though the battle had barely begun, Kris wasted no time barking her next order. _"Iron Tail is strong enough to defeat it. Use that to take out the opponent. Mawile is strong, so you shouldn't have to worry about any attacks thrown at you."_

A sharpness entered Holly's eyes as she noted Kris's command.

Yet her opponent did strike first.

"Ekans, Wrap attack!"

The purple snake uncoiled itself, its rattle quivering. Letting out another furious cry, it launched itself at Mawile.

This time, Holly couldn't stop herself from giggling a bit. The opponent had just walked right into her trap!

Yet she was aware of the other trainer glaring at her. "What's so funny?"

Holly wanted to respond, but Kris said everything she thought of as the older Trainer echoed in her head.

" _Your big mistake."_

Holly grinned as she shouted. "Mawile, Iron Tail!"

Mawile's entire body glowed a shimmering silver as it prepared to attack. Ekans's eyes widened in surprise as Mawile threw its head back and slammed into the snake Pokémon. The Ekans was sent flying backward as it crashed onto the ground.

After a few minutes, it did not get up again.

The male Trainer stepped back, pale face and shocked eyes speaking for him.

A female Trainer stepped up, making no attempt to hide her rage as her eyes blazed.

Holly wasn't sure whether she was speaking to her or to Kris as she shouted. "You won't get away with this!"

Holly moved to recall Mawile, but caught sight of Kris shaking her head.

" _Keep Mawile in. It's a good lead."_

Holly nodded, eyes alert as she turned to face her opponent.

Deafeningly, her opponent yelled. "Go, Nidoran!"

Holly was almost torn away from the battle as Kris only nodded. _"A very good lead."_

Holly could only assume she was talking about Mawile, but was drawn back to the battle.

In a flash of light, the opponent's Pokémon appeared.

It was similar to what Nidorina had been, but different at the same time. It had the same red eyes, but its entire body was purple instead of blue. The inside of its ears were green instead of light blue, but they were still quite large. Its poisonous horn was larger and longer, but Holly knew that didn't necessarily mean more deadly.

Holly snapped to attention at Kris's next command. _"Just use Iron Tail again. Nidoran can't do much."_

Holly nodded, but it was her opponent that commenced the attack. "Nidoran, Double Kick!"

Holly was almost immediately overtaken by one of Kris's dry comments.

" _Another colossal mistake."_

The Nidoran leapt forward, legs splayed out in front of it.

But before it could get close to hitting Mawile, Holly made her move.

"Mawile, Iron Tail!"

Mawile glowed with the shining silver, and the Nidoran's eyes went wide. In an instant, Mawile reared its head back and slammed into the Nidoran. The opposing Pokémon crashed to the ground, hitting it with a sickening thud.

Holly knew there was no way it was getting up.

The other Trainer did too, and quickly recalled her Pokémon.

She faced Holly, a glare in her eyes.

"You may have gotten past one Nidoran, but let's see how you handle his girlfriend!"

She tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

Holly couldn't resist grinning. The Pokémon that appeared was a carbon copy of what Nidorina had been. And she knew how to handle that!

Apparently, Kris did too.

" _Just use Iron Tail again. The females aren't much different from the males."_

Holly nodded, and once again, her opponent attacked first.

"Nidoran, Double Kick!"

Holly heard Kris sighing in her head.

" _Right down to the same mistake."_

Holly grinned again.

"Mawile, Iron Tail!"

Mawile glowed with the shimmering silver, and once again, the Nidoran's eyes went wide. Again, Mawile slammed into the Nidoran, and the Pokémon let out a scream of pain.

It flew backward, crashing on the ground in a heap.

That was not even a twitch of movement, and Holly knew she had won.

A smug smile spread over her face.

She was so close to beating those bullies!

Yet they still had some fight left in them as the female Trainer faced her, eyes burning.

"Don't get cocky! There's still one of us left, and he is the strongest!"

"Bring it on!" Holly kept her smug smile. Whatever these Trainers had, it couldn't beat her!

A final male Trainer stepped up, determination making his eyes hard as rock.

"I'm the last, and I'll take you both out!"

Kris stepped forward, stating. "I'd like to see you try."

The Trainer screamed. "You'll regret those words!"

He threw his Poké Ball so hard Holly thought he would actually hit her. But the ball opened before that could happen.

A Pokémon resembling a monkey appeared, fury written its red eyes. Its cream-colored fur was ruffled by angry shaking. The Pokémon's brown legs stamped and jumped around, matching arms constantly clenched. A brown tail never stopped twitching, as though the Pokémon was about to lash out right then and there.

Mankey. Famed for their fury. Even more so for their strength.

Perhaps this Trainer was correct when he said he was the strongest.

But that would not stop Holly from taking him down.

Confidence shown in Kris's eyes as she gave her next order.

" _Keep Mawile out again. You don't have a direct counter to fighting type Pokémon, so Mawile is your best bet. It is neutral to those attacks, though, so be prepared to take a little damage. If you use Iron Tail, you should be fine."_

" _All right."_ Holly responded.

She smiled again. This would be so easy!

But her opponent was determined not to let that happen.

"Mankey, Low Kick!"

The Mankey's narrowed and focused on Mawile. Quick as lightning, it leapt and charged at Mawile. Before they Steel type Pokémon could react, its opponent thrust out its leg. Mawile tried to block with its huge jaws, but it was clear Mankey was aiming for the yellow dress underneath.

And that had been left undefended.

Mawile screamed as its legs were swept out from under it. It crashed onto the ground with a loud thud.

Luckily, the Pokémon slowly and shakily got back up. However, pain shone in its eyes, and Holly could see its jaws were dented.

Kris's voice pierced through Holly's head as she analyzed the situation.

" _Low Kick does more damage to heavier Pokémon, and Mawile is heavy. But you should do enough damage back with Iron Tail to be able to win."_

Holly's eyes blazed as Mawile glittered with its familiar steel. But Mankey stepped out of the way, only being hit by the edge of the deadly attack. It winced as bruises appeared, and it was clear that thought the attack had done damage, it had not succeeded in knocking it down.

Holly resisted the urge to curse.

Mankey was nimble, and Mawile was hindered by injuries.

This would not be an easy fight after all.

But Kris remain undeterred.

" _You should still be able to finish it off. Just take or dodge another hit and attack normally."_

Holly couldn't help but be briefly astonished by the older Trainer's confidence.

Then again, she wondered that as many battles bored her, how many of them had been nail-biters.

Perhaps nothing fazed Kris by now.

Regardless, Holly had to continue.

Holly's opponent pointed at Mawile. "Low Kick again."

The Mankey howled and launched at Mawile.

But this time, Holly was ready.

"Mawile, sidestep it! Then, retaliate with Iron Tail!"

Mawile clumsily dodged the side, and Mankey's attack hit only thin air. The opponent's Pokémon's eyes went wide as Mawile turned its signature silver.

Before Mankey could strike back, Mawile swung its jaw. There was no way the opponent could dodge the attack as it hit Mankey square in the head. Before Mawile could even lift up its jaw, Mankey had collapsed beneath it.

Rage blazed in the male Trainer's eyes as he stepped back and glared at Holly. The other Trainers all waited in line, no one having any energy left to fight.

Holly smiled as laughter and jeers no longer filled the air.

She had won, even with Kris's orders!

She had beaten a bunch of bullies!

Now she could finally pass through the Bridge, and all the Cerulean would be safe!

Anabel walked up, and this time, most of the bullies shrunk back.

Yet she had neither an authoritative nor happy gaze. Instead, her expression was unreadable.

Holly wondered why, but then thought that maybe bringing criminals wasn't something Anabel particularly enjoyed.

Especially when the criminals were children.

The woman hadn't seemed to like disciplining Holly, after all.

Yet before Anabel could do anything, another Trainer stepped forth. He still appeared to be around Holly's age, but a little bit older than the others. He seemed to have a little bit of black under his clothing, but for what, Holly could not say.

Holly shuddered. Would this Trainer hold them back?

The male from before had mentioned he was the last one… Was that wrong?

Anabel looked like she was about to say something, but she never got the chance.

Instead, Kris was in front of them. She moved faster than any normal Trainer could go, let alone a disabled one. Holly wondered if she had teleported, and no one noticed it.

Yet, Holly noticed Kris had the scorching hatred from the beginning of the bridge in burning her eyes. Her Delphox, so impassive before, now had its flame burning brightly as it stared down the newcomer.

Holly gulped and shuddered.

What did this mean? What was Kris going to do?

The other Trainer also trembled, fear overflowing in his eyes as he stepped back.

His voice came out quietly. "You…"

Kris nodded, responding both dryly and coldly. "Yes, me. I'm flattered you know about me."

Her hate filled eyes focused on the other Trainer, and what she said next made Holly's blood run cold.

"You're affiliated with Team Rocket, aren't you?"

Holly's eyes went wide, and she stifled a gasp. She realized Anabel had the same look of surprise.

Team Rocket? But didn't they get thrashed by some assailant years ago? Holly supposed that the attacker must not have taken out everyone…

But still…

What were they doing here?

And how did Kris know them so well that the mere sight of her was enough to terrify them?

Regardless, the man was shakily nodding. A question was written in his eyes, but it didn't seem like one Kris was willing to answer.

"Never mind who I am. I cannot let a lawbreaker like you run free."

The criminal stared at Holly, and she tensed.

Would Kris summon her to fight again?

But Kris shook her head.

"Stand down, Holly. I will fight this battle myself."

Holly could feel her eyes going wide, and realized Anabel had done the same.

Kris had promised all of the Bridge Trainers a fair fight! What was she doing now?

Had she gone back on her word?

Yeah Kris now held a Poké Ball in her hand. She tossed it, calmly stating. "Go, Mallory."

The Pokémon the appeared was the most bizarre and terrifying thing Holly had ever seen. She resisted the urge to scream, yet forced herself to look.

It looked like a Pikachu, but it was anything but. Instead of the yellow furry body, it had a tan rag. It had looked like black eyes on the rag, but Holly couldn't be sure. Its tail was not yellow, but brown. The rest of its face looked like Pikachu, but as if a child had made a badly crafted drawing. It had some sort of look on its face, but Holly couldn't tell if it was a smile, a frown, or a smirk.

Holly blinked, her face going pale.

What was this strange Pokémon? She'd never seen anything like it before… She wasn't sure she wanted to again…

Holly glanced at Anabel, who had the same shocked face.

Without Holly asking, the woman answered her question.

Yet it came out a hoarse whisper. "A Mimikyu… But those are so rare… And the only live in a place where hardly anyone sees them… How did she even get her hands on one?"

Holly didn't know, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. After all, Kris seemed like she could get her hands on any Pokémon she wanted.

But now Kris was turning to the Team Rocket member, who was still trembling under her wrathful gaze.

"Send out your Pokémon, now."

The Team Rocket member could barely hold his Poké Ball straight. He threw it and stuttered "Go, Ekans!"

The purple snake appeared and hissed at Kris's Mimikyu, yet the other Pokémon wasn't even fazed.

Before her opponent could move, Kris coldly commanded. "Mallory, Shadow Claw."

Despite lacking seemingly lacking hands, Mallory glowed a purplish black light. A sinister claw of the same color as light shot out from Mallory. The Ekans screamed as the claw raked down its skin.

Mallory recalled her claw as she made the hit, but Holly couldn't stop shaking.

She may not know much about the move Shadow Claw, but she was pretty sure the claw wasn't supposed to be gleaming red. Holly noticed the scratches on the Ekans were also gleaming red, and they were deep.

Holly shuddered.

She had a feeling she knew what this meant, but she didn't want to assume.

And yet her fears were true.

The Ekans dropped to the ground, red liquid oozing from it.

Holly resisted the urge to vomit, and Anabel turned her away just in time.

Holly's eyes went wide in horror.

No honest Trainer drew blood in battle! And Kris had admitted to being an honest Trainer!

Yet here the disabled Trainer was, making an opponent bleed without a care in the world!

Holly continued shaking.

What was the disabled Trainer doing?

How many more would she hurt?

Did she know the risks of what she had just done?

Did she even care?

Holly remembered what Anabel had said.

When they first met, Kris had thought Holly a criminal. Yet she had showed her mercy.

Holly shuddered again.

Was this what happened to criminals Kris didn't show mercy to?

Would it eventually happen to Holly?

Holly shuddered. She didn't want to think about it.

Yet suddenly, she felt Anabel turn her back around.

The woman kept an unreadable expression as she pointed.

Kris was now standing across from the terrified Rocket Grunt, her Mimikyu still holding the bloodied claw.

In her icy tone she continued. "Send out your next Pokémon, unless the battle is over."

The Rocket Grunt look like he was going to fall over, but he held up another Poké Ball.

He stuttered, "Zubat, go!"

The blue bat appeared, not even flinching at the Mimikyu and the glistening claw. Instead it screeched, but it was as if the Mimikyu didn't hear.

Again, Kris gave an icy command. "Mallory, Shadow Claw again."

Again, Mallory's claws dug into the opponent's flesh, and the opponent screamed. Holly could see the horrible red scratches, and the blood dripping from the wounds. And like before, the opponent helplessly felt the ground.

The Rocket Grunt recalled his Pokémon, face pale and shaking.

Kris's hatred still burned as she stated coldly.

"Well, any more?"

The Rocket Grunt backed away, fear present in his eyes. He did not answer the disabled Trainer, only staring straight at her.

Holly thought he would stay frozen, but somehow, he made his move.

The Rocket Grunt broke into a sprint, hoping to get away from the disabled Trainer and her terrifying Pokémon.

Yet Kris was ready, as though she had been anticipating this moment.

Her fire never left her eyes as she commanded. "Mallory, Shadow Claw!"

Holly's eyes went wide.

There were no more Pokémon to fight, so what could Kris be attacking?

Bile rose up in Holly's throat as she got her answer.

The bloody claw came down again.

But this time, it wasn't on a Pokémon.

Holly let out a scream as Kris's Mimikyu slashed at the fleeing man. He let out his own deafening cry as the claws pierced his back. They tore off his clothes, leaving the gleaming red scratch marks on his exposed skin. Even a distance, Holly could still see the dripping blood.

Holly's face continued to grow pale, and she couldn't resist screaming again.

Would Kris kill someone this day?

In front of Anabel?

In front of Holly?

In front of a bunch of other children?

Yet if Kris was fighting to kill before, it didn't seem to be her intention now.

Instead, she recalled her Pokémon, keeping her furious gaze as the man fled to the south.

She shook her head and growled. "Fool. He should know better than to turn his back on a sworn enemy… Even if he runs, he has nowhere to go. The Cape doesn't lead anywhere unless one can cross the water. And the way south leads to the city. He'll just get caught there."

At this point, Holly could hear Anabel stepping up, a severe expression on her face. "If he's just going to get caught, then why did you injure him?"

Kris pretended not to hear the woman, instead facing the other Trainers. Some held expressions of fear, faces pale and desperation burning in their eyes. Some backed away, but Kris continued to lock eyes with them.

Surprisingly, other Trainers held defiance, and some of their eyes were full of anger. Holly supposed that they were enraged that their leader was lost, or maybe they were just trying to be brave.

Whatever the case, Kris's hateful gaze remained, and she spoke in her cold voice.

"Still resisting? Very well."

She nodded to her Mimikyu, who had thankfully put away her bloody claw.

She turned to face the trainers, fixing them with a look on her face. Holly couldn't tell there was a smile or a smirk, or something in between.

Holly shivered.

Whatever it was, the expression couldn't have been good.

But that wasn't just Kris's face to focus on.

Because there was also what came out of the Mimikyu's mouth.

The Pokémon took a deep breath, and let out something that resembled a mixture of a high-pitched cackle and the screech. If Holly listened closely, she thought she could hear the words "See me?"

Yet she couldn't hear much, because she had clapped her hands over her ears. The children on the Bridge had begun to scream, their cries mingling with Holly's own.

She'd never heard such a horrible noise! She would do anything to have it stop! Yet the Mimikyu seemed to continue laughing, and the children seemed to continue their collective howls.

Faintly, Holly could hear Anabel hissing. Whether it was because of all the screams, or because of the noise, Holly couldn't be sure.

But what she did know was that Kris wasn't finished.

She continued fixing the trainers with her hateful gaze, even as their screams resonated through the area. After a minute, she nodded with to her Delphox.

"Do it again."

The Delphox's stick glowed in a massive flame, to the point where it seemed it could light up the whole bridge. There was one deadly flash before the Pokémon sent smaller flames flying at the Trainers.

The Trainers ran around hysterically, still screaming as they tried to dodge the flames.

But Kris's eyes showed no sympathy, and she left them with a chilling message.

"Leave, and never come back."

It didn't take the children long to follow the order, as they bolted in different directions. Holly wasn't sure where they were headed, but she hoped it was to safety.

She couldn't take anymore, as her eyes quickly swam. She collapsed in a heap of sobs and screams. Hot tears ran down her face, and her nose began to run. Holly could hear Anabel cursing and tugging on the tether, but she paid it no attention.

No matter what she did, she couldn't stop crying.

Fears sent chills down her spine… She had never seen anything so terrifying…

What was the point of traveling with someone so horrible? Who knew what Kris would do?

Could she even go on?

What was even going on?

Did Holly have any control anymore?

And then there was Kris herself.

She had commanded her Pokémon to attack people, fight until there was blood, and even threatened to burn a bridge down. All without any emotion or hesitation.

And any Pokémon was swayed by her.

 _Every_ Pokémon was swayed by her.

And she had no problems commanding them all.

Chills ran down Holly's spine.

Kris treated her Pokémon almost like a means to an end.

Like a toy.

And she had no problem acting ruthless, to the point where she endangered others.

And she didn't even seem to care that she had scarred people and Pokémon.

Even though both were living beings.

Even though Trainers were expected to treat all Pokémon with respect.

Holly couldn't help crying and screaming more as she realize the implication.

Kris was willing to do anything with her Pokémon as long as she got her way.

Even if it meant going against the very fundamentals of being a Trainer.

What was Holly supposed to do with someone like that?

What could _anyone_ do?

Holly was snapped from her thoughts as a handkerchief was shoved into her hands again.

She saw Anabel, pointing to the front. Kris appeared to finally be done, and was walking over towards them.

Yet there was something else in Anabel's eyes.

Something Holly hadn't seen before.

Fear.

Holly shook. Anabel was never afraid of anything!

Yet…

Could Anabel truly be afraid of Kris?

After fighting so long to get her back?

How did it feel, to finally have what seemed like an old friend back, only to be afraid of her?

Holly didn't get a chance to answer the question, as Anabel tugged on the tether again.

However, Holly shook her head.

There was no way she could get up…

Not after what she'd seen…

So, Anabel wordlessly released her Espeon, and whispered a command.

Holly felt the psychic powers surrounding her, as she was lifted into the air.

She was aware that Kris had finally reached them, and was watching intently.

The older Trainer had recalled her Pokémon, and now stated. "Let us go."

Suddenly, Anabel looked up at her. However, there was fear in her eyes, and she fought to keep her voice from trembling. "What did you do that for? There was no need to frighten those children like that!"

Now, Kris's hate filled eyes focused on Anabel, and the woman shrunk back.

"They weren't children. They were criminals. I did what had to be done."

Anabel made no attempt to stop herself from shouting. "But what you did wasn't right! It was unnecessary!"

Kris's hate filled eyes focused even more on Anabel, and she chillingly stated.

"If that's what you believe, that I'm surprised you made it so long in the International Police Force."

Anabel clenched her fist. "Young lady, what's that supposed to mean?"

Kris shut her eyes, refusing to reply.

Anabel clenched her fists again. "The Kris I knew wasn't like that! She was never this aggressive!"

Kris replied with an icy tone, and Holly flinched. "But you also never knew her. Perhaps what you're seeing now is the real her."

Anabel shook her head. "I can't accept that! I won't accept that!"

Holly couldn't miss the desperation creeping into Anabel's voice. Did she regret her decision to let Kris come along?

But now the disabled Trainer was simply walking away, and Holly had no choice but to follow.

But following did not prevent dark thoughts from consuming Holly.

What had made Kris like this?

What had made her treat a street gang of children like hardened criminals?

What made her have so much pain that no one could see it?

What made her treat Pokémon like toys, or means to an end?

What made a Trainer so hateful even Anabel was afraid?

And most importantly, why were they traveling with someone so dangerous?

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **-Say hello to Kris's darker side. It will be making some appearances in the RP, although once again, it won't overshadow Holly. Mallory is one of the Pokémon she uses to battle, but it is currently unknown how much she and Kris's other battling Pokémon will be seen in the story.**

 **-Mimikyu being rare comes from the games. In Sun and Moon, they only appear at an abandoned supermarket in a remote corner of the region. Even then, it has a very small chance of appearing there. And the market itself is so short that most players probably won't see a wild one.**

 **-As for Mimikyu itself, the idea of being terrified comes from its lore. It's a lonely Pokémon that wants to emulate Pikachu and be popular, but it is ever successful. It's never explained why it's so lonely, but this stated in the lore that someone who saw what was beneath its rag died of fright. So I thought of the idea of them being lonely because people found them to terrifying would be logical.**

 **-The behavior on the bridge comes from something in the games. In the games, one is required to run to the back of the abandoned supermarket and take a picture of Mimikyu. When the player does this, a Mimikyu whirls around, yelling "see me?"The player is immediately thrown into battle after this. It's not known how the player feels, but considering this is probably one of the creepiest scenes in the entire series, I have to imagine they were terrified.**


	27. Strength

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so a new prompt! However, since this prompt contains spoilers for the chapter, it will be listed in the author's notes. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and check those for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

26\. Strength

Despite the interference of the Nugget Gang, Holly could tell the Cerulean Cape was full of people. Lovey-dovey couples stood on the bridges, and Holly made a face. Luckily, the group went past them. There were tourists splashing around the gentle waves, and the water roared in Holly's ears. The beaches had grains upon grains of sand, and Holly could see that some of it being blown in the wind.

The tranquility made this a perfect place to relax.

But Holly could not relax.

Holly could not focus on the wind in her hair or the waves in her ears as she was carried across the Cape.

Holly shifted her gaze to the only thing she could focus on.

Kris.

The older Trainer's hatred seemed to have left her eyes, and she now walked resolutely across the Cape.

Holly thought it reminded her of stories her mother would read to her.

Stories about evil witches who cast spells on people, and then, someone would remove the spell.

It could be a handsome prince, or fairy godmother, or even a courageous Pokémon.

But eventually someone would lift the spell, and the person would return to normal.

Holly knew there wasn't any magic here, but she had to wonder if she was wrong.

Kris appeared almost a completely different person as her Delphox helped her trot across the Cape.

Kris's hatred seemed to have calmed, and she now became clearly focused on the path in front of them.

Anabel had a pensive look on her face, as if she was thinking of asking Kris more questions. Eventually, she shook her head.

Holly couldn't blame the woman.

Kris was an aggressive, powerful, and ruthless Trainer. She seemed to be willing to do almost anything for her goals.

Yet Anabel instead treated _Holly_ like a criminal.

Why were things this way when Kris was easily just as dangerous?

She had even admitted it to Anabel.

But perhaps…

Anabel was so desperate to get her old friend back that she would take her regardless of how she acted.

Maybe she was blind to her Kris's faults, favoring the fantasized image of her old friend.

And then there was that the idea Kris herself had put out.

Anabel didn't know her as well, so she may not been aware Kris was capable of the behavior she displayed on the bridge.

Regardless of the reason, Holly shivered.

She didn't need her powers of pain perception to sense the discomfort surrounding them all.

And it was all because of Kris.

Holly was torn from her dark thoughts, as the older Trainer stopped dead.

She halted so quickly that Anabel almost ran into her.

Anabel opened her mouth to say something, yet Kris's narrowed eyes focused straight ahead.

Holly scowled.

What was so important that Kris would stop right in the middle of the Cape, especially when it had the disabled Trainer's idea to go there in the first place?

Yet Holly soon received her answer.

"The energy… There is a Pokémon here… Probably a strong one…"

Anabel nodded.

"And I assume you want Holly to go catch it?"

Kris nodded. "Yes."

Holly clenched her fists. She didn't want to catch some stupid Pokémon! She wanted to go to the Gym!

Yet as Anabel's Espeon lowered her down, Holly winced as she felt a sharp tug on the tether.

Such was her grim reminder.

If she didn't obey, she would never be free.

So Holly simply stared into the distance, trying to find what Kris had sensed.

But no matter how hard she looked, there were no Pokémon around. They were even near the grass where the wild ones were, and still, nothing.

Holly growled.

What was the point of stopping?

Just as she was about to voice her objections, a black shape bounded towards her.

Kris's eyes assumed their commanding tone as she stated. "The energy… That was where was from… I'm certain of it…"

Almost immediately afterward, Holly heard Kris's voice in her head.

" _There it is. Go, Holly."_

Yet Holly looked near the black shape and groaned.

She could see it easier now, and it didn't mean anything good.

The black shape belonged to a doglike creature. It had grey fur, but the fur on its face and legs was black. The inside of its ears was also black, and it had a red nose. Red pupils were part of yellow eyes as it glared straight Holly.

A Poochyena.

A weak Pokémon, one that anyone could catch.

Surely Kris understood that.

And yet she wanted it anyway.

Holly stamped her foot, but Kris didn't seem to take notice of the complaints.

Instead, the disabled trainer spoke in Holly's head.

" _Use Mawile for this. Poochyena shouldn't be able to do much damage."_

Holly growled.

How dare this Trainer order her to catch some worthless Pokémon!

Nevertheless, she threw the Poké Ball.

"Go, Mawile!"

Her Steel type Pokémon glared at its opponent, and the Poochyena glared back without conceding inch of ground.

Kris's voice pierced Holly's head again.

" _Use Bite. Poochyena can't take many hits."_

Holly nodded. "Mawile, Bite!"

Mawile opened its jaws wide, yet Poochyena was ready. Faster than Mawile could react, it charged forward. Before Holly could do anything, the Poochyena opened its own jaws.

Holly's eyes went wide as they burned with fire. Mawile screamed as Poochyena bit down hard. Mawile was panting and still standing, but bruises covered its body and pain was in its eyes.

But Poochyena wasn't finished. As soon as its fangs burned, they crackled with electricity. Mawile screamed as its opponent bit down again. Holly could see the bruises getting bigger, and wondered how much more Mawile could take.

Holly thought it would never stop, and a chill ran down her spine as the dog's Pokémon fangs now turned to ice.

A final bite, and the ice slowly began to encase Mawile. Carefully it traveled, first from the jaws, then to the rest of the body, and finally to the feet.

After a few moments, Mawile could no longer move as its body was encased in blue, glistening, ice.

Though the Pokémon could no longer move, there was no mistaking the fear in its eyes.

It was enough for Holly to let out a scream herself.

She could feel every bite mark as though it pierced her own skin. Electricity coursed through her body even though she'd not been hit. Fire burned, even though there was nothing there. And she could feel the ice slipping along Mawile's body.

Right down to the point where it paralyzed everything, leaving Mawile trapped in a cold prison.

And only its own fear for company.

Holly's face went pale. She couldn't stand seeing her Pokémon in that much pain!

And Poochyena seemed to be readying another attack, the same with the fiery fangs.

Holly stood shaking. This would destroy Mawile for sure!

Suddenly, Kris's voice pierced through her head.

" _Holly, recall Mawile!"_

Holly didn't need to be told twice as she whipped out her Poké Ball and to recall her injured Pokémon.

Yet there was a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

If Poochyena took down Mawile, what Pokémon could she use next? She guessed it was all up to Kris, and looked to the older Trainer for guidance.

Yet the other Trainer seemed deep in thought. When she finally spoke, there was a hint of surprise to her voice.

"The elemental fangs? Could this Poochyena be from… Yes, that would explain why the energy is so strong…"

Holly glanced at the Poochyena. It had stopped its assault, thankfully, but it was still ready for battle. Something resembling impatience had entered its eyes, and it was now pawing the ground. Holly noted the sharpness of its eyes and posture, and it looked as though it could attack at any moment.

She scowled at Kris.

"Hurry up!"

Holly could see Anabel shooting her glare, but Kris ignored the insult.

" _Apologies. Holly, use Nidorina. It should take neutral damage from all of the fangs, and weaken Poochyena enough without knocking it out."_

Holly flung Nidorina's Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Nidorina!"

The rabbit like Pokémon appeared, ears twitching. Its red eyes glared as it faced its opponent, and the Poochyena evenly met its gaze.

"Use Poison Sting. One time should be enough." Kris instructed.

Holly pointed to her opponent. "Nidorina, Poison Sting!"

The Poochyena charged, but Nidorina was ready.

She opened her mouth and hissed. Stingers sprayed from her mouth, and the Poochyena howled as it was caught in the spray. When it got to its feet, Holly noticed it looked like it was about to throw up right then and there.

Kris's sharp command pierced through her thoughts.

" _It's been poisoned! Now's your chance! Capture it!"_

Holly quickly tossed a Poké Ball, and it hit the ailing Poochyena square in the head. The Pokémon was quickly sucked into the ball. The capsule barely give a shake, before it signaled that the Pokémon was caught.

Holly picked up the ball, but felt no joy.

Instead, rage blazed in her eyes, and a scowl formed on her face.

Kris's next command made her blood run cold. _"Deposit Growlithe."_

Holly stiffened.

She couldn't lose her fire! It was what defined her!

As if sensing Holly's distress, Kris replied.

"You can have it back later. I see no sense in taking a Fire type into a battle against a Water type Gym."

Holly tossed Growlithe's Poké Ball to Anabel, fixing Kris with a death glare.

Anabel put her hands on her hips, a stern gaze entering into her eyes.

"Holly, what's got into you?"

Holly shot back. "You should know!"

Before Anabel could respond, Holly screamed.

"I don't want to discard my Fire type for such a weak Pokémon, yet here I am, forced to! And that useless Pokémon probably won't do me any good!"

.

Anabel looked like she was about to slap Holly, but Kris's eyes suddenly blazed with rage.

"Don't ever say that to me again. Calling a Pokémon useless, just because it's weaker than others."

Holly glared straight back. Kris wouldn't order her around, no matter how hateful she was!

But the older Trainer's eyes continued to blaze as she spoke. "I used to use a Mightyena, the evolution of the Pokémon you just caught. She could go toe to toe with some of the strongest trainers in the world, and was one of the best Pokémon I ever had."

Holly clenched her fist. How dare Kris turn things into a comparison game?

And she was in no mood for a lecture!

Holly screeched. "I suppose you're going to tell me that all Pokémon are strong, and that I shouldn't discard those that aren't my favorites!"

A look of pain entered the older trainer's eyes, and she stated. "If I said either of those things, I'd be a hypocrite."

Holly smirked, thinking she had the older Trainer on the ropes. But the older Trainer fixed her with an intense gaze, and continued speaking.

"Each Pokémon has a role, no matter how small. And it's up to the Trainer to help them find it."

Holly clenched her fist again.

What did Kris know about Pokémon roles? The only role she gave her Pokémon was to win any cost!

Holly wanted to come up with a sharp retort, but the older trainer was already walking away. Anabel put a hand on her shoulder, curiosity in her eyes. "That Mightyena… What happened to it?"

At this, Kris flinched, and her eyes looked noticeably pained.

Holly thought she could hear her whispering a name. "Cheyenne."

But the older Trainer said nothing more as she continued down the Cape.

Under Anabel's cold gaze, Holly was quick to follow.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _Okay, prompt time!_

 _The Cape is a rough mountain range with some water. Going further east reveals wind and grass. There is a mansion called the Sea Cottage in the corner of the Cape. This mansion is home to the famous Pokémon collector, Bill. There is also a Pokémon Center, along with some spots for tourists and restaurants. Couples also like to spend time here, and many go on dates. Finally, there is a lighthouse that is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in all of the region. Most traveling Trainers choose to skip most of the Cape, however, because it's out of the way of the Gym challenge._

 _Pokémon that can be called here are Gloom, Weepinbell, Abra, Venonat, Flabebe, Poochyena, Staryu, Rufflet, Slakoth, Poliwag, and Krabby._

 **As for the rest of the chapter…**

 **-There are three attacks in Pokémon, Fire Fang, Ice Fang, and Thunder Fang. They all have similar power, accuracy, and each deal a status effect related to the element. As such, they are known as the elemental fangs. Quite a few Pokémon to learn at least one, but some Pokémon are lucky enough to learn all three. Poochyena is in the latter category, but it has to be bred and have the moves passed down from another Pokémon. The fact that this one knows all three elemental fangs is a reference to that.**

 **-The other reference is to an event in the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire games. Near the beginning of these games, there would be a wild Poochyena, and the player could catch it by sneaking in the grass before it sees them. If the player failed, this Pokémon would be gone, and they would have to try their luck with another. The catch is that this Poochyena would always know one of the elemental fangs.**

 **-Kris's experience with Mightyena has to do with how was treated in the games it was introduced (Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald). Although Mightyena itself is weaker, it was the first early Dark type in the series. It was also notable for being for the good against many of the Trainers in the games it was introduced, simply because of that typing. This persisted even into the later parts of the game, and the remakes made this even more noticeable. In my own playthroughs, it was not uncommon to see me take a Mightyena to or near the end of the game, simply because of its typing.**


	28. The Collector

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt here, but still things happening! As always, check the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

27\. The Collector

Kris headed towards the most northern part of the Cape, mind seemingly on a single track.

Holly was able to walk this time, but resisted the urge to scowl, lest she earn another slap from Anabel.

Where were they even going? It wasn't like the Cape led anywhere… And Holly had a Gym Battle to fight!

But just as she was about to voice a protest, Anabel quickly asked.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Kris, why do you want to head to the north? There's not much there…"

Kris responded rapidly. "I want to visit Bill and his grandfather. They are old friends of mine, and I haven't seen either of them in a while."

Holly blinked. How could a random Trainer know the famous Pokémon collector?

And Anabel knew her too (or at least, she thought she did).

How many other famous people did Kris know? And how?

It seemed like she wasn't the only one confused, as Anabel began to speak.

"My Kris… She did not know Bill at all… But she knew me…" The woman let out a dark laugh as she stated.

"I guess you could call it a trade-off."

Holly groaned.

What Anabel ever stop comparing the two?

Yet the woman was quick to notice the flash of pain in Kris's eyes.

Anabel's own eyes went wide as she stated.

"Ah, I'm sorry…"

Kris shook her head. "No, that's fine. I'm sorry I can't bring her back. And I'm sorry that the only thing we share now is painful memories."

Anabel looked like she wanted to say more, but Kris was moving on.

Before Holly could dwell on the exchange, she was forced to follow.

The group kept a steady pace, and Holly could eventually see a huge mansion looming in the distance. Next to the mansion was a lighthouse, but since it was day, Holly could see it was not lit.

Holly couldn't help staring in confusion. Who would own such a big building if there were only two people? Holly supposed that there were scores of servants, but wouldn't a smaller house be easier to maintain?

Perhaps this Bill person was a bit greedy…

Yet Kris seemed to know where she was as she stopped in front of the mansion.

"This is it. The Sea Cottage."

Holly scoffed.

"It hardly looks like a cottage!" She ignored the sharp tug on her tether and a glare from Anabel as Kris spoke.

"Apparently, it used to be a small place. But I wasn't around then."

She nodded.

"Let's go in."

With that, the disabled Trainer walked up to the door. She rapidly rang the doorbell, and an elderly voice shouted "Come in!"

Kris looked like she was about to open the heavy door, but Anabel stepped up.

"Here, let me help you with that."

With that, the woman easily opened the door, and they all stepped inside.

Immediately, Holly was alerted to the joyful voice of an elderly man.

"Kristine, it's good to see you! Have you been well?"

A warm smile crossed Kris's face. "I have. And I made some friends, too."

Holly shuddered and backed away.

She didn't want to be met by a crazy old man who might notice her tether! And since when was she Kris's (or was it Kristine, now) friend? The disabled Trainer was just annoying!

Holly heard the man's voice, full of mirth again.

"Oh, then I'd like to meet them!"

Holly tried not to scowl as she heard a cane moving across the floor. She didn't want to meet anyone!

Yet, the elderly man appeared. He had a gray beard, and a grandfatherly visage to him. Holly thought she could see several stones sparkling behind him.

She wondered what they were for.

Holly thought maybe the man would see her tether and ask about it. But he didn't seem to pay it the mind.

Perhaps he just didn't care, or maybe he'd seen something like it before.

Or, maybe he already knew what happened. Anabel _had_ notified a lot of people.

Yet the man wasn't focusing on Holly, instead fixing them all with a kind smile.

Anabel returned it with her own warm smile, and responded.

"Hello, pleased to meet you. I'm Anabel." She nodded to Holly.

"This is Holly. She's on a Pokémon journey with us."

When Holly did not respond, Anabel nudged her.

"Holly, be polite!"

"Hello." Holly responded without emotion.

She resisted the urge to sigh.

Couldn't she just be back at Cerulean?

Yet if the man noticed her impoliteness, he gave no indication.

"A shy one, I see! That's all right! My grandson Bill started out as shy too! And now he's known all over the world!"

There was a glitter of laughter in Kris's eyes, and Holly suspected she couldn't ever imagine Bill as being shy. The disabled Trainer happily stated. "Speaking of which, where is Bill?"

His grandfather replied. "Oh he's with Lanette, further inside. The children are here too. They'll be pleased to see you!"

Kris nodded and continued smiling. "I'm sure."

Holly was led further inside the mansion, and it seemed to stretch on forever. Holly wondered how Kris could walk the entire thing, but she _did_ have Pokémon helping her.

She was led to a large room, and in the very back she could hear the hum of machines. Holly was about to protest what they were doing here, but noticed Kris's eyes became hard as she lingered on one of them.

If Holly squinted, she could make out the words "Cell Separation System."

Holly cocked her head. Why would this machine be important? From what her mother told her, it was only part of a failed experiment…

Could it be something more?

Yet Holly didn't have time to linger, as Kris's eyes restlessly searched.

"He's not here right now, surprisingly. He must be in the commons area."

With that, she made a sharp turn right, and the group followed.

As the group went at it through the hallway, Holly heard the sound of scampering feet.

Before she could register where the sound was coming from, two young children appeared. They ran up, giggling with glee. Their eyes shone when they saw Kris, and they rushed towards the disabled Trainer. They tackled her at a forceful hug, and the disabled Trainer almost fell over.

Luckily, Anabel extended a hand to steady her. There was a mixture of sternness present in her eyes, but it softened as soon as she saw the overjoyed children. Their laughter echoed across the room, and they almost screamed with cheer.

The first to speak was a girl, and she glanced straight up at Kris.

"Yay, Kristy's here! Yay, Kristy's here! And she's got lots of other people too!"

A little boy bounced up and down, also looking straight at Kris.

"Mommy and daddy will be so happy! Kristy has not come in ages!"

Suddenly, a woman's voice pierced Holly's ears. It sounded something like a laugh.

"I was wondering what all the commotion was, but it should have recognized it!"

The children screamed and Holly resist the urge to cover her ears. "Mommy, mommy, Kristy's here! Kristy's here!"

Holly winced at the noise. How could Kris handle that? She wanted nothing more than to kick those children!

In any thoughts of kicked them are stopped by the sound of a male voice. It sounded like a half laugh, half scold. "Lindsay, Bailey, get off of Kristine. You know she doesn't like to be startled."

"Sorry, daddy!" The children still had smiles on their faces as they stepped away.

Holly met them with a scowl, but they didn't seem to notice.

If these children wanted to play, she had nothing to give!

She looked at Anabel, hoping the woman would share her sentiments.

Yet Anabel seemed lost in a look of longing, and her eyes seem to be focused on something far away. Holly noticed Kris was staring at Anabel too, but she shook her head and quickly continued looking forward.

Holly growled. Of course, Anabel would not share her sentiments. Anabel liked children, despite that making little sense.

But why was Kris giving that so much attention? It's not like she knew Anabel…

Perhaps the older Trainer was just curious. It would be reasonable to learn more about traveling companions, after all.

Yet Holly was torn from her thoughts as she heard the male voice again. "Why don't you two go play in the other rooms so that Kristine's friends can come in and talk? I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to visit her later."

The children had sorrowful eyes that reminded Holly of puppies, as the girl whimpered.

"You'll promise to come and visit us more won't you?"

The boy continued. "Promise? Pinky swear?"

Holly stifled a groan.

Pinky swears? Who did that?

Yet Kris was nodding, huge grin never leaving her face.

"I promise. I always keep my word." The older trainer held up her hand.

The grins returned to the children's faces, and they seemed to be satisfied. They scampered away into another room, and the group continued forward.

Kris led them into another room, one that was probably the most spacious yet.

Holly couldn't help letting her jaw hang open.

There were Pokémon everywhere. As many species as Holly could think of. Rare Pokémon… Common Pokémon… They were all in this one place. Holly didn't see any legendary Pokémon, but she didn't doubt that there were some hidden away somewhere.

Holly thought the Pokémon might be the servants, but she didn't see any of the strange vests Kris's Pokémon wore. In fact, she didn't see anything worn that was out of the ordinary.

Holly's eyes went wide.

Why would all these different species of Pokémon be just... Walking around here?

She had heard Bill was some crazy collector… But this… This was beyond words!

Holly was suddenly alerted to several tiny cries of Pokémon. She noticed there was some sort of nursery, but she didn't get to see what type of Pokémon was inside.

Instead, she was alerted to the voice of a woman.

"Kristine, I've see you been well! If I'd known you were coming, I would've prepared the house!"

A grin never left Kris's face, as she stated. "No it's all right, Lanette. The house is as splendid as ever!"

Holly following Anabel as she quietly stepped up.

Lanette eyed them instantly, but the warmth never left her eyes. "Hello there, I'm Lanette!"

Anabel returned the smile and stated. "Hello, I'm Anabel, and this is Holly. We are all traveling together."

Holly simply shrugged her shoulders. She still didn't want to be in this place, even with its impressive Pokémon.

But Lanette didn't seem to care. Holly had heard that she had developed a storage system in a faraway place, but she couldn't have been as famous as Bill. Or Holly would've known her.

At least she could memorize what she looked like now.

The woman's long red hair was neatly put into braids. She had light green clothing, along with dark green underneath. Wisdom showed in her amber eyes, and Holly guessed she was around the same age as Anabel.

Lanette continued speaking. "I'm surprised you found me in this area… I'm usually so quiet…"

Kris playfully responded. "Well, you weren't in the research area. So I figured you had to be here."

"Lanette's eyes suddenly became slightly flustered. Oh, I forgot I needed to do some research! I'm sorry to be rude, but I need to step away…"

Kris laughed. "You never change, Lanette, but I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Anabel simply waved her hand. "It's all right. I know how important research is to you scientists."

Lanette let a small laugh, giving Kris one final look. "We can catch up later, Kristine."

Almost as soon as Lanette left, Holly heard the male voice again.

"Kristine, it's been far too long! You've been missed!" Kris's grin was the widest yet.

"And you."

Another figure stepped out in the open, and Holly could finally see who the male voice belonged to.

The man also looked to be around Anabel's age. His friendly brown eyes matched his brown hair. He wore formal clothing, and Holly could see a blue shirt with green pants and shoes.

Bill glanced over at Holly and Anabel. "I heard from my wife who you are, so you don't need to introduce yourselves."

He let out a laugh. "And you probably know me as the Pokémon maniac, Bill."

Anabel responded by laughing in kind, but Holly couldn't share the humor.

Pokémon were great and all, but she only wanted to battle!

But Bill was once again focusing on Kris.

Holly groaned. It was clear she would be here for a while.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? Do you have some more rare stones for my grandfather?"

Kris shook her head.

"I was just in the area, and decided I'd stop by."

Bill warmly replied. "As good a reason as any! How's Tulip, by the way?"

Holly looked around wildly. She didn't see any tulips here! She glanced Anabel, yet the woman had the same look of bewilderment.

"Oh, Tulip. She's a friend of mine. She accompanies me on my journeys. She's doing fine, by the way."

Holly blinked again. If she accompanied Kris on all her journeys, then why hadn't Holly seen this Tulip?

Maybe Tulip was one of those bizarre service Pokémon. That would make sense… Perhaps Holly would see her later…

Bill was talking to Kris again. "Do you still have your good luck charm?"

Kris nodded fondly. "Oh yes! It's gotten worn over the years, but I'd never go without it."

Bill's eyes suddenly adopted a playful twinkle, and that same aura entered his smile. "Have you contacted President Lusamine in a while? She's probably worried sick!"

Holly did not miss Kris's face blushing bright red.

Her voice filled with shame as she shouted. "No, I haven't contacted my mom yet!"

Bill and Anabel burst into laughter, but Holly just stared confused.

What was so funny about someone not contacting their mom? She couldn't remember the last time she contacted hers!

In between laughter, Bill managed to state.

"That sounds like Lusamine, all right. Always wanting to protect everyone."

Anabel stifled her laughter to explain. "Lusamine, president of the Aether foundation in Alola. She's known for being very influential businesswoman, but also very motherly."

Holly cocked her head. Kris's mother was that famous? Then, why didn't she know where her daughter was?

Kris quickly gave the answer. "She's not really my mom, and both my parents are still alive. But she may as well be my mom. She doesn't of worrying for the job."

Anabel and Bill laughed again, and after a while, Bill continued. "You know she means well. You're just like a daughter to her, even if you are a lot older than her actual children. You should at least write to her. I can deliver a letter if you'd like."

Kris shook her head. "No, we are heading back to Cerulean. I can contact her there."

Holly let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Finally, the group could leave.

But it seemed Anabel had one last question. "Why do you use the name Kristine, instead of Kris?"

Kris coolly replied. "Most people mispronounce my full name, so I usually go by Kris. However, I always use my full name with my family, because I have a cousin that goes by Kris. And although Bill isn't my family, they may as well be."

Kris gave another warm smile, and Holly cocked her head.

Why would someone give to people the same name? It was just so odd… Family gatherings must've been awkward…

Yet the joyful conversation was interrupted by the cries of Pokémon. The cries may have been tiny, but Bill's widened eyes indicated that there may as well have been screams.

"Oh, they're awake. Now they will all want to play and be fed… And just when I'd cleaned the nursery up…"

"Who's they?" Anabel asked.

Kris's eyes brightened. "The Eevee!"

Those smile widened as he stated. "Yes, the Eevee. Eevee is my favorite Pokémon, so I breed them as a hobby. These little ones are just a few weeks old."

Holly widened her eyes. She had always wanted an Eevee! Not only were they cute, but they were also rare! And they could evolve into eight types of Pokémon, more than any other!

And one of those was a Grass type, and the other a Fire!

Holly's eyes shone. Was Bill really going to give her an Eevee?

Bill shook his head, and his eyes hardened.

Holly was aware of the mood becoming somber, and shrank back.

The coldness in Bill's voice rivaled Anabel's. "Don't think you're getting one. Not after what you've done."

Holly stiffened and her eyes went wide.

How did Bill know…?

Bill continued. "I'm one of the authorities on Pokémon. Of course I would know what happened to them. And I assume you use the storage system? I developed it. Every action you take on it goes straight to me. So I know everything you did, Holly."

Holly felt her face grow pale and was aware that all eyes were on her. Bill's next words made her blood run cold. "If it were up to me, you wouldn't have any Pokémon ever again, Holly."

Holy shut her eyes and clenched her fist.

Would her misdeeds never leave her?

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So here is the introduction to Bill. He probably won't be seen any more in this story, but he plays a major role in Kris's. I chose to make him have a wife and kids as a creative liberty, although his grandfather is a canon character. Lanette was chosen as his wife because I thought she was the only female scientist close to his age. His children aren't described much here, but will be described more in Kris's story.**

 **-Also, the comment about rare stones for Bill's grandfather has to do with an optional quest the player can do. If the player brings Bill's grandfather certain Pokémon, he will gift them with evolution stones. It's never said where he obtained the stones, so I just like to think he collects them and likes to help out young Trainers.**

 **-Lanette being quite engrossed in her research has to do with an optional event in the games she's introduced. If the player takes the time to visit her in her house, she will mention that she didn't expect them to find her, and the house is full of clutter due to research. She gives them of a Pokémon doll in exchange for keeping her house a secret.**

 **-Those who played Sun and Moon might notice the description for Lusamine is a bit different than in that game. In that game, Lusamine pretends to be motherly, but is not. However, in this story, her bond with Kris and love for her children is genuine. The reason for this is, in the games, there's an event that effectively makes Lusamine go mad with grief and warps her personality. As a result, she puts on a good public front, but is actually harsh with everyone.**

 **-In this story, that event never happens, so, she remains benevolent. However, the player never meets her before the event that warps her personality. So a lot of this is based on dialogue from other characters and taking what traits she has, and making them positive. According to the games, she was a strict but kind mother before her personality was warped. So it's easy to imagine her being worried about her children, adopted or not.**

 **-Bill's passion for Eevee comes from the games. In the first set of Pokémon games, one could view pictures of Eevee and its known evolutions by looking at his computer in his house. In the second set of games, Bill gives the player an Eevee. Visiting fellow researcher Bebe has her tell the player that Bill has raised many Eevee over the years.**


	29. Torn

**So I'm back with another chapter of Holly Rising! There is a prompt, but it will be detailed at the end of the chapter. As always, check the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

28\. Torn

Holly thought they would never leave the mansion. At first, she thought they would leave for Cerulean after that exchange.

But no.

Kris _had_ to continue playing with the children and tell them everything about absolutely nothing.

And then she _had_ to greet almost every Pokémon, and share with them heartfelt hellos and goodbyes.

Holly felt like stamping her feet again. This was such a waste of time!

But Anabel didn't say anything, instead letting Kris had her way.

And so Holly wore a scowl, silently watching as time continued to be wasted.

But the dark thoughts that plagued Holly did not stop even when the group finally left Bill's.

No, they just turned into something else.

She clenched her fist.

No one would ever let her forget what she did!

Because of her past, Bill wouldn't give her an Eevee! And he seemed to hate her too…

But then there was Kris! Everyone seemed to treat her like a special little snowflake! And it just wasn't fair!

How come she never got into any trouble? She had done all the things Holly had, and probably more, if what she admitted to Anabel was true.

And yet all Anabel did was yell at her! What made Anabel able to control everything? What made Anabel trust her so much?

Kris was so perfect! And why?

Moreover, why wasn't Holly?

Holly was so consumed by her dark thoughts that she barely noticed when the group reached the Cerulean Gym.

It wasn't until Anabel pointed at the area that Holly finally looked up.

"There it is, the Cerulean Gym." Anabel turned to Kris.

"Kris, would you like to go in?"

Kris nodded. "Yes, there's not a lot more to do in the city, and we cannot progress until we have the Badge."

Holly noticed the older Trainer was eyeing the Gym almost with a look of nostalgia.

Holly cocked her head.

What was the disabled Trainer remembering?

Did she know the Gym Leader?

Holly supposed she would find out.

The gaping doors swung open, and Kris led them inside.

Holly glanced around, thinking that the Gym didn't really look like one. Instead, it looked like a dance studio, with water decorations hanging everywhere.

Holly cringed. Who would put such dorky decorations in the Gym? Didn't the Gym Leaders take proper care of the places where the battlers were?

Yeah Kris continued leading them to another room. Holly thought she could hear the distant sound of flowing water.

Yet before the sound became louder, the group was stopped by the voice of a woman.

"Oh Kristine, it's been a while! Are you looking for my sister? You seem to be headed to the back…"

The woman appeared, but she didn't seem to be dressed up for battle. She looked more like someone one would see at a dance party.

Holly blinked.

Was this woman the Gym Leader?

And if so, why was Kris looking for her sister?

Yet Kris only nodded.

"I am. There's a challenger here, and she's eager to get her Gym Badge."

Kris gestured over to Holly, and immediately the woman's gaze darkened.

Holy tried not to clench her fist at what the woman said next.

"Oh, _that_ girl. We've heard about her. Quite frankly, I'm not sure my sister will let her in…"

Kris curtly nodded. "We have to try."

The woman only continued. "Well, I wish you luck, and if nothing else, Misty will be happy to see you again."

Kris gave another curt nod before the group walked towards the room with the flowing water.

The roar of the water became deafening as the doors opened wide.

Holly's eyes widened see shimmering blue and pure white platforms. She thought she could see something splashing, but that wasn't where her attention was.

Instead, it was directed to another Trainer,

This Trainer was young, but also older than Holly. She had strikingly red hair and green eyes. Her clothing was different shades of blue, and Holly thought she could see a bit of a bathing suit peeking out from underneath it. Nevertheless, the other Trainer seemed comfortable.

She strode up to them confidently, eyes shining.

Holly stiffened as she addressed Kris instead. "Hello Kristine, long time no see! Have you come to watch the next performance? My sisters are really excited for this one!"

Instead, Kris shook her head.

"I come bearing a challenger."

She stepped back, nodding to Holly.

Holly felt Anabel lengthen her tether, and she stepped up confidently.

"I'm Holly of Celadon, and I'm here for a Gym challenge."

As Holly stepped up, she couldn't help smiling.

Finally, she would get her Gym battle she had been wanting!

But Misty looked at her with her hard eyes.

Holly shivered.

What could Misty want?

The next words made Holly's blood run cold.

"No, no, you're not."

Holy blinked her eyes. Rapidly, she shouted. "What?"

Even Kris seem surprised. "Misty, you're always raring for a battle. What's got into you?"

Misty's icy gaze could rival Anabel's, and Holly felt both sets of eyes on her.

Holly then faced Kris. "Nothing's gotten into me, Kristine. I'm just doing my duty as the protector of the city."

Holly blinked as she faced Misty again. What did she mean?

Misty's voice held no kindness as she continued.

"I know who you are, and what you've done. You've deliberately hurt people and Pokémon, and you've yet to express an ounce of regret. I can't have someone like that in my Gym. Not when I have my own people and Pokémon to protect."

Holly felt her face go pale, and thought she would be sick on the floor.

This couldn't be happening!

It was all a horrible dream, and she would just wake up!

Yet Misty quashed those thoughts with her next words as she looked up at the bewildered Kris.

"I need someone I can trust. And that person is you, Kristine."

Holly resisted the urge to scream as Misty gave her chilling verdict. "Holly of Celadon, because of the Gym Leader's watch list, I am banning you from challenging my Gym. You are clearly a threat to people and Pokémon. Therefore, I do not feel comfortable giving you a Badge. This ban can only be circumvented if Kristine battles in your place, with your Pokémon."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 _First, the prompt!_

 _The Gym Leader of Cerulean is Misty, red-haired user of Water Type Pokémon. There's a lot of water in her Gym, and Pokémon often use it to battle. Those who can't battle in water can instead fight on raised platforms._

 **-And the Gym Leader's ban is put into effect. Originally, I was going to have this done later, but I figured it would be more fitting to do it now, closer to when the punishment was stated.**


	30. Devastation

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt this time, but have some battles instead! As always, check the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts of the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

29\. Devastation

Holly blinked, her eyes still wide.

After all that time waiting for Gym match, she could not lose the opportunity now!

Yet there it was, pulled out from her in front of her.

And she couldn't do a thing about it.

Holly opened her mouth to say something, but it was Kris who spoke.

The older Trainer shook her head. "I can't do this, Misty. This is Holly's badge, not mine."

Holly noted that the disabled Trainer didn't even step forward, as if she was cementing the fact that she didn't even want to battle.

Holly cocked her head.

Whose side was Kris on? She had been all for the punishment, but now she was refusing to enforce it.

Holly's mind suddenly whisked her back to the time when the punishment was enacted. Back then, Kris's eyes had been full of sorrow…

Was she _truly_ for the punishment, or had Anabel forced her into it?

Holy glanced up to see Misty shaking her head.

"Either you battle, Kristine, or no battle at all."

Misty's eyes bore into Holly, and she couldn't help shrinking back.

The light of reluctance shown in Kris's eyes, and she still didn't take a step forward.

Holly cocked her head.

Would Kris still refuse to battle?

What would happen to Holly's journey then?

Would she even get another chance?

After what seemed like forever, Kris finally stepped forward.

"In that case, Misty…"

She nodded to her Delphox and the Pokémon glowed with psychic power.

Holy resisted the urge to scream as her Poké Balls once again went flying off her belt.

Rapidly, they flew over to Kris's, attaching themselves to hers.

Holly could hear Anabel digging around, and the woman held up a Poké Ball.

Holy resisted the shrink back in fear.

Would Torracat be taken from her again?

But Kris noticed the Poké Ball, and shook her head.

"It's not worth it." She mouthed.

Holly breathed a sigh of relief as Anabel put Torracat's Poké Ball away.

She didn't need any more torture!

Now Kris was stepping towards Misty. Her intense gaze focused on the redhead, until she stood across from her. Now, she turned her gaze to the rest of the gym, shimmering water and white platforms directly in front of her.

Kris took a deep breath and stated. "… I accept your challenge."

Misty nodded, holding out a Poké Ball. "And I yours."

With that, she tossed her capsule into the air.

"Go, Starmie!"

In a flash of light, a purple star appeared. It splashed into the water, facing Kris. The star had a red, shining, gem on its core. It also had some sort of yellow design on it, and it reminded Holly of a wheel of a ship.

Kris simply nodded, holding up her own Poké Ball.

"Go, Pikachu!"

Pikachu appeared in flash of light, immediately going down on all fours into its combat stance.

Holly felt a prickle of dread at how easily Pikachu acknowledged Kris in battle.

Would it ever acknowledge her again?

Would any of them?

Yet Holly was ripped away from her thoughts as she focused on the battle.

Kris took up her familiar commanding voice.

"Pikachu, Thundershock."

A yellow lightning bolt flew from Pikachu, sailing straight towards the Starmie.

Holy grinned.

Water stood no chance against electricity! Starmie would be taken down for sure!

Yet Starmie flew out of the water like a bird, dodging the attack easily.

Holly's eyes widened, and Kris grimaced.

But the disabled Trainer had no chance of retaliating as Misty made her move.

"Starmie, Water Pulse!"

A huge ball of water appeared at the center of Starmie's body. Rapidly, the water was lowered into the pool and sent straight at Pikachu. Holly could see the ball left giant waves in its wake, and they were zooming straight towards Pikachu.

She wanted to scream, but it was no use.

Instead, Pikachu was the one who screamed as the ball slammed straight into it. The ball was immediately followed by the dreaded waves. The waves were so forceful that Pikachu looked like it was going to be bowled right off of the platform it was standing on.

Miraculously, it stayed. But every part of its fur was drenched, and the Pokémon was collapsed in a heap.

Starmie gracefully returned to the water, and Kris recalled Holly's Pokémon without emotion.

Without wasting a second, she threw another Poké Ball.

"Go, Poochyena!"

The little dog Pokémon appeared, letting on a howl.

Holly nodded. The Pokémon might've been weak, but it had an attack to take down Starmie.

Or at least she thought it did.

Before the Pokémon could take one step, Misty shouted.

"Water Pulse again!"

The ball came for a second time, bringing with it the wicked waves.

Poochyena's confident howls turned into howls of pain.

Holly gasped as Poochyena splashed into the water. Luckily, Kris recalled the Pokémon, but Holly knew what that meant.

There was no coming back from that.

Starmie stoically splashed back into the water, and Misty looked at Kris expectantly.

"Poliwag, go." The older Trainer commanded, once again without emotion.

Holly remembered the battle on the bridge, and how easily she had taken down opponents.

She looked as though she'd seen thousands of battles like that.

Had she seen thousands of battles like this, too?

Battles where she knew she had no chance of winning?

Kris gave no indication of anything as Poliwag appeared.

Once again, Misty had the first move.

"Starmie, Swift!"

Golden stars formed around Starmie. At the speed of light, it shot them at Poliwag. Holly's water Pokémon let out a yelp as it was tossed off the platforms on. Like Poochyena, it splashed into the water.

Unlike the other Pokémon, it bobbed straight back up. However, it was clear Poliwag's eyes showed pain, and Holly could see the bruises on its body.

Yet, Kris wasn't about to give up.

"Poliwag, Hypnosis!"

Poliwag's eyes glowed red. In another minute, it shot rings of the same color at Starmie. Yet it was to no avail, as the Pokémon easily flew in the air. It stayed, floating there, as Misty shouted her next command.

"Swift again!"

The golden stars radiated off of Starmie. In another instant, they shot at Poliwag. The Pokémon screamed as it was hit by the star-shaped rays. They sliced like knives, and Holly knew there was no dodging the attack. Before she knew it, Poliwag was on the ground.

Once again, Kris recalled her Pokémon, and Holly thought she could see a flicker of pain on her face.

Experienced though she was, she must've known she could not win.

But determination still burned in her eyes, as she tossed another Poké Ball onto the field.

"Go, Mawile."

The huge-jawed Pokémon appeared, glaring defiantly.

Yet, Holly knew at this rate, it wouldn't be for long.

Kris looked like she was going to shout out a command, but Misty beat her to it.

"Starmie, Bubblebeam!"

Blue bubbles shot out of Starmie, and Mawile screeched as it was hit. The Pokémon staggered backwards, but it was still standing.

Kris resolutely stated. "Mawile, Bite."

Mawile opened its jaws wide, but it had no chance to even land a blow.

Misty's piercing cry cut through the air. "Starmie, Bubblebeam!"

The blue bubbles shot out again, hitting Mawile right in its mouth. The Pokémon gasped and choked as water spilled out. It tried to stand, but as though it was top-heavy, it fell over backwards.

Holly clenched her fist.

There was only one Pokémon left.

And she doubted she could win.

Kris now spoke in a subdued tone of voice. "Go, Nidorina."

The rabbit-like Pokémon appeared, ears twitching madly. Defiance shown in her red eyes, but Holly knew it would not be enough.

Misty wasted no time. "Let's end this now! Starmie, Bubblebeam!"

The deadly bubbles shot out of Starmie, blasting into Nidorina. The Pokémon screeched and coughed up water, but fury still shown in her eyes.

Despite the fact that Kris was about to lose, she showed no fear or anger.

"Nidorina, Poison Sting."

Nidorina hissed and let out a barrage of poison stingers. Yet Starmie simply dove below the water, missing the deadly attack.

Holly felt her blood run cold as Misty yelled. "Now, end it! Bubblebeam!" Holly couldn't bear to watch, and looked away as Nidorina screamed one last time.

When she looked back, the platform was already empty.

Holly cringed. The Badge… It was ripped away once, stolen from her by a ban…

And now it was ripped away again… Stolen from her by weakness…

And no one seemed to care how she felt…

Instead, all eyes were focused on Kris. The older Trainer was now cringing, her eyes full of pain. Her legs had been hitting the ground before, yet now she stood up on both. Holly thought she appeared to be shaking, but she could have just imagined it.

Holly blinked. Why was Kris taking the loss that badly? It was Holly's Pokémon that got hurt…

Concern flashed in Misty's eyes as she stated. "Are you all right?"

Kris spoke in a muted tone. "I'm fine. It's just been a while since I lost that badly. I almost forgot what that felt like. As you can see, it isn't pleasant…"

Misty replied. "Well, that's understandable. I mean, these aren't even your Pokémon…"

Holly clenched her fist. Were they just going to ignore her?

Kris looked like she was about to say something else, but Holly yelled. "That's right. They're not your Pokémon. So why are you so upset?"

Annabel screeched. "Holly!"

Yet Holly continued ignoring her. "You have nothing to be upset about. Because it was my Badge and my Pokémon that got hurt! You only enforced that stupid punishment! I bet you didn't even want it in the first place!"

Holly held a glare, and thought that Kris would give one back.

However, the older Trainer only had pain and sorrow written in her eyes.

Instead, it was Misty and Anabel who fixed her with fiery glares.

"You wouldn't have gotten that punishment if you just behaved yourself!" Anabel shouted.

Misty responded. "Well, Kris was fighting with your Pokémon, in case you forgot! That means that although the Pokémon were yours, it was Kris who actually lost! Of course she's taking it hard!"

Kris had looked up at this, and a flash of some unreadable emotion was in her eyes.

Yet Holly didn't have time to study it as Misty continued. "I've had enough of you, you little pest! You've no respect for anyone but yourself, and people like that disgust me! If you don't respect others' feelings, you'll never be able to battle in _any_ Gym!"

Misty looked as though she was about to deliver a punch to Holly, but Holly stood her ground.

How dare this Misty say things like that! It wasn't true!

It before Holly could retort, she felt a sharp tug on her tether. "Holly, that's quite enough. Let's leave."

With that, Anabel gave another yank and Holly was forced to follow her.

However, she did not miss Kris looking back at Misty, pained expression still in her eyes. However, there was no pain in her voice. "You're as strong as ever Misty. Despite my loss, I look forward to battling you again. We should catch up sometime."

Misty simply nodded, rage disappearing from her eyes.

Holly blinked. Was this what Kris had wanted to say before?

How close was she with Misty?

And why was she so polite with someone she just lost to?

Holly gritted her teeth.

Kris didn't matter.

All that mattered was getting her Badge.

The one that had been stolen away from her.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So the idea of losing to Misty actually came from my own playthroughs. When I played the Kanto games, it was common for me to lose to Misty at least once. The reason is that Misty's Pokémon are fast, and she often outlevels the player if they haven't been doing any extra leveling. Furthermore, her Pokémon have fairly good move sets for this point, and the remakes further improved on them.**

 **-I also thought that it would be a good time to showcase another one of Kris's flaws; while she is strong, she is not invincible, and is hard on herself when losing. This will be seen in further chapters of Holly Rising, and of course, examined in detail during Kris's own stories.**

 **-Finally, Misty using a Starmie is because it is one of her main Pokémon in all media. The moves she uses here are a combination of all the different movesets it has.**


	31. Recovery

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

30: Recovery

Holly glumly watched as the nurses healed her Pokémon. Kris watched in a corner, her expression unreadable. Anabel kept her stern gaze, but still looked to the front.

She seemed to be staring at nothing all. Holly wondered what the woman was thinking about, but didn't dare speak.

After what seemed like forever, the nurse was finished with Holly's Pokémon. She held a stern gaze, directing it at Kris.

"I understand Gym battles can be tough, but please, to try to be more careful with your Pokémon. Without them, there wouldn't be any more Gym battles."

Kris nodded. "I understand, and thank you."

Holly scowled.

Did she really? Or was she just saying that to get out of the Center?

Regardless, Kris quickly handed Holly the Pokémon, and Holly attached them to her belt.

She let out a sigh. At least she could have that.

After all, Kris would still be fighting the next battle. It would be easier just to take everything away…

Anabel responded. "Where to next, Kris?"

Kris rapidly responded. "To train, of course. It's the only way to beat Misty."

The older Trainer glanced straight at Holly. "But first, I'd like Holly to go to a PC."

Holly's eyes went wide. She blurted out. "Why? I can't take any more Pokémon."

Kris's eyes shone with her intense gaze, as she stated. "You can't, but I _can_."

Holly clenched her fists.

She wasn't sure she wanted Kris to carry any more of her Pokémon after what happened!

The older Trainer continued. "As long as we are training, we may as well train every Pokémon. You never know when you might need them."

Anabel nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

Holy tried not to scowl as she followed Anabel to the PC. She didn't think any plan of Kris's was a good idea, but she knew she had little choice now.

Rapidly, she entered the commands into the PC, and her remaining Poké Balls appeared.

She plucked them from the PC, handing them to Anabel.

The woman, in turn handed them to Kris, who attached them to another place.

She nodded. "Now it's truly time to train. Let's head outside."

"What will we train against?" Holly blurted out.

"Water types, and Pokémon that move fast. Those were the types Misty had."

Anabel quickly responded. "Where do you think we might find Pokémon like that?"

Kris replied. "On Route 4, near the lake."

Anabel nodded. "Let us head there, then."

Holly had no choice but to follow as the group walked back to the windy Route 4. Holly could hear the roaring of the lake and cringed as she was reminded of the water in Misty's Gym. The petite lake was nothing compared to the shimmering area contrasting against the white platforms.

Could truly help her win there?

Holly supposed she had to try.

The roaring of the lake got louder and louder, as Kris finally stopped right in front of it.

She turned to Holly and Anabel, gesturing.

"Let's release the Pokémon now."

Anabel tossed Torracat's Poké Ball into the air, and Kris did the same with the Pokémon she had.

Holly gulped and threw her Poké Balls into the air.

What was Kris going to do? She couldn't possibly train so many Pokémon at once…

Could she?

Or would she train them one by one? That would take forever!

But the older trainer and now begun speaking. All the Pokémons' gazes met hers, curiosity and confusion in their eyes.

"Hello everyone. You're probably wondering you're all here. We recently challenged the gym in this town, but there was a little trouble. So, I've decided to train you all here, so that we can beat the gym and move on."

The Pokémon still looked bewildered, but they all continued glancing at Kris.

Would they truly listen to her? They had before on the bridge, but now was different…

The older Trainer took no notice of the Pokemons' distress and continued. "Misty uses Pokémon that live in the water, so it's a perfect time to practice fighting them. Therefore, find as many Water Pokémon as you can, and battle against them. I'll be walking around, seeing if anyone has difficulties. Anyone who gets injured or needs assistance can also come to me."

Holly cocked her head. What kind of training is this? Pokémon fighting by themselves would be chaos!

Anabel glanced at Kris, a cautious expression in her eyes. "I'm leaving Holly in your care, since Torracat won't be fighting in the Gym rematch. I will still train with it myself, and you're welcome to join."

Kris nodded, and Holly stiffened.

Even though Anabel had said "you're", she was sure she didn't mean _her._

Suddenly, psychic power radiated from Anabel, and Kris's Delphox also radiated power. Kris started mouthing something, and Anabel was nodding. As the unspoken exchange passed between them, Holly felt herself surrounded by psychic energy again. She could feel the tether moving, although it wasn't lengthening or shortening.

Holly grimaced, realizing what was happening.

Anabel had said she would leave her with Kris.

So now the older Trainer was her jailer, both in choice and in movement.

Holy glanced at the disabled Trainer, but she wasn't even wincing.

Holy wondered if she had seen this all somewhere before, but didn't dare ask.

Instead, Holly turned her gaze away, and eventually the psychic power stopped.

Holy glanced at her pink tether, realizing that it was now on Kris's waist.

The older Trainer was now gazing at Anabel, her face looking as though she wasn't quite sure Anabel had made the right decision.

Holly cocked her head again.

Whose side was Kris really on?

She'd agreed to the punishment, but now she looked like she was regretting it every second.

And Holly could share her sentiments.

After all, the older Trainer's physical impediment meant Holly could outpace her.

Surely Anabel must have been aware of this when she switched the tether over to the disabled Trainer?

But now the woman had raised her voice, and had begun addressing all the Pokémon.

"I'm doing a separate session with Torracat. Any Pokémon is welcome to join the session whenever they like!"

The Pokémon nodded, then headed off to find opponents.

Holly blinked. Pokémon fighting by themselves? This couldn't go well…

Then again, she supposed anything could happen at this point…

As if sensing Holly's discomfort, Kris stated.

"Pokémon are natural fighters. Just tell them what they're up against, and they will battle."

Holly shook her head. Could trained Pokémon really fight without a Trainer?

Yet Kris gestured to the scene, and Holly's eyes went wide at what she observed.

The first thing she noticed was Tangela. The Pokémon may have been one of her weaker ones, but now it looked as strong as ever. Its vines flew to and fro, easily knocking back any unfortunate Water type Pokémon in their way. A few tried to shoot water at it, but the attacks were to no avail.

Holly couldn't help but marvel at Tangela's tenacity, but her eyes widened when she saw one of her other Pokémon.

Clearly, Mawile wasn't doing as well.

It stood across from a Poliwag, red eyes glaring menacingly. Yet as soon as it opened its mouth to Bite, the Poliwag shot water into its mouth. Mawile coughed and sputtered, the attack knocking it off balance. Before it could recover, the Poliwag shot another blast of forceful water. Mawile screeched and staggered backward.

Instinctively, Holly rushed to help. She couldn't let her Pokémon faint!

Yet she almost fell over as she felt a tug on her tether. Kris shook her head, and pointed towards the scene.

Mawile had closed its jaws, and Holly got a glimpse of its crestfallen eyes as it looked at the ground.

As gracefully as it could muster, it backed away, and the Poliwag nodded sternly as it dove back into the lake.

Holly thought Mawile would run towards her, or ask Kris for help.

But instead the Pokémon dashed off to where Anabel was working.

Holly blinked. What was Anabel doing that Mawile found so appealing?

Yet she didn't have time to look as Kris jerked her in another direction.

There, Holly found Nidorina.

Yet the Pokémon didn't appear to be fighting at all.

Instead, she was looking down at the water. Occasionally, she would open her mouth and hiss. However, nothing came out.

Holly thought she was fishing, or taking a drink, but the rabbit Pokémon did neither.

Instead, she waited, patiently.

Holy cocked her head. What was Nidorina waiting for?

Suddenly, there were ripples in the water.

Nidorina was drawn instantly to them, and fired off a round of poison stingers.

A Poliwag bobbed up from the water, and screamed as the stingers smashed straight into it.

It fell back into the water, and Nidorina roared in triumph.

However, just as Nidorina let out her victory roar, there was a howl of pain.

Holly whipped her head around to see Growlithe panting. Blasts of water came flying at it, and it would try to dodge. However, attacks misted by inches, and the Pokémon screeched as it was assaulted by another blast of cold water.

Holly clenched her fist.

Surely Kris could see this wasn't fair!

Yet the older Trainer didn't even move. Instead, Holly was forced to watch as Growlithe bounded away.

It quickly joined Mawile and the two headed to where Anabel was.

Holly squinted.

At last she could see with the woman was doing to Torracat.

They were only shadows in the distance, so, admittedly, it wasn't much.

But at least it was something.

Holly could see the outline of a person along with the outline of a Pokémon beside her. She knew this had to be Anabel and Torracat. Her other Pokémon were much too far away.

Holly could hear the faint shouting of commands, and assumed Anabel was instructing Torracat. She thought she could hear other sounds too, but could not make out what they were. She suspected it was a Pokémon battle, however.

All of a sudden, the shadow next to Anabel collapsed.

Holly's eyes widened. What was happening to Torracat? She had to go see and she had to help it!

Yet as Holly started forward, she felt a tug on her tether.

Holly turned around to find Kris shaking her head. The older Trainer held the tether tightly in her hand, and was shaking her head.

Holly glared back.

Why couldn't she help her own Pokémon? Why did Kris have to stop her?

The older Trainer pointed, and Holly followed her gaze.

The shape of the person was shifting, and, within minutes, the shape of the Pokémon rose to its feet.

Anabel must've use some item on Torracat, but why revive a fallen Pokémon if they were already against an opponent that was giving them trouble? Anabel clearly had other Pokémon, so why couldn't she use them?

Holly shook.

How could she leave Torracat when it was getting hurt?

What guarantee was there that it wouldn't get hurt worse?

How did she know the training would even work?

Holly wanted so desperately to answer those questions.

But she couldn't.

All because she was Kris and Anabel's prisoner.

A prisoner on her own journey.

No, a prisoner _in_ her own journey.

Holly had her head down, face glum.

Holly felt a tug on her tether, and turned to find Kris looking at her.

The older Trainer responded. "There's nothing relevant there. Let's go."

Holy quickly yelled. "But my Pokémon…"

Kris cut her off, voice cool. "Will be fine. Anabel is training them."

Holy clenched her fist. How could they be fine?

"But where will we go?" She asked the disabled Trainer.

The older Trainer fixed Holly with her intense gaze. "You have other Pokémon, right? Let's go see how they are doing."

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **-So a little training scene. The idea of Pokémon being trained, but still able to fight by themselves comes from the anime. In some episodes, Pokémon are given no commands or very basic commands, yet still able to fight. There's also mention of Pokémon practicing their attacks by themselves in their spare time. Something like this is yet to be seen the main games, but Pokémon GO also had Pokémon in Gyms fight without a Trainer present. Also, there is a hack where, when the player leaves the Pokémon in the daycare, one of the options they will have is to fight it. The Pokémon will then act as though it is a wild encounter, despite being trained and given no commands.**


	32. Tactics

**Welcome back to Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

31\. Tactics

Holly rapidly followed the disabled Trainer.

She saw sparks, and knew they could only come from one place.

Holly shuddered.

What was happening to Pikachu?

She got her answer as the roaring of the lake rushed to her ears.

Pikachu was standing near the lake in its combat stance. Across from it stood another Pokémon.

This Pokémon was orange, with a yellow flotation device around its neck. It had two forked tails and some tan on its body. Holly could see it had something resembling blue gills on its body. It had black eyes and whiskers.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

A Buizel.

A weak Pokémon.

Surely, Pikachu would have no trouble with it?

Yet, Pikachu's eyes narrowed as it shot thunderbolts from its body haphazardly. The Buizel dodged them easily, its graceful body almost reminding Holly of a dancer.

Yet the Buizel wasn't content with just going on the defense. Forceful water erupted from its mouth, and Pikachu was scrambling to dodge. More than once, the electric Pokémon screeched as Buziel's attacks hit.

Holly shuddered. Was this going to be like Misty's Gym?

Yet Kris seemed like she wasn't going to let that happen.

She stepped up, determination shining in her eyes.

Her Delphox radiated psychic power, and Pikachu yelped as the psychic powers surrounded both it and Holly.

As she had made times before, Holly heard Kris's voice even though the older Trainer's mouth was not moving.

" _If you're having trouble with a fast opponent, try slowing it down."_

Holly blinked. "How?"

Kris responded. _"Pikachu can cause paralysis, and paralysis can slow opponents down. Pikachu, Holly, try using Thunder Wave."_

Holly cocked her head.

Thunder Wave? She had never known Pikachu had the attack, let alone used it…

But she supposed it was logical for it to know it. And that Kris would understand that.

So Holly shouted. "Pikachu, Thunder Wave!"

Electricity crackled from Pikachu, and it quickly shot yellow rings of electricity from its body. The Buizel let out a scream of pain, as electricity crashed into it. It fell to the ground, panting. Shakily, the Pokémon got to its feet. But as it moved, it winced. Holly realized it couldn't take a step, as the electricity crackled from its body.

Kris smiled, seizing on the moment.

"Now, Pikachu, attack the opponent, either by yourself or on Holly's command."

Pikachu wasted no time, body crackling with electricity before Holly could even open her mouth.

Letting out a cry, it launched electricity at the stunned Buizel.

The Pokémon screeched as the electricity lit it up, and Holly tried hard not to wince from the pain.

It felt as though her entire body was being shocked, and she thought perhaps she couldn't bear it.

How could Kris take the pain? The older Trainer didn't seem to have any emotion about what she was doing…

Yet, almost as soon as the pain became unbearable, it ended, and the Buizel collapsed on the ground.

Pikachu began to walk away, yet suddenly its ears perked up as it noticed movement in the nearby lake.

All of a sudden, it started shaking.

Holly wondered why, but her eyes went wide as she noticed movement in the water.

There were clearly Water Pokémon here, and they were many.

There was nowhere for Pikachu to run! How would it fare?

Yet Kris fixed the Pokémon with another smile. "That's not an issue."

Holly cocked her head. How was Pikachu being surrounded by enemies not an issue?

What she said next made Holly's blood run cold.

"Pikachu, use Thundershock. On the entire lake."

Holly's eyes went wide. How could Kris order that? Did she have any idea of the pain she would cause so many Pokémon?

Yet if Kris thought about how questionable tactics were, she gave no indication.

And apparently, Pikachu didn't either.

It closed its eyes and launched several shocks from its body. There must've been at least four or five, but Holly couldn't count.

These shocks landed in the water, lighting it up. The entire area was a mixture of yellow and white.

But Holly couldn't really see any of it.

Because the air was filled with the screams of Pokémon. Holly covered her ears. It was impossible to tell how many there were, or what kind of Pokémon they were. Their cries all blended as one, and Holly thought her ears would shatter.

Yet there was one thing all the Pokémon had in common.

And that was their unimaginable pain.

Holly took one hand off her ear to clench her fist.

Why couldn't Kris feel the pain of the Pokémon she hurt? Why couldn't she understand what she was doing was wrong? And who knows what this was doing to Pikachu!

Holly felt her own screams mingle with the Pokémon. She had to stop this!

Yet just when Holly was about to cry out to Kris, the lightning stopped.

Pikachu sat back, and while it could still battle, Holly could see a slight exhaustion in its eyes.

Yet Kris smiled and nodded approvingly. Holly resisted the urge to vomit as she noticed several Pokémon floating up to the lake.

It was impossible to tell whether they were alive or dead. Holly thought that she didn't want to know.

Holly desperately looked back.

Pain of this magnitude would surely catch Anabel's attention…

Yet there was no sign of the woman.

Holly remembered that Anabel had three Pokémon run up to her for training, so maybe she had her hands full…

Instead, she glared back at Kris.

How could the older Trainer call this a tactic? Let alone a victory?

As if sensing Holly's distress, Kris stated.

"I know you're worried about the pain of the Pokémon. But you must understand, your opponent, no matter who it is, will cause your Pokémon pain. So when faced with a tough opponent, they will cause your Pokémon a lot of pain. And when you're in a scenario where your Pokémon may be in a lot of pain, then you do what you have to in order to win."

Holly adopted a hard glare.

What kind of thinking was that? It sounded as though Kris stepped into a war zone…

Yet the other Trainer continued.

"Besides, it is a valid tactic. It's almost guaranteed to hit, and is much stronger than a regular move."

Holly still shuddered.

How could Kris talk about this so casually?

How could hurting many Pokémon at once be a valid tactic?

Was this her first time doing something like this?

Clearly not.

The older Trainer was now glancing at Pikachu.

The Pokémon was panting and shaking, but still clearly able to fight. As if to reassure Holly, it looked back and nodded.

Kris turned back to Holly and stated. "Pikachu is all right. Let's head to your other Pokémon."

Holly wanted to ask how she could dismiss Pikachu so quickly, but the older Trainer was already leading her away.

It wasn't long until Holly heard water again, along with splashing sounds. Immediately, she realized it belonged to Poliwag.

The tadpole Pokémon was staring down a Buziel, determination burning in its eyes.

Holly heard Kris's voice again as the older Trainer began to speak telepathically.

" _Poliwag, Buizel are quick, so try using Hypnosis to stop in its tracks."_

Before, Holly could speak, Poliwag obeyed.

Its eyes glowed red, and it shot red circles from its mouth.

The Buizel let out a yelp, but it quickly died down to a snore as it crashed down near the water.

Holly was afraid the Water Pokémon might drown, but thankfully it didn't.

Holly heard Kris's voice in her head again.

" _Do you have any attacks that you can use that are not Water type? They will be effective here."_

Holly shut her eyes, deep in thought.

Obviously, the other Trainer was being gracious, as she gave her a rare taste of freedom.

But for once, Holly didn't know how to respond.

What other attacks did Poliwag know? She'd been so focused on Water type moves, she couldn't recall…

Yet suddenly, a thought came to her.

Opening her eyes, she pointed at the Buizel. "Poliwag, Doubleslap!"

Poliwag rushed at the Buizel, tail and feet lashing out.

The poor opponent stood no chance as Poliwag pounded on it.

Before it even knew what hit it, it met defeat as it fell into the lake. Poliwag stood triumphantly over where its opponent had been.

Kris nodded approvingly.

"Good. Now for one more."

Holy gulped and suppressed a shudder.

She knew who "one more" was.

She couldn't resist shaking again as the two stopped right in front of it.

Holly blinked her eyes.

Poochyena.

The dog Pokémon was growling, standing face-to-face with a Poliwag. About half of the opposing Pokémon's body was submerged in the water. The other half glared fiercely back, not conceding an inch of ground.

A forceful jet of water exited from the Poliwag's mouth. Poochyena barely dodged it, and almost ran straight into another blast of water.

Holly let out a gasp.

Couldn't Kris stop this? Why wasn't she helping?

Kris's voice once again came through Holly's head.

" _Do not worry. Just let it keep dodging."_

Holly shook her head and tried to go forward. However, Kris stopped her with the tether.

How could Holly not worry? Her Pokémon was getting hurt!

Yet she was forced to watch, as Poochyena barely avoided more and more water attacks.

Each time, looked to be safe, only to narrowly miss getting hit again.

Holly clenched her fist. What was the point of this?

This wasn't a battle! This was a slaughter!

Yet just when Holly thought she could take no more, Kris dryly remarked. "Look."

Holly looked, and her eyes went wide.

The Poliwag was still fighting, but strain was evident on its face. Holly thought she could see beads of sweat, but given that it was a Water Pokémon, she wasn't sure if that was instead moisture. The enemy Poliwag's head and tail dropped, and it had lost some of the fire in its eyes.

Holly thought the Pokémon would dive back into the lake, but instead it swam near Poochyena. The dog Pokémon simply blinked incredulously, as if he couldn't believe what was happening.

Holly couldn't either. Wouldn't the Poliwag be more interested in running away?

Perhaps it was a matter of pride, she supposed.

Holly was alerted to more splashing as Poliwag waddled out of the water. With unsteady steps, it tottered onto the land. Despite what had happened, it still faced its opponent.

And that's when Kris made her move.

Holly could hear the older Trainer's voice inside her head. "Tell Poochyena to use Thunder Fang."

Holly didn't need to be instructed twice.

"Poochyena, Thunder Fang!"

Poochyena's fangs crackled with electricity, and the Poliwag screamed as it bit down hard.

Bruises appeared on Poliwag's skin and it staggered backward.

Holly thought that might be the end, but a resolute look appeared in the opposing Pokémon's eyes.

Faster than Holly ever thought possible, it dove into the shallower parts of the lake.

But Kris only nodded, and she seemed to be speaking to both Holly and Poochyena as psychic energy surrounded them.

" _You know where your opponent is. Pursue it. Finish it."_

Holly shook.

Poochyena surely wouldn't go into the water! Not after what happened at the Gym!

Yet Poochyena shook itself, and let out a growl.

Holly's eyes widened as it jumped into the water. With another growl, it leapt on top of the surprised Poliwag.

Poochyena's fangs once again crackled with electricity, and it sunk them into the back of the Poliwag's head. There was a splash as the Poliwag disappeared below the surface. Holly wondered if it would rise again.

Yet she didn't think about it long as she focused on Poochyena. The Pokémon was howling and shaking, paws lashing out in a crude form of swimming.

Holly once again wanted to rush to her Pokémon's side. However, Kris stopped her with a tug on the tether, and a shake of her head.

"All Pokémon can swim. Those who are not Water types just can't do it as well. And of course, those who are weak to water have even more trouble. But they can manage. The lake is short and shallow. Poochyena will be fine."

Holly wasn't sure she believed any of that.

Sure, she could see Poochyena swimming. But what about something giant, like a Ryhorn? How exactly would something like that swim? And what about Pokémon that had no arms or legs? What did they do, just float in the water aimlessly?

Yet Holly had no more time to think about that, as she was aware of someone gasping.

She looked to see Poochyena collapse on the banks. Its eyes were wide, its sides heaving, and its body shook.

Holly's own eyes went wide. What had happened to her Pokémon?

Yet as she prepared to rush over, a bright light surrounded Poochyena.

Holly knew what that light meant, but it was so white that she still couldn't resist looking away.

When the light had cleared, Poochyena was no more.

Instead, the Pokémon had a grey body with black markings on its face. A fine mane of black hair could be seen all the way down to its tail. And the tail was no longer stubby. Instead, it was majestic, long, and black. The new Pokémon's body was supported by jet black paws, with claws looking like it was going to rip up anything. Piercing red eyes stared back at Holly and Kris.

Kris smiled, and Holly kept her aghast stare.

This was the Pokémon Kris had mentioned.

The Pokémon she had said had gone up against some of the toughest Trainers in the world.

Mightyena.

Holly locked eyes with her new Pokémon, but noticed it had no toughness now. Instead, it was still shaking, fur still drenched. Its sides still heaved as it gasped for air. Holly thought it would try to get up, but her new Pokémon did not move.

Instead, it closed its eyes, and went limp.

A scream exited Holly's mouth.

Her Pokémon couldn't be dead! Not after all that!

Holly looked toward Kris with pleading eyes, but she just held her typical intense gaze.

Holly found herself shaking under it.

Had the older Trainer seen this all before?

Yet she didn't get the chance to ask as she heard someone running.

Anabel appeared, disheveled. The woman must've run fast enough to leave the Pokémon behind, as they were nowhere in sight.

Anabel shouted. "Holly, Pikachu's collapsed! I heard a scream, so I came running! What happened?"

Yet Holly couldn't speak, instead pointing a shaking finger towards the lake. Anabel ran towards it, but stopped dead.

She put a hand over her mouth, face going white.

However, the fear was short-lived, as it was replaced by her piercing, icy, glare.

Holly tried her best not to shrink back, but Kris met Anabel's gaze evenly.

Anabel directed her voice at Kris, and it boomed so loudly, Holly was sure everyone near Cerulean could hear it.

"What did you do to them?"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So another training scene, but this one's gone a little awry… Anyway, using electric attacks on bodies of water and throwing things into water that typically shouldn't be there for both the favorite tactics of hers in the original incarnations. Also, people had similar responses to them. Overworking the Pokémon is something new to this revival, however, as a consequence of using those harsh tactics.**

 **-The idea that every Pokémon can swim, but only Water types can do it well comes from the anime. In the enemy, it shown several different types of Pokémon can swim despite not being Water types or even being capable of learning Water type moves. Notable examples include Arbok and Pikachu, although neither is very good at it. However, there are some glaring examples of Pokémon that are weak to Water. One example is a Fire type, Houndoom. Another example is when a Ryhorn tries to cross a lake by jumping on stepping stones, goes down, and no one bats an eye.**

 **-Holly's surprise at Pikachu having Thunder Wave, but then thinking it would be logical comes from both the games and the anime. In the games, Thunder Wave is a move Pikachu learns early on. However, no one in the anime is seen using it with Pikachu. I found that rather strange, so I combined the two interpretations.**


	33. Resistance

**And back with more Holly Rising! Two warnings for this chapter. It mentions a character's death quite a lot, even though the death is not shown on screen. There is also a character having a long monologue near the end.**

 **As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and check the author's notes for more details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

32\. Resistance

Anabel continued staring at Kris, but the disabled Trainer gave no answer.

"You're not going to answer?" Holly could almost hear desperation creep into Anabel's voice.

Despite her fear, Holly found her own.

"Anabel… My Pokémon…"

Animal cut her off. "We have to get them to a Pokémon Center now! We can talk later!"

With that, Anabel tossed a Poké Ball into the air. In a flash, her Metagross appeared.

Anabel commanded. "Metagross, take us to the Pokémon Center!"

Holly tried not to cringe as psychic power surrounded her.

Holly, Kris, Pikachu, Kris's Delphox, and Mightyena were all lifted up into the air. Anabel leaped on her Pokémon, and Holly noticed the rest of hers weren't there.

She glanced around frantically, before letting out a sigh of relief as she saw several Poké Balls around Anabel's waist. Of course Anabel wouldn't forget her Pokémon.

But Holly couldn't focus on them any longer as Metagross marched into Cerulean.

Metagross once again drew eyes as it continued, but Holly paid no attention. Instead, she could only stare glumly as Metagross walked into the Center.

What would happen to her?

To her Pokémon?

To Kris?

Holly couldn't say as she felt herself shaking.

She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

So instead, she stared at Kris.

The older Trainer's expression seemed to be something unreadable, yet Holly could still feel the jammed signals of pain.

Holly blinked.

What if Kris have to worry about?

Her Pokémon didn't get hurt!

It was just like at the Gym!

Perhaps…

She was regretful?

But then, if that was the case, why was she the way she was with Anabel earlier?

Nothing made sense with the disabled Trainer!

Yet Holly couldn't focus on Kris as Anabel hopped off her Pokémon

Again the nurses came, and again they whisked the fainted Pokémon to rooms in back.

Holy tried to catch a glimpse of their fallen forms, but she couldn't see too much.

Instead, she felt Metagross lower her down to the ground. The psychic aura radiating around the Pokémon disappeared, but Holly still noticed there was some around her and Kris. Holly winced again, and Kris simply shut her eyes. Holly couldn't see what was happening, but she knew what was going on.

At least she knew when her tether appeared back at Anabel's waist.

With that, the psychic power stopped radiating, and both of the Trainers faced Anabel as the woman stood on the ground. The only thing continuing to radiate power was Kris's Delphox, and it hadn't made a move.

Holly shivered as Anabel recalled her Pokémon. There was no missing the icy glare as she eyed them both.

Once again, Anabel's voice boomed across the center. "Kris, what were you thinking? You're an adult and an experienced Trainer! You ought to know better!"

Before the disabled Trainer could reply, Anabel rounded on Holly.

"And you, Holly! You might be under punishment, but you're still the Trainer of these Pokémon! Why didn't you stop Kris?"

Holly found her mouth going dry, and she barely managed to choke out.

"She… I… They…"

But Holly could respond, Kris stepped up. The older Trainer still didn't hold much emotion in her voice as she responded.

"I didn't train them any harder than I would any other Pokémon. They probably just weren't used to it."

There was no mistaking the fury in Anabel's voice as she responded. "So training them until they faint from exhaustion is all right to you? How on earth are you a proper Trainer?"

Holy finally found herself screaming.

"I was afraid that my Pokémon would be hurt, but Kris told me they would be fine!"

Anabel's eyes pierced Holly as she yelled. "Why didn't you call for me if you thought your Pokémon were in danger? I would've helped you!"

Rage boiled inside of Holly.

Surely, Anabel realized the answer was obvious!

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, you stole my Pokémon! And you made me lose a battle! And you threatened me with jail time! But that wasn't enough! You decided to take away all of my freedom, without ever giving me a chance to explain myself! And now you have someone take away my Gym battle right in front of me! I thought of that, you have the nerve to yell at me, when your punishment made it so I couldn't control what was happening to my own Pokémon!"

Holly's voice rose higher and higher as she yelled. She was aware of other people staring as she continued.

"I don't exactly trust you right now! I don't think I could ever trust you! Why should I trust you, when all you do is punish me?"

Anabel's eyes burned with rage, but before she could speak, Kris's voice continued.

Her calm demeanor stood out from both Holly and Anabel, but Holly could sense fury within her tone.

"And there it is. The truth comes out. I may not have known you, but if I did, I'd be ashamed to. You've been so busy handing out consequences to people, that you fail to realize the consequences of your own actions. You're so intent on punishing anyone that is wrong that you don't even stop to realize _why_ the wrongdoing occurs in the first place. And then you act surprised when people are driven away from you. Even after all that you've done, you still can't figure out something that simple. Can you truly call yourself an International Police Officer? Can you even call yourself a Trainer?"

Anabel's voice trembled as she stated. "How dare you!" She tried to say more, but Kris cut her off. The older Trainer shook her head, holding up her hand for silence.

"I suppose you're going to say that the Kris you knew never did any of this. While I have news for you. This is reality. I have told you time and time again that we are not the same person, but you deny it. You never saw any of your Kris's flaws. Never took the time to know her as a person. Never saw who she really was. Always expected me to act like her idealized image. While I won't, because I can't. Because I'm not her, no matter how hard I try to be. So stop living in your fantasy, where the dead come back and people trust you after you've torn down everything they stood for. Start looking at reality, before it's too late to fix what you've done."

Anabel's face was red with rage. Her voice was a high-pitched scream.

"So almost working a Pokémon to death, and thinking things will be all right? Is that your fantasy? Is that acceptable?"

Kris's face suddenly went pale, and she took a step back.

Holly blinked.

It was clear Anabel had hit a nerve.

But why?

And whose side was Kris really on? Was she even _on_ any side?

Just before Holly could say something more, she heard a beeping sound.

She shuddered.

She knew what that signal meant.

All Trainers did.

Yet, Anabel responded anyway.

"That signal… That means the Pokémon are ready to be seen…"

Without waiting to see if anyone else would agree, she responded.

"Let's go."

Holly shuddered as she was led to the hospital's white doors.

What exactly would she find there?

A nurse met them at the doors, leading them back. The group walked into another white room, where Holly could hear the hum of machines. Anabel suddenly unclipped Holly tether, and Holly glanced up in surprise.

Was this some sort of emergency? She supposed it was, all things considering… Holly didn't dare try to run away now.

Holly quickly realized that having her tether unclipped was no mercy.

Her face turned pale, her eyes went wide, and she let out a gasp. Holly thought her stomach would rebel, but thankfully, it didn't.

In front of her was Mightyena. The Pokémon was covered in blankets, and Holly couldn't even see its fur. Holly could see it shallow breathing, but only just. The Pokémon's red eyes were still closed, and Holly could see a whiteness in its face that wasn't there before.

Holly wondered if it would ever wake up.

She turned to the side, and her eyes went wide again as she saw Pikachu.

Unlike Mighyena, Pikachu didn't even appear to be breathing. Holly could see a light bulb attached to its head, and it was easy to guess what it was for. She noticed the Electric Pokémon had the pale look on its face.

She wondered if it would ever wake up. To her, it already looked dead.

Yet her mind was torn away from Pikachu as she heard a strangled scream.

One look back told Holly where it had come from.

Both her, and Anabel's, eyes were on Kris.

The older Trainer had turned her own shade of pale, and Holly couldn't miss the shaking. She was up on both feet, and fear was present in her widened eyes. Holly could see sweat pouring down the older Trainer's back, and she wondered if she would fall over. Tears stained the older Trainer's face, although Holly couldn't hear her crying.

But Holly couldn't concentrate on that for long. Because there was another thing that assaulted her.

And that was pain.

Waves and waves of pain.

Holly cringed as she realized where it was coming from.

Most of the time she was frustrated when Kris's signals were jammed. Yet now she wished they were.

The pain came off of Kris in waves, radiating stronger than even her Pokémon's psychic power. Holly yelled that she was hit by a mixture of fear, rage, sadness, and other emotions that even she could not identify.

There was nothing here, but there may as well be a tsunami of emotions.

There were no physical wounds, and yet it seemed as though the pain would go on forever.

And it was stronger than anything Holly had ever felt. It reminded her of an explosion, even though there was no blast.

But there was damage, and contents scattering everywhere.

Contents that she thought would overwhelm her as she bit her lip.

Holly shut her eyes, wondering if she would fall over. She wondered if Anabel would even catch her.

Holly gritted her teeth.

This was not fake.

This wasn't getting attention.

This was _pain_ , as much as any physical blow.

Holly bit her lip again.

She always thought Kris's pain was worse than others, and that's why her signals were jammed.

But in reality, there were so many different types of pain that they all jammed with each other.

Or she was forcefully jamming it when she was burying her emotions.

Perhaps, Holly realized, Kris was putting up a tough front because she was actually afraid of having another attack. It would certainly make her behavior from before make sense…

Yet Kris was now a completely different person from the one that berated Anabel earlier.

Her face was still white and vulnerable as she let out another scream.

Her eyes stared straight at the fallen Pokémon, yet simultaneously seemed to look at nothing at all.

Somehow, Holly could make out words within her strangled screams.

"Cheyenne, Cheyenne, I'm sorry! The training accident… I didn't mean to… I didn't want you to die!"

Holly's eyes went wide.

There was the name, Cheyenne, again… And Holly knew that Cheyenne was a Mightyena…

Kris has gotten so worked up when Anabel mentioned training Pokémon to death…

And now she was having a panic attack when the same thing happened…

Was it possible… That Cheyenne died that way?

Holly didn't want to think about it, but nothing else made sense…

Yet now Anabel was in front of Kris, doing her best to block her view of Mightyena. Rapidly, the woman stated. "Kris, there is no Cheyenne here. This is a different Pokémon. And you're at the Cerulean Pokémon Center, with me and Holly…"

Yet Kris was inconsolable, as the older Trainer fiercely shook her head.

"No, I'm so weak and stupid. I couldn't win the Gym battle… And then I had to go to training, and now one of the Pokémon has been overworked by accident! Maybe even to death!"

Holly suddenly found her voice, and she shouted back.

"It was my Pokémon that lost the match, so if anyone's weak, it's me! And you aren't stupid! You were just doing what Anabel told you!"

Holy flashbacked to the Gym battle. The older Trainer had looked so upset… But surely, the older trainer could not be that affected!

Anabel stepped in front of Kris again. "Kris, listen to me! This is _not_ Cheyenne! And the Mightyena here is still alive!"

But Kris only shook her head even more furiously. Her screams had become even more frantic now, and Holly strained to hear as the older Trainer's voice was mixed with tears.

"It's like I have a stupid voice in the back of my head, telling me to be perfect… That I have to train more and more and more and more… And I hate that voice… But I can't stop… I just can't stop…"

Holly's eyes went wide with confusion.

What was Kris talking about? There were no voices here! And what type of voice told someone to be perfect? To train Pokémon to death? And if she hated the voice so much, why couldn't she stop it?

Yet Holly's eyes widened again as Anabel released Pokémon.

Her Espeon and Metagross appeared by her side.

Holly blinked.

What would a bunch of Pokémon do?

Anabel frantically shouted. "Espeon, supervise Holly! Metagross, help me get Kris out of here!"

Espeon rushed towards Holly, guarding her like a dog. Kris's Delphox yelped as it was lifted up alongside its Trainer. Metagross stomped out of the Pokémon Center, Anabel following after.

Holly waited, shivering.

She looked to Anabel's Espeon, but it gave her little comfort.

She could hear Anabel talking to Kris, but she didn't know what they were saying.

Holly wasn't sure she wanted to know.

After a while, Anabel came back in.

Kris wasn't with her, but Holly noticed the woman looked almost devastated.

Holly tried ask what was wrong, but Anabel just walked over.

The woman shook her head.

"I should've known what this was…"

Holly couldn't resist asking. "What you mean?"

Anabel responded. "The panic attack. I mean, I'd never seen my Kris act like that, but sometimes she would have those extreme fits of anger… And panic attacks can occur if someone's angry…"

Holly's eyes went wide.

The angry speech she gave… And the glare Kris had flashed at Anabel…

Kris's range, combined with a tough front…

Those must've been precursors to a panic attack…

And there might not been anything there… But what Kris saw was very real…

Holly squeaked out. "Could you help her?"

Anabel must've been able to cure her! She must've! She was one of the strongest Trainers, and she could do anything!

Anabel shook her head.

"I'm not a doctor. So I can't help her."

Holly shouted. "Well then, Kris must go to a doctor!"

Anabel shook her head. "She only went intermittently, mainly because her travels prevented her from constantly running to a hospital. That, and so much happened that she was unable to keep up."

Holly's face fall.

What Kris have to suffer through this all the time?

Would she?

Holly worked up the urge to ask a question. "Kris… She sounded as though she worked a Pokémon to death… Can you do anything?"

Anabel shook her head. "If what she says is true, then it took place long ago. There's probably no record of it, and whatever there is probably got resolved by someone else. Her record was clean when she got to me. I could try to start a case, but I don't know how far would get. Besides, there may be nothing to charge against."

Holly's eyes went wide. "What you mean?"

"The way Pokémon exhaustion is handled depends mainly on the Trainer. If the Trainer shows adequate concern, take the appropriate actions, and is shown not to have done so out of malice, then no charges are pressed."

Holy clenched her fist.

"And from what Kris said, that's exactly what happened…"

Anabel nodded, and Holly fell anger boiling inside of her again.

Even if it was an accident, Kris had still killed a Pokémon! And she was allowed to get away with it!

How could Anabel let that happen?

But there was something that angered Holly even more.

"So why is Kris allowed to get away with things? I attack someone and I get treated like a criminal! Kris attacked someone and got away scott free!"

Rage boiled instead of Holly. How was this fair?

Yet she did not miss the icy look in Anabel's eyes, and shuddered.

"There are differences, Holly. You attacked innocents, twice, one with the intention to kill. The first time, Kris attacked you out of self-defense, and no intention to kill. The second time, Kris was attacking criminals, smalltime though they were. She also didn't intend to do any fatal damage, and succeeded in that."

Holly blinked her eyes. She still couldn't believe it!

"That's cruel, though!" She finally managed to say.

Anabel only coldly nodded. "It's what a vigilante does, Holly."

Holly's eyes widened. She had forgotten that Kris was a vigilante! But what did that even mean?

As if sensing Holly's question, Anabel replied.

"A vigilante takes the law into their own hands. And they use whatever means necessary."

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

" _I have hurt many. Killed many. I've seen countless innocents die. If you knew what I did, you would probably have me in a jail cell."_

She managed to choke out. "Then those many people Kris said she killed…"

Anabel nodded. "They were probably criminals, Holly. Maybe some innocent civilians got caught in the crossfire. Regardless, she clearly regrets her actions."

Holly could hear her voice shaking.

"And because she killed criminals…"

Anabel finished. "The International Police wouldn't stop her, or couldn't."

Holly made a fist. Why would Kris be regretful? Wasn't it enjoyable beating up bullies?

She couldn't help asking. "But why would she regret it?"

Anabel shook her head. "I don't know… But I can guess… Wherever she came from, Kris was not conditioned to kill. She may not even be conditioned to fight constantly. And a normal person who tries to constantly fight and kill would probably harbor more regrets than they know what to do with."

Holly's mind quickly flashed back to what happened with Nidoran… Holly had tried to kill her, and she could hardly stomach that regret…

Did Kris have an entire world of Nidorans she killed? Did she harbor a lifetime of regrets?

Holly turned back to Anabel, noting that the woman had her eyes closed.

"It's no excuse for what she did, Holly. But at least it explains some of her reasons."

Holly wanted to say more, but jerked her head to the door as she heard footsteps.

Holly barely even registered psychic power, as Anabel reattached her tether.

Instead, she stiffened as Kris walked in.

Her Delphox still stood loyally by her side. Gone were the tear stains and shaking, but there was still sadness and shock present in Kris's eyes.

Anabel stood tall as Holly shrunk back.

Who knew what Kris would do?

Before Kris even had a chance to move, Anabel spoke. "Kris, I understand why you did what you did. But you put both Holly and her Pokémon in danger. And that I cannot condone."

Kris still held her hard gaze, and Holly wondered what Anabel would do.

Hadn't she punished enough?

Clearly not, as the woman opened her mouth.

"Firstly, I forbid you from being alone with Holly until further notice. Second, as soon as my mission is over, I want you to find a doctor that you can see regularly, and get those panic attacks under control."

Kris nodded, clearly too shocked to say anything.

Anabel took a deep breath before stating. "And finally, since you're the one that injured Holly's Pokémon, you are to pay for their treatment costs."

Holly expected Kris to nod again, but no such thing occurred.

Instead, the shock and sadness left Kris's face, only to be replaced by the stone cold defiance from before.

Holly shuddered, remembering the connection between panic attacks and anger.

Was Kris going to have another panic attack? Holly wondered if she had the energy to weather another…

Yet Kris's action was anything but the screaming, crying, episode that she had had earlier.

Instead, she glared Anabel, saying one single word.

"No."

Anabel's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?"

Kris responded. "Did you not hear me? I said no."

Anabel opened her mouth to reply again, but Kris responded.

"If there's one thing you learned about me, it's that I don't clean up others' messes. I didn't even want to go on this journey, but you sweet-talked me into it because you only wanted a shadow of your dead friend. And now you want me to clean up your mess as you haul me through it."

Kris shook her head. "No, I won't do it."

Anabel clenched her fist.

Holly blinked.

Was Kris going to make Anabel pay for everything? It certainly seemed like she had the power…

Suddenly, Kris's Delphox moved. Holly wanted to shout it at it not to attack, but found she couldn't.

The Delphox had robbed her of her voice. She looked over at Anabel, but realized the same thing happened to the woman. She now stared at the disabled Trainer with wide eyes, but the Trainer's own were now devoid of sympathy.

Then, Kris continued, glaring daggers at Anabel. "You're wondering where the mess is. Well, let me show you. It's everywhere, and I'm surprised you don't see it. Maybe you can't, caught up in your own squabbles. So let me point it out.

This whole thing started because Holly misbehaved, which then led her hating you and misbehaving more. She put you directly in danger, but then I became a victim. I fought her upon learning of her crimes, but predictably, she began to hate me. Of course, she wounded me, and I wounded her back.

But it didn't stop there. No, Anabel, you just gave Holly that punishment, and she began hating you even more. You placed her freedom of choice in my care, and I, like an idiot, agreed to represent your dead friend as I joined your little group. Of course Holly still hated me, and you fawned over me. And of course my actions were different than what Holly would've done. She hated them all of course, and thanks to you, she had no outlet to express that hate. How could she, when it was directed at every angle? The Trainers on the bridge… The inventor Bill… And even the Cerulean Gym Leader… Why wouldn't she snap? Why wouldn't _I_ snap? It's only logical.

Oh, the things on the bridge were my own actions, that I will admit. But they wouldn't have happened if it weren't for Holly's punishment. You made her look like a dog, and predictably, those Trainers made fun of her. And because of that, she saw her own Pokémon used in front of her by someone else. A punishment I never wanted to take up! Yet you made me do so anyway. All because you thought punishment would resolve your conflict. Unsurprisingly, it made it worse. And you had the nerve to criticize my actions, when you two were the cause of everything. If it weren't for you, no one would gotten hurt that day.

But that wasn't even all of it. You continue to take away Holly's independence, forcing me into a battle I didn't even want. And Holly had to watch me lose, as a chance to get her own Badge was swept under the rug. And you expect her to trust you after all that? I don't think I even can. You claim I had the freedom of choice, but it was never about what I wanted, was it? You only were thinking about what _you_ wanted, and how you could resolve the conflict.

So that led to this, where I took Holly's Pokémon out training, and they fell prey to exhaustion. But Holly couldn't call you, because she didn't trust you. And why did she trust you? Because all she got from you was punishment. And why did she get punishments? Because she misbehaved. Look at that, I'm not even much of a factor, am I?"

The older Trainer shook her head.

"I may have hurt those Pokémon, even by accident. But the conflict between you two started before I even got here. It's up to _you_ to resolve it. Not only that, but what happened wasn't my fault. Or Holly's. Or even yours, Anabel."

Kris fixed them all with her icy glare.

"It's _all_ of ours. Therefore, we should _all_ pay."

Holly blinked. What was Kris saying? Holly couldn't pay! She wasn't the one training the Pokémon, and she didn't have that much money!

Anabel's glare told Holly everything she needed to know. There was no way the woman would accept Kris's proposal!

Yet the disabled Trainer stood her ground, glaring right back.

"Well? Either we all pay, or no one goes anywhere."

Holly clenched her fist. First Anabel, and now Kris?

Was everything possible going to stop her journey?

At last, the psychic power dissipated.

Holly felt her voice return as Anabel looked straight at Kris.

"All right, I will pay a portion of the fee." The woman looked towards Holly, and Holly nodded.

What other choice did she have? She'd do anything to continue the journey!

Anabel nodded back and continued. "Holly and I will both pay. But we are staying until the Pokémon are healed, and we have a lot to talk about."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this chapter is a bit interesting. In the original, Kris's angry speeches were not meant to be there at all. They were added later, because of what she deconstructs.**

 **-As stated before, Kris deconstructs a player character by acting as a vigilante. However, it's more noting that a player character has to take down massive criminal organizations mostly by themselves, damage others, see their own Pokémon and possibly loved ones hurt, and, depending on the interpretation or the medium, see people and/or Pokémon die. This is made even worse by the fact that the protagonist is as young as 10 years old.**

 **A lot of media doesn't go into detail on this, and the player character acts normal after it. However, realistically a person during this might be psychologically scarred at the very least. So, Kris is meant to be a more realistic depiction of what happens to someone that acts like that.**

 **-Kris is also meant to deconstruct another part of the player character in Pokémon. In the games, the player character is forced on a journey or do other dangerous tasks without any choice in what they're doing. If the player character is offered a choice, they're usually forced into doing the task anyway. The player character has almost no reactions to this, and it's generally treated as a positive thing. However, I thought realistically, someone would be extremely angry and annoyed at being forced into something that puts themselves and others in danger. Therefore, Kris's rage and angry speeches are an example this depiction.**

 **-The idea of fatigue in battle is treated has to do with what is seen in canon Pokémon material. In the anime, several trainers are seen working their Pokémon to exhaustion, but most show concern or get them treatment. Therefore, no one has charges pressed against them. This also happens to Ash himself, although only in the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga.**

 **-However, there are two trainers seen pushing Pokémon to exhaustion without any remorse or treatment. These trainers are Silver in the games and Paul in the anime. Luckily, both realize the error of their ways, and stop before any charges are pressed.**


	34. Break Through

**Welcome back to Holly Rising! As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

33\. Break Through

Holly quickly paid for her Pokémon's treatment at the desk, head down. She could still see Anabel's severe face as the woman stood next to her. Kris also stood next to her, but her expression was unreadable. Holly didn't know if the older Trainer didn't comprehend what happened, or simply wanted to dismiss it.

Given the way she acted before, Holly suspected it was the latter.

Holy couldn't blame her. After all, it was rather embarrassing… Not to mention that considering all the pain Holly was in before, Kris was most likely in at least twice as much pain…

Holly sighed. At least she would finally get her Gym battle once her Pokémon were healed…

But as she turned to leave, Anabel shook her head.

Confusion entered both Holly and Kris's eyes as Anabel swept her gaze over them both.

Had she done something wrong? She hadn't felt any tug on the tether…

Kris started to say "where are we…"

Yet Anabel kept her severe expression as she removed Holly's tether.

Holly shuddered.

Given what happened the last time, this couldn't have been good.

Anabel's Espeon slowly walked up to her, and Holly shivered.

This definitely couldn't have been good.

Holly's blood ran cold at Anabel's next words.

"Holly, wait here with Espeon. I want to speak with Kris alone."

She turned to Kris. "When I get the room we are to speak, recall your Pokémon. I would like absolute privacy with you."

Kris's words came out as an awkward question. "All right, then?"

Holly's eyes went wide as Anabel gestured to the disabled Trainer. Still confused, she followed her into another room.

Holly could hear the recalling of Pokémon, and she sucked in a breath.

 _Things will be all right_. Holly constantly told herself.

 _Things would be all right._

But things were far from all right.

Because all Holly could hear was fighting.

Her face went pale and she tried to shrink back, but Anabel's Espeon simply followed.

She couldn't hear all the conversation, but she felt lucky that she didn't.

Kris was shouting something about just wanting to be alone.

Anabel's counter cut through the air like a knife. "You prove that you need help, so you've also proven you can't be alone!"

Holly could only hear more screaming, and then it came.

The waves of pain, enough to make her sick. Anger, sadness, fear, grief... All into one, and yet still able to be separate emotions… And all amplifying one another…

Holly clutched her stomach, and Anabel's Espeon radiated with psychic power.

A garbage can floated through the air, and Holly seized both ends before vomiting into it.

She moaned, as a realization of what was happening hit her.

Kris was having another panic attack.

Holly squeezed her eyes shut. Anabel had made it seem as though Kris had had a lot of panic attacks… How could she deal with the pain, every day of her life? How could she live with herself, knowing that she could explode at any moment?

Holly could barely deal with _two_ panic attacks… She couldn't imagine having an entire _lifetime_ of them!

But she was ripped from her dark thoughts as she heard Anabel's flustered cries. Kris was also gasping, and it sounded as though she was thrown against something.

Holly's eyes went wide as she remembered what Kris had said about being near useless in the physical fights. Was that what was going on? Was Anabel using that against her now?

Holly shuddered.

She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

It was impossible not to hear Kris screeching. "You're only proving my point, Anabel!"

Holly heard something else slam, but she didn't know what. It couldn't have been good though.

After a while, the door opened, and Kris stormed out of the center, Delphox at her side. She didn't even stop to look at Holly as she trudged into the city.

Anabel came out afterward, and although there was sternness on her face, she could see the woman was wincing.

She glanced at Holly, and her eyes softened.

The woman sat down and Holly managed to choke out. "What…"

Anabel responded. "She panicked again and lashed out. Of course, I hit back, but it only made her more aggressive. Be that as it may, I still managed to state my terms."

Holly's eyes went wide again.

Kris had managed to _hurt someone physically?_ But she stated she was useless in a fight!

Anabel's eyes softened again as she continued. "She didn't hurt me badly, Holly. Given how angry she was, I'm not even sure she was trying to. Oh, I'll be a little sore, but it's nothing I can't handle."

Holly managed to choke out again. "What... What did you do?"

Anabel responded, a soothing look still in her eyes. "Well, first I gave her a good smacking. Honestly, it's been so long since I actually did that to someone, I'm surprised I remembered how. After that, I had my Pokémon restrain her and force her to stay still. She apparently has some medicine for outbursts, so I had the Pokémon force her to take that too. After that, I was just waiting until the medicine took effect."

Holly shuddered.

Kris had to suffer through those horrible restraints!

And why would someone travel around if they knew they would have an outburst at any moment?

Was Kris constantly afraid?

Or constantly angry?

Perhaps both?

At Holly's widened eyes, Anabel's face softened again.

"After that, I told of her punishment."

Holly continued to stare.

Surely Anabel couldn't punish her former friend! Especially if she was strong enough to take her on in a battle!

She choked out. "You _punished_ … her?"

Anabel nodded.

"She's going to apologize to you, and to me, for her outbursts. Oh, and those Pokémon she trained? She's going to pay for their treatment. All of them."

Holly's eyes went wide.

"What? But we already paid for the treatment together!"

Anabel kept a cool voice as she responded. "That was just for your most wounded ones. There's all the other Pokémon that trained that day, including those that trained with me. And, I'm making her pay us back for the cost she forced us to split. So, in the end, I get my way."

Holly responded.

"So, she went out to go get money…"

Anabel shook her head.

"No, she's heading out to heal some wild Pokémon. With a psychic monitor of course."

Holly's eyes went wide, and Anabel's face turned grave.

"I may not know what happened there, Holly, but I do know that there was a tremendous amount of Pokémon that fainted. Some might have even died. It was almost completely unnecessary... And I knew, that was something you would never do…"

Holly blinked. What did Anabel mean? Kris had just wanted to show her a tactic…

Holly responded. "But she…"

Anabel cut her off. "Let me guess, she told you it was a valid tactic, right?"

Holly nodded, and Anabel continued.

"She's not wrong, but there were other ways she could have shown you. For example, she could have simply told you about the tactic, and be done with it. You could've also practiced on something smaller, like using just a regular Water Pokémon and pretending the grass was water. If she wanted to, one of her many psychic Pokémon could have sent you a projection of the technique, and you could learn it that way. If push came to shove, she could've even borrowed one of the empty pools around here. Cerulean Gym is full of them, and with her status, it would be easy to ask."

Anabel shook her head.

"No, I'm not angry that she used that tactic. I'm upset that, as an experienced Trainer, she should've known that there were other options before causing so much damage."

Holly blinked. How had Anabel gotten Kris to comply with all that? The disabled Trainer seemed so strong-willed…

Holy blinked. "How did you…"

Anabel responded in a grave tone. "I gave her a taste of her own medicine, even more than literally. If she wouldn't comply, I simply held her in the room until she did. Of course she refused at first, but after a while, she got the message."

By now, Anabel was looking at the wastebasket Holly had vomited into.

"Kris really rattled you, didn't she?"

Holly shakily nodded.

Anabel continued in a soothing tone. "She rattled me too. Most of what she said before was out of anger, but at least some of it was true."

Holy blinked back tears as she remembered what she had said to Kris when they had fought on Route 4. Kris had acknowledged what she said as true then, and the disabled Trainer's eyes had looked pained.

Holly shuddered. How awful was to be on the receiving end! How awful it was to feel that pain!

Holly shut her eyes, gritting her teeth. She wished she had never said anything now!

Anabel simply continued. "She was also right in that there has been a conflict going on between you and I, and I dragged her into it without thinking only because I wanted my Kris back. So she has every reason to be angry."

At this moment, Holly opened her eyes, clenched her fists, and yelled.

"But that doesn't give her the right to take it out on anyone else!"

Anabel nodded. "That's correct. And that's why I punished her today."

Holly's mind took her back to the lake, and using one's pain as an excuse to harm others.

Kris had pain. A lot of it. Maybe even more than Holly and Anabel combined.

And she definitely had excuses. Probably a whole laundry list full.

But she must've known not to harm others with it, after clearly having done so and regretting it. Or maybe she'd gotten so used to it she just didn't care.

She heard Anabel sighing.

"The Kris I knew had trouble dealing with emotions. I'm not surprised this one has difficulty too."

Holly's jaw dropped. "Did you…"

Anabel quickly responded. "No, she never went off on me. But I heard horror stories. She was usually so respectful and polite… Until someone got on her bad side. Then there was no end to the brutality…"

Holly's eyes widened.

Kris's sudden change of demeanor… The way she acted in the beginning of the journey versus now…

She had been so polite towards Anabel, yet didn't think twice about attacking Holly with Pokémon…

And then that same scenario happened again, leaving them all injured…

And Kris acted normal when the punishment was placed on Holly, yet as soon as it was carried out, there was no end to her anger…

And then there was the bridge… The horror on the bridge… Up until then, Kris had seemed like an honest Trainer… But then she had attacked children without warning, and brutally injured Pokémon and trainers…

And she had been so kind with Bill's children, yet turned around and acted angry when she lost to Misty…

And then she went out training, only to get even angrier when she returned…

Holy gulped.

In every scenario, there had been something Kris disliked. And that's when she became a completely different person…

The disabled Trainer made it no secret that she disliked Holly…

And now she was acting the same way towards Anabel…

Did that mean that they would continue to be her victims?

Holly barely managed to choke out. "So she hates both you and me?"

Anabel shook her head. "I don't think she hates you and me per se, but I do think she's traveled alone for so long that she's forgotten what it's like to be in a group. I don't think she's used to having ideas being challenged, either. And perhaps, the panic attacks have been going almost untreated for so long that they have influenced her thinking also."

Holly rapidly replied. "So can we _stop_ traveling with her?"

Anabel shook her head. "Now that I know she's got issues, it's far too dangerous to have her traveling alone."

Holly yelled. "Can we make her better?"

Anabel sadly continued shaking her head. "No, I don't think we can."

Holly was aware of her rising voice as it became almost a crescendo.

"Then, what can we do?"

Anabel answered Holly with a question.

"Well, Holly, how comfortable do you feel around Kris? How did you feel when she was having her attack?"

Holly could hear her voice trembling as she responded.

"I don't feel comfortable around her at all! And when she had her attack, the pain was intense! It was like sadness, grief, fear, and anger rolled all into one. I just wanted it to stop, but it wouldn't… I only wished I could make it go away…"

Anabel put a hand under her chin, seemingly deep in thought.

"I'm not sure either of us make her pain go away. But we can make it so you two feel safe around each other.

Holly's eyes flashed as she stated. "Can we take the tether off, or put one on her too?"

Anabel shook her head again. "We can't do either of those. Kris most likely has enough power to resist any tether. And your punishment isn't quite over yet, Holly."

Holly's face quickly fell.

What could they do?

Anabel wasted no time replying.

"But would you feel more comfortable if I give the commands? Of course, Kris would be under my supervision too."

Holly's eyes went wide as she replied.

"Would she have to do everything you say?"

Anabel nodded.

"Yes, she would. It would last until she seemed to be under control, or at least, if she truly had no control, at least she could tell us what to do and how to help her."

Holly shakily nodded. "Okay."

Her vision blurred, and she couldn't stop the tears rolling down her face.

Anabel placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's just… After all that's happened… I just want the pain to go away…"

Anabel nodded. "Kris's, or your own?"

Holly rapidly responded. "All of it."

Anabel nodded again, before softly stating. "How about this? You remember that feeling that you had with Kris, and try to look for it in others. If you can, try to help their pain go away. In return, I will do everything to ensure that you're safe. That includes restricting Kris's freedom too."

Anabel looked Holly directly in the eyes as she stated. "Will you trust me with that, if I trust you with this?"

Holly slowly nodded, feeling the tears running down her face.

Anabel handed her a handkerchief. "Don't cry. Things will be better from now on, I promise you. Regardless of whether all three of us were actually responsible for what's happening, it's clear we need to work as a team in order to move on. And we haven't exactly been doing that lately."

A soothing smile crossed her face. "So let's try again, and see how that works."

Holly nodded.

A new feeling spread over her.

For once, she knew it wasn't pain.

Or sadness.

Or anger.

Or fear.

Holly knew one word to describe this feeling.

And it was relief.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So I decided to have this scene to make things more conclusive, showcase more of Kris's dark side (off-screen this time), and highlight the group recognizing and working through their tensions. It will be a while before they do, though…**


	35. Flooded

**Welcome back to Holly Rising! There is a prompt, but since it contains spoilers, it will be shown in the author's notes. As usual, I don't own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

* * *

34\. Flooded

For a few hours, everything was quiet. Holly wondered if that quiet would ever continue.

She wondered, against her better judgment, if Kris would come back.

After all, they needed the older Trainer to continue, and Anabel said they would work as a team from now on.

After what seemed like hours, the silence was broken as the older trainer trudged back in. Her Delphox walked beside her, flames burning bright as its face held no emotion.

In contrast, Kris's face could rival a storm cloud, and Holly tried not to shrink from the death glare she gave.

Anabel put a hand on her shoulder, and faced Kris with her own stern gaze. Psychic power radiated, and for once, Kris did not resist.

After a while, Holly heard what sounded like a lock breaking.

Anabel nodded.

"It seems as though you've healed all the Pokémon."

Her eyes darkened.

"Or what ones you could, anyway."

Holly shuddered. There had been so many Pokémon that had fainted in that lake…

How many of them had actually been left for dead?

With her indifference, she wondered if Kris even knew.

Did she even care?

It seemed like the disabled Trainer did, when she reacted badly to Holly's injured Mighyena. Yet Mightyena was only injured that badly because Kris had hurt so many without looking back…

Perhaps it was better not to ask.

Holly doubted she would get an answer.

Or at least, an honest one.

Instead, she was torn from her dark thoughts by the sound of Anabel's voice.

The woman had her hands on her hips, fixing Kris with her own icy gaze.

"Well?"

The woman glanced at Kris expectantly, and the disabled Trainer only glared back.

Yet Anabel remained unperturbed as she continued.

"Something you want to say to Holly and me?"

The disabledTtrainer sighed, but never lost her fiery glare. "All right, I'm sorry."

Anabel gestured for Kris to go on. "Yes, but about what?"

The disabled Trainer glanced around, her eyes finally losing much of her fire. Holly couldn't see sorrow in them, but something unreadable.

What was she thinking? Perhaps it was better not to ask…

Regardless, Kris finally spoke. "About the outbursts. And about attacking you and Holly."

Anabel nodded, and Holly thought the apology sounded rather lackluster, as if Kris couldn't believe she was saying it.

Holly was surprised Anabel didn't make her repeat it more sincerely. Given the disabled Trainer's stoicism, she suspected that was the best apology they would get out of her.

But now Anabel was holding out her hand, icy coldness never leaving her gaze.

"There's something you have to give to me and Holly, isn't there?"

The disabled Trainer growled, then rapidly walked over. Holly's eyes widened as she placed a wad of cash into her hand.

She glanced down, realizing how heavy it was and fought to keep herself from dropping it.

Had they really paid this much? And it wasn't even all of it…

No wonder Anabel wanted Kris to pay the rest…

Holly looked to see the disabled Trainer dumping a similar wad of cash into Anabel's hand. Anabel nodded, then gestured to the desk. Kris carefully walked up, and Holly heard her sigh as money slammed down on the desk. Holly couldn't tell how much money there was, but she suspected by Kris's grimacing expression that there was a lot…

At least, judging by her previous travels and the fact that she was traveling by herself, she seemed to be well-off…

But as the disabled Trainer returned, Anabel fixed her with a severe expression.

Holly shuddered as she recalled what happened.

Kris hadn't been there when they made the decision. How would she react now? With all her power, and the way she acted about situations she disliked, Holly couldn't imagine any good reaction.

Before Kris could respond, Anabel spoke again. "Until further notice, I will be the one giving Holly her commands."

Kris testily replied. "Good, I never wanted to do that anyway."

Anabel ignored the response as she continued. "And, until further notice, you will be under my supervision. Other than emergencies, you will also be under my commands."

Kris's eyes went wide "You can't enforce that! You know I'm too strong for any tether."

Anabel nodded. "I know. That's why I have other methods."

With that, Holly could feel psychic energy radiating from the disabled Trainer again. She cringed, and Holly could hear some sort of invisible lock going shut.

She wondered if this was the same lock she heard being taken off before, shivering at the irony.

Animal confirmed it as she continued. "You know what this is. A psychic monitor. Aside from emergencies or things that require privacy, my Pokémon I will know what you do. It's not a tether, but it may as well be."

Kris rapidly responded. "Why even do this?"

There was no sympathy in Anabel's voice as she responded.

"Because everything you've done is because you acted on your own without acknowledging others. That may have worked when you're alone, but now you're in a group, and you can't do that anymore."

There was no missing the venom dripping from Kris's voice as she snarled. "And just how long do you intend to keep me like this?"

There was coldness present in Anabel's eyes as she stated. "Until you can control yourself. Or if you can't, until you're able to tell Holly and me what's going on, so we can help you."

Kris's voice went up to a screech. "You can't do this to me! I'm also an adult!"

Anabel shook her head. "Not with the way you're acting, you're not. You want me to treat you like one? Then the only way through is to continue the journey."

Kris grimaced. "Fine. But I will _never_ forgive you, and I will _never_ be your friend."

Holly shuddered.

Did Kris really mean what she said, or was she just angry again?

Regardless, Anabel seem unperturbed. "Never is a long time."

Holly thought she could sense pain in Anabel. Was she thinking about the friends from Hoenn that she wouldn't see again?

If so, then she would definitely know about "never".

Yet Holly also couldn't help focusing on Kris.

She shuddered.

The waves of pain came again, but thankfully they were jammed.

But there was something odd that Holly hadn't noticed before.

She expected the waves to try and inundate everything in order to overwhelm her and Anabel.

Instead, they were directed inward, like a giant funnel.

Holly resisted the urge to gasp.

Why was Kris's pain being directed towards herself? Was there a certain part she hated?

And was the older Trainer directing her hate towards Anabel and Holly, in order to cover up fact that she hated herself?

Holy glanced toward Anabel.

Surely the woman would have some answers for what was happening!

But there was nothing, and the woman was only staring straight ahead.

Holly remembered what Kris had said, blaming herself for the loss at the Gym…

Was she like that because she hated herself?

Yet Holly was drawn back Kris as the disabled Trainer hissed. She noticed there was a flicker of pain on her face, and Holly could not help feeling curious.

She had never truly seen the disabled Trainer in pain, but Anabel had said she had _always_ been in pain.

Perhaps she was referring to the anxiety?

Or something worse?

Holy finally had the courage to whisper "Is that from before?"

Kris slowly nodded.

Something entered Holly's head, like a half joke. She doubted anyone would laugh, but she had to ask anyway.

"Do you need a potion?"

Holy could feel Anabel's confused look as she asked her question. She suppose the woman would be confused. After all, potions were not meant for human consumption, and Holly hadn't heard of anyone drinking any other than during emergencies.

She had not expected Kris to answer seriously, but the disabled Trainer's eyes shone.

"As a matter of fact, I think I do."

Suddenly, psychic power radiated from her, and a blue and purple spray bottle appeared in her hand.

She quickly unscrewed the cap, before gulping down the mixture to the last drop.

Both Anabel's and Holly's eyes went wide.

Holly whispered a question that lingered at the back of her mind. "Are you a Pokémon?"

Kris being a Pokémon didn't seem right… But it would make sense… That would explain her unwillingness to follow commands, and how she could understand the creatures so easily… Not to mention Holly had heard stories of Pokémon transforming into people before... She was told one had even beaten a League in a faraway region, but she wasn't sure how true it was…

Yet if Kris even heard the question, she gave no indication.

She gave no indication that she even wanted to speak again, until Anabel fixed her with another stern gaze.

"Regardless of whether you're person or a Pokémon, the pain is no one's fault but your own."

Anger flashed in Kris's eyes as she snarled. "Speak for yourself."

Anabel shook her head, coolness never leaving her eyes.

"Look, I know that I dragged you into our journey and conflict. And I did it for a stupid reason. I'm sorry about all that. But it is your choice to continue acting the way you are now. It was your choice to hurt both people and Pokémon before. And it is your choice to continue to do so now."

Anabel seemed to hit a nerve with the disabled Trainer, as she turned pale.

She remembered Kris's past as a vigilante. She had made choices that hurt and killed others before…

Was she remembering that now?

Yet Holly could get no answer as she heard another ding.

Anabel replied. "It seems like the Pokémon are healed. Let's go back to the Gym."

Holly only nodded, reattaching the Poké Balls to her belt.

As she fell into step beside Anabel, concern was alight in the woman's eyes as she stated. "The Kris I knew held grudges. I heard one of them was so bad that it was against her own family and it was almost a decade long."

Anabel shook her head.

"This one does that too, it seems. I wonder what she'll do now that the grudge is against me… From what I remember, she didn't know forgiveness…"

Holly's eyes widened.

What would Kris do? She was almost afraid to know…

She tried not to let her feelings show as the group headed towards the Cerulean Gym.

The doors swung wide open, and as before, the group trudged inside.

Holly heard the roaring of the water and saw the sparkling white platforms. Yet she paid little attention as she spotted Misty standing near the platforms. From what Holly could see, she was already ready to battle.

She grimaced as her Poké Balls were surrounded by psychic energy. Rapidly, they flew off her belt and onto Kris's.

Holly clenched a fist as she remember the punishment. Of course, that always got in the way!

Holly's Poké Balls settled on Kris's belt, and Holly focused on the disabled Trainer.

However, she noticed something looked different.

There was no mistaking the newfound sharpness in Kris's eyes, and Misty returned it with the same gaze.

"Oh, you came back. Couldn't get enough of me, could you?"

Misty flashed a playful gaze at Kris, but the older Trainer met her eyes only reluctantly.

Misty's eyes darkened, and Holly shivered as she stated. "You know, I heard there was a ruckus at the Pokémon Center, and apparently, there was some Pokémon injured at the lake. I also heard that a few got overworked."

Kris went pale, and Misty continued speaking.

"Would you happen to know anything about that?"

Holly blinked.

How could Misty know about what happened? She supposed it was only logical, considering she was the leader of Cerulean.

But still… To say that in front of Kris…

And how would Kris respond?

The disabled Trainer nodded, face still pale.

She tried to speak confidently, but Holly could still detect the shaking in her voice.

"Yes, I know… Because I caused it."

Holly expected Misty's eyes to show outrage, or ask more questions.

But instead, Misty simply shook her head.

"I should've known. You were always like that, overworking unless someone stopped you. But you're traveling, it's been a while, and you're with friends now. Surely you've learned your lesson?"

Kris's eyes flashed with rage, and Holly felt the waves of pain traveling toward the disabled trainer.

Her voice contained the same tranquil fury as before. "I haven't learned anything, Misty. It doesn't matter how much I travel or who I'm with. I'm always a stupid workaholic even though I know better."

Holly's eyes widened, and she glanced at Anabel.

Was Kris that down because of what the woman had said?

Anil glanced at Holly and shook her head.

She softly stated. "Whatever is going on with Kris now was going on long before we met her. Now, it's just being brought back."

Yet now Misty had a look of annoyance in her eyes. Her voice was filled with rage as she locked eyes with Kris

"You were always like that too! Always putting yourself down! With that attitude, you'll never win another fight again!"

Holly shivered and Anabel's look turned grave.

Misty had a resolute look in her eyes as she stated. "Now get out there and battle!"

Without waiting for an answer, Misty threw a Poké Ball. "Go, Starmie!"

The powerful star-shaped Pokémon appeared, not showing even a trace of fatigue from the battle before.

Kris quickly held a Poké Ball in her own hand. "Go, Pikachu."

The electric mouse appeared on the platform, going into its combat stance.

Holly shuddered.

Before, Pikachu had been the first to fall. Would this be a repeat of the events?

Yet before Misty could say anything, Kris made her move.

"Pikachu, Thunder Wave!"

Pikachu's body glowed, and yellow rings of electricity shot out from it. Starmie moved up to dodge, but it slammed straight into the rings instead.

Starmie's body drooped and glowed yellow, before it fell limply back into the pool.

Misty screeched her Pokémon's name, but the only reply was electricity crackling from its body.

Holly knew there was no way it could move now.

And that's when Kris seized her chance.

"Pikachu, use Thundershock… On the pool."

Pikachu looked back, hesitation flickering in its eyes.

Holly couldn't blame it. After all, Kris had just told it to use the tactic that made it collapse with exhaustion.

Yet Kris only nodded, and Pikachu turned around.

Misty's face went white as several shocks erupted from Pikachu's body. Holly heard the shocks landing in the pool, but couldn't see. Instead, she shielded her eyes, as the entire battlefield became a mix of white and yellow light.

Holly couldn't resist cringing. She may not have heard the screams, but she couldn't imagine the amount of pain Starmie was in… Holly tried glancing at Anabel, but immediately stopped, as she was blinded by the light.

Holly couldn't see the woman, but she doubted she was doing much better.

But there were other things to worry about, like Misty.

How was she faring?

Was the Gym Leader horrified, or used to it?

The question didn't have much time to rattle around in Holly's head, as the electricity soon cleared.

Holy cracked her eyes open and gazed back at the battlefield.

Pikachu was still in its combat stance, although it was panting. Starmie, in contrast, lay in the water. The star shaped Pokémon drooped so much, Holly thought that it would keel over and drown. Electricity crackled from its body, and Holly thought she could see the gem in the center flashing. Holly thought Misty would recall her Pokémon, but instead the Gym Leader faced Kris with a resolute look on her face.

"I should've known you'd do something like this. That was always one of your favorite tactics…"

Kris nodded.

"You know me too well. You're not even riled up like you used to be."

Holly blinked at the conversation. It sounded as if it was friendly banter, not one person about to lose a Pokémon in a Gym battle…

Holly was reminded of what Anabel had said. Kris clearly had not liked losing, or fighting for someone else. But she must have liked Misty…

What had gone on between those two?

But Holly couldn't ponder any more as Kris's voice resumed the commanding tone.

"Finish it, Pikachu! Thundershock!"

Pikachu let out a cry as another lightning bolt shot from its body. Starmie lit up briefly as it was zapped by the yellow and white. However, this light only lasted a few seconds, and before Holly knew it, it was over.

Starmie lurched forward, about to topple over into the water. Misty quickly recalled her Pokémon.

She faced Kris again, the same resolute look on her face.

"As strong as ever, I see. But let's see how you handle this one!"

Misty tossed another Poké Ball into the air. "Go, Dewgong!"

The Poké Ball opened to reveal another Pokémon splashing into the pool.

Holly could see this Pokémon was white. It had a tail like a mermaid's and shining black eyes. The horn on its head matched its sleek white fur.

Holly's eyes went wide. Dewgong were powerful, so she was surprised to see that a Gym Leader had one this early. And they generally evolved very late, so most would be too strong for an early Gym…

But then Misty was a Water type expert… Of course she would have powerful Pokémon… And perhaps this Dewgong had evolved early. It would make sense…

Regardless of the reason, Holly was sure Kris couldn't let her guard down.

Pikachu went back into its combat stance, but Kris only shook her head.

Confusion was written on the Pokémon's eyes as she recalled it without a word.

Holly couldn't help having her own eyes fill with confusion.

What was Kris doing?

Pikachu was her best chance against Misty…

But Kris paid no heed to the stares.

Instead, she held another Poké Ball in her hand. "Go, Poliwag!"

Holly's eyes widened.

Why Poliwag? There wasn't much it could do…

But the tadpole appeared on the field, glaring straight at its opponent.

Holly gulped. This wouldn't be an easy match, no matter how confident Poliwag was.

But what Kris commanded Holly's Pokémon to do made her blood run cold.

"Poliwag, Water Gun!"

Holly's eyes went wide. Water Gun wouldn't do much damage against a Dewgong! Kris must have made a mistake!

But the disabled Trainer did not correct herself as Poliwag forcefully sprayed water from its mouth.

Dewgong easily ducked under the attack. Although the Pokémon couldn't be seen, Holly could see the ripples in the water as it swam towards Poliwag.

Holly shuddered. What would it do?

Misty's eyes blazed as she locked eyes with Kris. "You're an experienced Trainer. You should know better than to use that attack against a Dewgong."

Yet Kris only smiled deviously.

She said her next command without emotion.

"Poliwag, Hypnosis."

Poliwag's eyes glowed red, and it hopped forward expectantly.

Holly didn't know what Kris was trying to do, but she soon got her answer.

Misty threw her hand over her mouth, surprise entering her eyes.

She tried to state a command, but it was far too late.

Dewgong rapidly resurfaced, and Poliwag shot out its red rings.

The Pokémon's eyes widened in surprise as it slammed straight into the rings. Its eyes closed, and it fell back into the water, letting out snores as it did so.

Kris faced Misty, a triumphant smile on her face.

"You're a Gym Leader. You should know better than to walk straight into a feint."

Misty's eyes narrowed, and she gritted her teeth.

But she couldn't do anything as her Pokémon slumbered.

Kris pointed at the sleeping Dewgong. "Poliwag, Doubleslap!"

Poliwag lunged, legs lashed out. The Dewgong could do nothing as Poliwag struck blow after blow. It looked like a beating that would never stop, yet Holly could see the blows were not doing much.

There wasn't any bruises, let alone any dents.

Holly cocked her head.

What was Kris's plan?

She must've had one, because she didn't even stir when the Dewgong's eyes popped open.

A look of glee crossed Misty's face as she shouted. "Alright, Dewgong, Headbutt!"

Poliwag's eyes went wide, and it didn't even have a chance to dodge as Dewgong slammed its head into it.

The Pokémon screeched as it went flying backward. It slammed into the ground, and Holly could see from its multiple bruises that there was no getting up.

Holy clenched her fists.

What was the point of having Poliwag fight against an opponent that so obviously outclassed it?

Yet Kris didn't seem to think there was a hitch in her plans, as she rapidly recalled Poliwag. Her commanding glance never left arise as she tossed another Poké Ball.

"Come back out, Pikachu!" The electric mouse appeared, still going into its combat stance. However, Holly could see it was still panting.

Holly cocked her head. She knew Pikachu was the best chance against Misty, but what was the point of sending a tired Pokémon into battle?

Kris didn't seem to notice, even when Dewgong readied its attack.

Misty pointed at Pikachu. "Water Pulse!"

Holly's eyes widened as she watched the ball of water with its dreaded waves.

One hit from that, and the battle would be over!

Yet Kris had an intense look in her eyes, unfazed.

"Jump, and use Thunder Wave, Pikachu!"

As the water roared towards the electric Pokémon, Pikachu jumped decisively. The Dewgong glanced up, but a new sharpness entered Pikachu's eyes.

Electricity crackled from Pikachu's body, and the yellow rings shot out of it.

Once again, the opponent could not dodge as it was trapped within the rings.

Pikachu landed on the platform, and Kris grinned as she seized the advantage.

"Pikachu, Thundershock!"

Yellow bolts of lightning erupted from Pikachu. The Dewgong screamed as the electricity lit it up. Holly flinched as the shock raced through the opposing Pokémon. But as before, it was over in a few minutes' time. Pikachu still stood on the platform, but fatigue was evident in its eyes.

Holly glanced, expecting to see the Dewgong falling in the water.

Yet it still remained upright, even though the crackling electricity clearly slowed it down. It showed pain and bruises, but fire still burned in its black eyes.

Misty smiled as she made her move. "Dewgong, Aroura Beam!"

Dewgong's horn glowed, and a blue light shot out of it. Holly thought she could see a bit of red mixed in with orange and other colors.

The colors didn't matter though, as it all slammed into Pikachu.

The mouse Pokémon screeched as it crashed onto the ground. It didn't even try to stand up, instead, laying lifeless.

Holly cringed.

Kris should have known that would happen! And now she'd lost two powerful Pokémon!

How would she win the match now?

Yet, Kris's answer came in the form of another Poké Ball flying through the air.

"Finish this, Mightyena!"

The wolflike Pokémon let out a howl so loud that Holly it would shake the walls of the Gym.

Holly shuddered. Would this new strength help it win?

But before Misty could react, Kris spoke another command. "Mightyena, Thunder Fang until the foe is defeated."

Mightyena's fangs crackled with electricity. With another howl, it launched itself at Dewgong. The opposing Pokémon tried to swim away, but static electricity held in place. The Dewgong screamed as Mighyena latched on and bit down. Holly could see splashes in the water as the Dewgong thrashed under Mightyena.

The Pokémon only unleashed a fury of strikes, biting harder and harder with each one. More and more bruises appeared on Dewgong, and it looked as though it could barely move.

At one point, it somehow shook off Mightyena. However, injuries and crackling electricity prevented it from swimming far. Holly cringed as her own Pokémon landed in the water.

It had gotten so exhausted last time… Would be the same now?

Yet now Mighyena easily bobbed back up. It latched onto the Dewgong's tail, easily climbing up to its back. The Dewgong screamed, but Mightyena silenced it with a swift bite to the back of its neck.

Holly gasped as both her Pokémon and the opposing one sank below the water.

Had they drowned? Had Kris won the battle by killing a Pokémon?

Holly glanced at the disabled Trainer, but her eyes were expressionless. They contrasted against Misty's, who, despite her expertise, had a gaze full of horror.

After a few minutes, Dewgong's still form floated up. Holly gulped, but Misty only looked relieved.

Perhaps she could tell her Pokémon was alive as she recalled it. Holly only hoped that was the case.

Frantically, her eyes searched wildly. Her Pokémon must be around here somewhere! Kris wouldn't dare kill a Pokémon after what happened at the Center!

After what seemed like forever, a huge splash erupted from the water. Mightyena emerged, shivering and soaked but alive. Holly almost cried with relief as her Pokémon hauled itself onto one of the platforms.

Kris smiled and nodded before recalling it.

She noticed that Misty had her own smile, simply stating. "Well, I think that proves who this match goes to! Congratulations!"

The red-haired trainer ran over, holding a blue badge in the shape of a teardrop. In her hand was also a blue disk.

"Here's the Cascade Badge, and the TM for Water Pulse."

Kris took the items, yet there was a flicker of pain in her eyes. Concern could be seen in Misty's, but the disabled Trainer said nothing. Instead, she simply handed the Badge to Holly. Holly placed it with her other ones, as her Poké Balls returned to their places.

Anabel quietly stepped up.

"Congratulations." She murmured.

Kris didn't even turn to look at her. Instead, she just walked away without speaking, head down.

A question appeared in Misty's eyes, yet Anabel made no move to answer it.

Holy shuddered, sending waves of anger and sorrow coming off the disabled Trainer.

Holly gritted her teeth.

Even though she and Kris were different, they both shared the same pain.

Because the two had one thing in common.

They were both Anabel's prisoners, and they didn't know whether they would ever be free.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _Okay, prompt time!_

 _So, Misty had two Pokémon that she could use. They were Starmie and Wartortle. However, I did not think Wartortle was a very good fit for Misty, because it's often associated with other characters. Therefore, I got permission to use Dewgong instead. I thought that made more sense, because Misty is seen using a Dewgong in the anime, both inside and outside the battle. It's also worth noting that the other Kanto character associated with Dewgong will not be fighting in this RP (although she might still be seen, and is confirmed to appear in at least one of Kris's stories)._

 **Now, for the rest of the chapter…**

 **-Holly's remark that Dewgong must have evolved early comes from the fact that Dewgong evolves very late (mid 30s as compared to most water Pokémon evolving at least once when they hit the 20s). Holly's surprise at Misty having a Dewgong comes from the fact that, worried to evolve naturally, it would be far too high leveled for her to use in most battles.**

 **-Holly's reference to a Pokémon taking the championship is a reference to N from Unova. While it's neither confirmed nor denied in the game, many players suspect that he is actually a Pokémon. Regardless, N is a powerful Trainer, strong enough to battle his way to the Championship, and win. Even though he steps down later on, he is still one of the most powerful Trainers the player can fight in Unova. N will most likely not be seen in this RP, but I do plan to go into his history in some of the other books. This includes answering the question of whether or not he is human or Pokémon.**


	36. Realization

**Welcome back to Holly Rising! New area this time, so new prompt! However, this prompt will be after the chapter, since it contains spoilers for it. Also as a warning, this chapter deals with a character's death, although the death itself is not shown.**

 **As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

35\. Realization

After a quick stop at the Center, the group trudged on to the tiny Route 5.

Holly tried to look at Kris and Anabel, but neither spoke.

Instead, there was only an eerie silence, broken by the flames of Kris's Delphox and the sound of everyone's steps.

Holly remembered the grudge that Kris had, and realized it was far heavier than anything else she'd carried.

Holly shivered.

How long would this go on? How long _could_ this go on?

Holly was suddenly snapped from her thoughts by distant howls and dark shapes on the horizon.

Rapidly, Anabel ordered. "It might be a crisis! Let's go!"

She broke off into a run. Holly and Kris quickly followed.

The howling grew into a crescendo, and Holly could slowly make out what the dark shapes were.

This sounds grew deafening, and Holly resisted the urge to cover her ears.

However, she stopped upon finally seeing the shapes' true form.

Holly let out a gasp, and Kris tensed.

The dark shapes were a pack of Mightyena, snarling and snapping. Their red eyes glared, and they were in a tight formation.

But it wasn't the Mightyena themselves that were the issue.

Instead, it was what they had trapped.

Holly focused, and her face grew pale as she realized she could see a girl. The girl was around her age, but Holly couldn't make out much else.

Because all Holly could see was blood.

The girl's entire body was covered in the sticky red substance, and she looked as though she'd been crying for a while. Holly could see that there was some blood on the Mightyena too, but she doubted it was theirs.

When she did know was that there was an immense amount of pain radiating from the girl. There was so much, it almost bowled Holly over. She grimaced as she fought to stay upright. For once, she was glad she was attached to Anabel, as the tether kept her standing.

But then…

There was another source of pain…

It was as strong as the girl's, and it almost outdid her…

Once again, Holly struggled to stay on her feet. The only thing that kept her going was the surprise that where the pain was coming from.

Holly blinked.

It was coming from… the Mighyena?

But why were the Pokémon in pain when they were the ones that caused the injuries? They didn't deserve to be in pain!

Holly's eyes narrowed.

Orders or not, she had to help the girl!

Holly stepped forward, Poké Ball shining in her hand. However, Anabel quickly grabbed her arm, shaking her head.

Holy glared.

Was this about the stupid punishment again?

Yet Anabel seemed to have a look of concern in her eyes as she stated.

"Any attacks we do could further injure the girl, or even kill her. And there's no guarantee those Pokémon won't turn on us, either."

Holy clenched her fist.

No matter how athletic she was, she was no match for a pack of Mightyena! But what could she do? It wasn't like she could just do nothing…

All of a sudden, Holly was alerted to the sound of more footsteps. Her eyes widened as Kris walked up between her and Anabel. For once, her Delphox stayed behind. Holly suspected the disabled Trainer didn't want her Pokémon to agitate the wild ones. And Holly knew, service Pokémon or no, the Delphox could fight.

But then, what was Kris doing?

She should know, out of all of them, that she was at the biggest disadvantage! And the older Trainer should understand after her fights with Holly and Anabel that trying to attack anything physically was almost like asking for death.

Yet there was no combativeness in Kris's eyes. She didn't even raise a hand.

Instead, her blue eyes focused on the Mightyena.

Her voice boomed through the area, and the Pokémons' eyes widened in surprise. "Why did you attack the girl?"

Holly shook her head.

Kris was an idiot! Special power or no, the Mightyena were never going to answer! And they weren't the same as the calm wild Pokémon Kris had summoned before!

She was going to get attacked, or worse, killed! Maybe she'd get them _all_ attacked or killed!

Yet suddenly, Holly saw the Mightyena tense, and all eyes were on Kris. Not a single one lunged.

Instead, Holly could hear barks and growls, but they may as well been screams. This time, Holly couldn't help covering her ears, and the worst part was that she realized she could understand none of it.

Yet Kris was nodding, seemingly having a conversation only she could understand.

She gestured to her Delphox, and psychic power radiated from it. The psychic powers surrounded Holly and Anabel.

Holly shuddered, remembering the awkwardness of telepathy on the bridge. She knew what was coming next as voices appeared in her head.

There was a chorus, and yet they all spoke as one. _"This girl attacked our nest for no real reason, and injured our pups almost as badly as we injured her!"_

Hollie felt her own thoughts occupy her mind as she glanced around wildly.

 _Nest… I don't see any nest…_

Yet Kris suddenly gestured to the right, where Holly could see a den. "In there."

Anabel nodded, and a sharp tone entered her voice.

Holly felt her tether disappear, but knew this was no freedom.

Anabel quickly issued a command. "Holly, find the nest!"

Holly nodded and dashed off, not daring to think of what would happen if she tried to run away.

She didn't have to go far into the den before she found the nest.

And Holly's eyes quickly widened upon what she found.

There were two Poochyena pups weakly whimpering, and Holly could barely see their faint breathing. Blood streaked their grey fur, and their fearful eyes were dull.

Holly's breath caught in her throat as she noticed two other shapes.

There were more pups.

And they weren't moving.

There was so much blood Holly could hardly see their fur. Glassy eyes stared sightlessly forward, bodies not even twitching. Holly somehow found herself looking closer, and could see particularly large gashes on the Pokémons' throats. Occasionally, one of the living Poochyena would look back at the grisly sight as they howled for their lost comrades.

But there was no answer. Only eerie silence.

And a scream that Holly recognized as her own.

The silence was broken again as Anabel yelled. "Holly, are you all right?"

Holly didn't answer, as she felt hot tears coming down her cheeks. Her vision swam, and her body was racked with sobs. She could hear them echoing throughout the cave, and was surprised no one ran to her location.

Yet Anabel still yelled. "Holly, can you hear me? Come out and tell me what's wrong!"

Holly shakily obeyed, wondering how she found the strength to continue.

A wave of nausea gripped her and she felt Anabel's hand around her shoulder. The woman directed her to some shrubbery, and Holly wailed again she pitched forward.

She wasn't sure when she stopped vomiting, only that Anabel helped her up.

Holly's tear stained face made Annabel's eyes as the woman stated. "Holly, what happened in there?"

Holly somehow managed to choke out.

"There were four pups... Two of them were badly hurt… And the other two… They were dead…"

Anabel nodded. "I see. You've done all you can. Let Kris and I take over now."

Holly nodded, barely registering the tether reappearing, or the soothing tone of voice that Anabel had used.

Instead, she numbly walked over to where Kris was waiting.

Holy noticed the older Trainer had no emotion, holding her intense gaze as she stared stoically ahead.

Holly blinked.

She wasn't sure which was more terrifying, the dead Pokémon, or the fact that Kris had no reaction…

Was she putting on a brave face, or had she seen so many that it just didn't matter to her anymore?

Holly wasn't sure she wanted to know that answer.

Instead, she focused on Anabel. The woman's eyes now held a glare as she looked straight at the girl. The girl, weak as she was, shrank back.

Anabel's voice took on an icy coldness, as she stated. "Why did you attack those Poochyena? Because of you, two of the pups are dead, and the others are close to joining them!"

Fear filled the girl's voice as she stated. "I never did any of that!"

Before anyone else could do anything, Kris's voice was its own ominous growl. "Did you now?"

A shudder passed through Holly as Kris's Delphox glowed again.

Whatever this was, it couldn't have been good.

The girl let out a screech as she was surrounded by psychic power.

Another screech came from the girl's lips, and Holly's eyes went wide.

What was Kris doing?

All of a sudden, a scene flashed in her head.

Holly could see the girl standing over four Poochyena. Blood trickled from their wounds, and the girl looked almost triumphant. Two whimpered in fear as they slowly weakened. The other two remained unmoving. Even though the girl held no Pokémon, there was enough blood on the ground for Holly to know what she had done.

Holly was aware of the horrified look on her own face, and another wave of nausea seized her.

She wondered if she would vomit again.

Yet Kris once again remained unaffected. Holly couldn't fathom why.

Now the girl's face was white, and Holly was sure it wasn't just because of her injuries. Anabel glared back at the trainer, a stern gaze on her face.

Her voice was still icy cold as she stated. "To attack the Pokémon without provocation, let alone killing them, is a crime serious enough for jail time. And as a member of the International Police Force, is my duty to prosecute criminals like you."

The girl went even whiter, and Holly remembered the incident at the lake.

She shuddered.

Was Anabel about to make an arrest?

She kept her eyes focused as she responded. "I'm traveling right now, but the other members of the International Police Force should be more than enough to deal with you. Now then, why did you attack those Poochyena?"

A spark of defiance entered the girl's eyes, and she refused to answer.

Anabel shook her head. "All right, I suppose you have the right to remain silent."

Holy gulped as she recognized the words.

Anabel _was_ making an arrest!

It could have been her being arrested!

It could still be her!

Holly's face went pale, and she started to back away.

But if Anabel noticed, she gave no indication.

Instead, she nodded for Kris to continue.

The older Trainer faced the Mightyena and coolly commanded.

"Get away from the girl. I promise we will properly punish her, and treat your remaining pups. The rest will get a proper burial, and I'll do it myself."

Instead of barks and growls, the Mightyena collectively let out a loud snarl.

Holly shivered at the voices that appeared in her head. _"How can we believe you? You're just another human!"_

Holly let out a gasp, and even Anabel looked shocked.

Holly shuddered as she remembered Kris's words.

" _I can talk to Pokémon, but that doesn't mean they'll listen…"_

She backed away.

Was this what the older Trainer meant?

Judging from Anabel's look of shock, she guessed the woman was thinking the same thing.

However, Kris simply cringed.

What would the older Trainer do? It wasn't like she could fight…

Suddenly, an aura appeared from Kris's body. Holly could see that it was orange, but also seemed to have flashes of red and white. It also seemed to be transparent, yet at the same time radiating around Kris.

Suddenly, Holly let out a yelp. The world went dark. Holly couldn't see anything, and nearly bumped into Anabel.

But she could still hear.

And what she did hear was unlike anything she'd ever heard before.

A high-pitched sound pierced Holly's ears. It sounded like a little girl laughing, but was somehow mixed in with the chirping of birds.

She was aware of Anabel stiffening.

Did the woman know this sound?

But Holly couldn't focus on that as the sound came again. Now, Holly saw the faint outline of something, but she had no idea what.

Holly clutched her stomach.

All that she knew was that she had never been more afraid in her life.

But as soon as it had come, the aura and the darkness disappeared.

Holly let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

She glanced towards Anabel, but the woman's eyes still held a mixture of sternness and fright.

The Mightyena seemed to calm down, though, and there was no hostility in their eyes.

Yet they still made Holly's blood run cold with what they said next. _"You… You're one of us... You have that look… Why are you traveling with humans? Why do you take human form?"_

At that point, Holly's eyes went wide.

Traveling with humans… Human form… Did that mean…

Kris was a Pokémon?

Kris's ability's command other Pokémon…

The fact that she was so skilled with them despite being a wandering Trainer…

Drinking a potion when she needed to heal…

And how casual she was about hurting other Pokémon…

If she actually was a Pokémon in human form, then that would make sense…

But…

Holly couldn't remember a Pokémon like that, and she didn't recognize the cry…

So if Kris was a Pokémon…

Then what was she…

Holly was ripped from her thoughts, as the Mightyena began to speak again.

" _Since you are one of us, we can let you pass."_

The Mighyena broke their formation, and Anabel walked towards the girl.

Coldly, she stated. "Regardless of the reason, hurting Pokémon without cause is wrong. Therefore, you are to be treated for their wounds, and then handed over to the police for arrest. I am arresting you for Pokémon abuse and the killing of two wild Pokémon. Do you understand?"

The girl shakily nodded, and Holly shuddered.

She had come so close to that…

Anabel tossed a Poké Ball into the air, and a creature appeared in a flash of light.

This Pokémon had a yellow body with spoons in its hands. Black eyes surveyed the landscape, and it had a brown shirt.

Holly shuddered.

Alakazam.

One of the most powerful Psychic Pokémon in existence.

What would Anabel do with it?

Icily, the woman stated. "Alakazam, this girl injured two Poochyena and killed two others. She is a criminal. You know what to do."

The Pokémon nodded, and psychic power radiated from its body.

The girl screamed as she was bound in restraints, and Holly shuddered as she remembered how horrible they were.

Anabel ignored the girl's cries, instead telling her Pokémon.

"There are some surviving pups in the den to the right. Get both them and the girl to the hospital. Also, tell the nurses what happened here, and hand the girl over to the authorities when everything is done."

Alakazam nodded and Holly could briefly see the surviving Pokémon being lifted up before it disappeared in a flash of light.

Holly shuddered again.

So much has happened…

Would she vomit, or cry?

Would Anabel talk to Kris? With the older Trainer even reveal anything?

Yet, there was only an eerie silence.

After what seemed like forever, it was broken as Kris walked over to the dead bodies of the Pokémon.

Holly could hear a Pokémon being released and Kris quietly giving a command.

Then, all Holly could do was listen, as a distant sound of digging filled the air.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _First, on the prompt! Route 5 is a small route the south of Cerulean. The main Trainers here are a biker gang that will force people to pay up told them if they lose in battle. As a mandatory event, a bunch of Mightyena are holding a girl hostage. Players have to find a way to help the girl without being injured themselves. Pokémon that can be caught here are Mightyena, Cacnea, Sandslash, Fearow, Luxio, and Pidgeotto._

 **As for the chapter itself…**

 **-Alakazam is one of Anabel's Pokémon in both the games and the anime. It is used here because it's one of the few Pokémon that can naturally learn Teleport.**


	37. Meeting

**Welcome back to Holly Rising! No prompt this time, but have a longer chapter! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

36\. Meeting

Eventually, the sound of digging stopped, and Kris returned. Her Delphox was the only Pokémon still with her, so Holly assumed that whatever other one she had used had been recalled.

Holly could barely bring herself to meet Kris's face, and the older trainer showed no emotion.

What was going on inside of Kris's head?

What would she choose to reveal, if anything?

What would this mean for Holly and Anabel?

Anabel looked like she was about to say something, but Kris gestured forward.

"This is hardly a place to talk. There are still dangers on this route. Let's continue and find something safer, closer to the next city. I promise I will tell you everything then."

Holly glanced at Anabel. She thought perhaps the woman would protest. She did mention she had control over what Kris did right now, after all.

But Anabel simply nodded.

Holly shuddered. Anabel had seen what Kris could do. Perhaps she didn't want to have any more confrontation…

Not that Holly could blame her…

But then…

What type of power did Kris have that she could exert that type of control over Anabel? Especially when Anabel had tried to act like _she_ was the one with power…

Would Holly learn the truth soon?

Did she even want to know?

These thoughts still occupied her as the group continued walking.

But there were soon interrupted when she saw more shapes on the horizon.

Holly shuddered.

Could there be more people and Pokémon in peril? She wasn't sure she could deal with any more after what she had just seen…

But neither Kris nor Anabel looked panicked. So Holly continued walking.

That is, until she could finally make out the shapes of what was on the horizon.

It was enough to make Holly stop dead.

Countless bicycles greeted her, their wheels glimmering in the sun. Holly remembered that there was a bike shop in Cerulean, but bikes there were rather expensive. Either these people were well-off, or they had gotten around the expense.

But it wasn't so much the bikes that caught Holly's attention as it was the riders.

They blocked the way forward, and there were so many Holly couldn't count them.

The bikers all had glares on their faces, and some of them even snickered. They all leaned forward on their bikes, and Holly was sure they would roll over them.

Holly gulped.

The bikers may not be a group of angry Pokémon, but they were every bit as dangerous.

And Holly was certain she could not take them on in a battle.

She glanced at Kris, realizing the older trainer was looking at the bikers almost expectantly.

Holly blinked.

Had Kris known the bikers would be here? Or did she know the people congregated normally in these areas?

With all the disabled Trainer's traveling, it could've been either.

Holly had no more time to think as the leader of the bikers began to speak.

"Battle us! If you think you are strong enough!" The bikers howled with laughter, and Holly resisted the urge to step away. She tried not to let the bikers see her burning face.

They were laughing at all of them, and they had to work as a team!

But it was still so embarrassing... At least no one mentioned the tether yet…

Rage glowed in Kris's eyes as she stepped forward. Her Delphox's flame burned brightly, and held it out menacingly.

Holly's eyes were wide as she remembered the terror on the bridge.

Was Kris going to do something like that again? Would she dare risk that with what happened with Anabel?

Yet Anabel quickly grabbed Kris's arm, shaking her head.

Holly let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Of course Anabel would have everything under control. She had promised that back in Cerulean.

The woman had a stern tone in her voice as she stated. "Why should we battle you? You didn't even ask politely."

The bikers continued to laugh, and the leader yelled. "Politeness? We don't need politeness! Everyone battles us, and they pay a toll if they lose. Unless, you want to pay the toll now."

By now the laughter was deafening, but none of the group gave an answer.

Holly gritted her teeth.

To be up against a bunch of bullies, yet to feel so powerless against them… It was beyond infuriating!

Holly glanced at Kris, noting the older Trainer still had a murderous gleam in her eyes. Surprisingly, she did not step forward. Holly guessed that despite her own ire, provoking Anabel's was last thing on the disabled Trainer's mind.

Anabel herself had clenched her fist, anger burning in her eyes. Holly shivered.

Was she going to make an arrest again? From what she knew, having a bunch of bikes in the area was not a crime.

But maybe it could be?

Holly didn't know the laws that well…

Before anyone could make a move, Holly heard a woman's voice ring out.

"I thought you thugs would pick on someone your own size!"

The voice was joined by a man's. "Those ne'er-do-wells... They never learn!"

Holly was alerted to the sound of two people running up, and before she knew it, they stood in front of the bikers.

Holly might not have known who the newcomers were, but the bikers certainly did.

Some of their faces went pale, while others shrank back.

One of the bikers whispered.

"It's an Elite Four member!"

Another responded.

"Two of them!"

Anabel whispered. "I think they must be Will and Karen of the Elite Four. I heard they are new additions from another region, but they are plenty powerful."

Holly's eyes were wide. The Elite Four were some of the strongest Trainers in all the regions! And they kept everything in order! Most Trainers were lucky if they encountered one of them, let alone two!

And if someone of such a high authority was here, then the matter must be grave!

Holly redirected her attention at the woman, who she guessed was Karen, nodded at the bikers.

"That's right. Let these Trainers pass…"

The man, Will, growled. "Or suffer the consequences."

The other trainers stared wide-eyed, frozen in their fear.

However, the leader somehow broke out of his stupor.

A smug smile entered his face.

"What will you do? You haven't even used any Pokémon…"

At that, Karen and Will's faces both became grave. Psychic powers surrounded the male Elite Four member, and Holly put a hand over her mouth.

The biker let out a scream as psychic power surrounded him. Both he and his bicycle were lifted off the ground as though they were feathers.

Holly could not letting out a gasp.

Would the bicycle and rider just hang there?

Would they both fall to their death or at least get injured?

The rider's eyes were as wide as saucers, and he screamed. "All right, I understand, I understand! Put me down and I'll get out of here!"

Will only nodded, and slowly lowered bicycle and rider to the ground. Holly wondered why he had released his target so quickly, but she supposed the Elite Four member knew the biker was defenseless.

The instant the psychic power left the biker, he let out another scream. His eyes still were panicked and wide, and he wasted no time fleeing the area. His comrades also had the same gaze, and the air was filled with their own screams. They fled so quickly that many almost bumped into each other.

Regardless, in a few minutes, they were gone.

Will and Karen both shook their heads, and turned towards Holly's group.

Now, Holly could finally get a better look at them.

Will reminded her of a magician, and she wondered if he could actually do magic. She couldn't see his eyes over the black mask he wore, and wondered if he could actually see. Most of his outfit was red, but he had some black shoes. He also had something else that was black with yellow stripes. Holly thought that it resembled a suit, but realized it couldn't be. There was purple clothing under it too, and that matched his hair.

Karen had an entirely different appearance. Silver hair matched her eyes, and bright yellow clothing flashed in the area. She had something else yellow on her belt, but Holly had no idea what it was. She also had yellow high heels, and Holly wondered how she had run in them. The rest of her clothing was a lighter shade of tan, and it almost blended in with her skin.

But Holly couldn't worry about their clothing. Instead, her eyes were drawn to a pair of matching rings on the Elite Four Members' hands.

Holly blinked. Were they married, or simply engaged? She hadn't heard of any ceremony, so maybe it was just some sort of friendship pact. Then again, Gym's Leader's adoptive daughter or no, Holly was just an ordinary trainer.

She probably wasn't privy to the personal information of someone as high up as the Elite Four.

But she supposed that it wouldn't be out of place to ask now.

Holly stepped forward, but before she could even open her mouth, Will shook his head.

"You're Holly of Celadon. I know what you did. The entire League does. I've nothing to say to you."

Holly clenched her fist as Karen's eyes grew hard.

"That's right. There's nothing to say to someone who willingly breaks the law again and again."

Holly gritted her teeth.

The Elite Four helped enforce the law in all the regions. Of course they would be tough on those who broke it.

Karen and Will were turning their gaze away from Holly, instead focusing on Anabel.

Will started. "Who are you? I don't believe we've met…"

Anabel nodded. "I'm Anabel, of the International Police Force. I come from Hoenn. I'm here in Kanto investigating some mysterious events, and to supervise Holly."

Holy noticed that Anabel had left Kris out of her sentence, and realized she could easily figure out why.

Punishment or not, Kris was an adult, so perhaps Anabel couldn't call it supervision.

Regardless, the pair's eyes fell on Kris. She met their gaze squarely, although her expression was unreadable.

Suddenly, Will cringed, and there was no mistaking the grave tone in his voice.

"A psychic monitor. I'm not going to ask what you did, because whatever it was must've been severe."

A disappointed tone also entered Karen's voice as she stated. "Oh, how far you've fallen, Kris…"

Holly blinked.

How did two Elite Four members know Kris's name?

She looked to Anabel, hoping the woman would have some explanation.

However, she was met with only shock.

Anabel rapidly questioned. "You know each other?"

A pained expression entered Kris's face as she replied. "I'm acquainted with them, at the very least."

Before Holly could ask what the disabled Trainer meant, Will was continuing to speak. "First, your aimless wandering, and now this... I can't even begin to say how disappointed I am in you, Kris."

Holly gritted her teeth.

Kris was supposed to be acquainted with Will and Karen, but they certainly weren't acting like they were!

Then again, Kris never said they were friends.

But still…

Holly continued focusing as she realized Will was speaking again.

"So much potential… And yet you continue to waste it… Why do you wait?"

Holly couldn't help but feel rage burning in her eyes.

What they were saying made no sense!

"What do you mean?" She shouted.

Anabel's eyes had also gone wide, but she made no effort to stop Holly.

Will and Karen ignored Holly as they continued to focus on Kris. This time, it was Karen who spoke. "You could be the strongest psychic ever. Magic comes so easy for you. And you could be the toughest trainer This world has ever seen. You could be the Champion. No, you could even _surpass_ the Champion. You have so much power. And yet you don't do anything. Why is that?"

Despite the accusations, Kris meet their gaze squarely and firmly replied.

"You know why. I've chosen to spend my time training Pokémon as I travel."

Will fixed Kris with a severe look, and he kept a grave tone to his voice. "You should know by now that is not wise."

Before Kris could respond, Karen took over. "We know you've been hurt, Kris. The _entire region_ knows. Who knows how many more times you will get hurt? Who knows when your Pokémon won't be able to save you? Who knows when _any_ Pokémon won't be able to save you?"

She shook her head. "Why do you put yourself at risk like that? It's a miracle you're still alive."

Holly blinked, hand clenched into a fist.

Did these powerful Trainers come all this way just to insult Kris? That wasn't fair! They should know better!

Kris was still replying evenly despite what was happening.

"I don't mind the risks. And I am still young. I still have time to figure out what I want…"

Will's voice suddenly rose in pitch, and Holly tried hard not to back away from his anger.

"You may not have much time left, Kris! Someday your luck is going to run out, and it will all be because of a weakness you could've easily fixed!"

As if a spell was broken, Anabel stepped up. At last the woman spoke, voice matching Will's.

"She's doing well enough with her Pokémon!"

Yet the woman was ignored again as Karen simply eyed Kris. "What Pokémon do you even have anyway? You seem to get so many, I have lost count."

Kris coolly responded. "It's true that I have many Pokémon. But they all are capable battlers, and they all are capable of winning fights."

A look of horror crossed Karen's face, and Will grimaced. Surprisingly, Karen was the one who spoke. "Battling? Winning? Is that all that matters to you? Have you forgotten what it was like when you first started out?"

A slight look of terror crossed Kris's face, and Holly could see that the older Trainer's stoicism had finally been broken.

Holly's eyes went wide. What had Kris been like before, and how did Will and Karen know about that?

The accusation Holly had made on Route 4… And the idea that Kris treated Pokémon as tools on the bridge…

Was that all true?

Regardless, Kris began to speak, but she could not stop her voice from faltering. "I… It's been a long time, and of course I don't remember… I've lost so much since then."

There was no sympathy as Karen continued. "Have you? So much so that you've forgotten who you used to be? Forgotten who you are now?"

Kris looked like she was about to protest, but Karen left her no room to reply. "Your Pokémon… You used to be able to tell me everything about them… And now you can't even tell me _one thing…_ Are they truly your friends? Or they just things? A means to an end?"

Holly couldn't help glaring, as she stepped up. "How dare you! Hurling accusations at another Trainer like this! I can't believe you two are Elite Four members!"

She threw up her hands. Couldn't Karen and Will see what they were doing to Kris?

Once again Karen and Will ignored the outburst.

Will simply stated. "She agrees with us."

Holly looked to the older Trainer, and was horrified to see that she was nodding.

Why was Kris agreeing with these bullies? She had to fight back!

But Karen now spoke. "You could've been so much. Yet now you're nothing, because all you do is wander."

Before Kris could respond, Will ominously stated. "Are you wandering because you're _looking_ for answers? Or because you are _afraid_ of them?"

The disabled Trainer had no answer, her face instead turning a deathly pale.

Karen narrowed her eyes, ominously speaking. "If you don't do something, Kris, your wanderlust will kill you. And there won't even be anything to mourn."

Holly clenched her fists, seething with rage.

Enough was enough! Punishment or not, she had to do something!

She yelled at the top of her lungs. "Stop, you tyrants!"

Anabel's eyes went wide, and Karen and Will clearly showed surprise.

Yet Holly could not focus on them as she continued speaking.

"You're adults, and some of the best Trainers in the region. You should know better than to treat someone like this! But clearly you don't, because you're acting crazy!"

Before Karen or Will could protest, Holly took a deep breath and continued.

"It's absurd to ask Kris to remember what it was like when she was younger, when you are so much older and you probably can't remember yourself!"

Holly could hear Anabel going to make a move, but she continued before the woman could do anything.

Instead, she continued to yell. "The Elite Four are supposed to protect and nurture all honest Trainers, but they must not be very good at their job because you two aren't doing that now!"

Will and Karen only looked at each other, expressions unreadable.

Holly resisted the urge to smirk. She had them on the ropes!

She heard the Elite Four were powerful and respectable Trainers, but they sure didn't seem like it.

After all, no respectable Trainer would use power to bully others!

Seizing the moment, Holly yelled. "What Kris does her business, and you have no right to tell her what to do! If she's happy wandering, then she should be able to wander! And if she doesn't want to become Champion, then she shouldn't have to! You can't put her down just because she chooses not to do something! What she does is her choice, not yours!"

As her anger blazed, Holly remembered all the times with Kris.

There was the incident with Cheyenne…

Kris talking about what happened after the fight on Route 4…

And the countless waves of pain Kris had directed at herself…

Holly continued to glare at the two Trainers as a realization hit her.

All those times, Kris had referred to herself negatively… And she had seemed so angry and sorrowful…

She didn't know what made Kris so enraged at herself, but she didn't need anyone else to make it worse.

Holly screamed. "Kris already has trouble with putting herself down. She doesn't need you doing it to her!"

Holly noticed Kris's eyes had gone wide, as if the disabled Trainer couldn't believe what Holly had just said.

Holly was drawn back as Karen tried to interject. "We are just concerned…"

Holly wasn't about to give Karen time to reply. She spat. "If you're so concerned, then why are you not helping her? Why are you not forcing her under the League's watch? Forcing her to learn those psychic powers? Forcing her to remember her younger days? You're two Elite Four members, and one of you is a psychic! I'm sure nothing that I just said is beyond your capacity!"

Karen shook her head, and Will simply shut his eyes.

Holly continued. "You might seem like high and mighty Elite Four members, but in the end, you're just big bullies! Shame on you both!"

Holy threw her arm to the right.

"You're just like those bikers, so get out of here!"

Karen let out a deep sigh, and Will didn't say anything. Kris and Anabel didn't dare move.

After what seemed like forever, Karen simply responded. "Fine. We'll leave."

Will quickly added. "But don't say we didn't warn you."

Holly fixed the couple with one last blazing glare as the two Elite Four members turned and walked away.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _So, prompt time! Well, sort of. When gathering data for Kris's story, I learned the RP had a change in Elite Four members. Will and Karen moved to the Kanto Elite Four, replacing Lorelei and Agatha. As for who took their places in their own Elite Four, this RP unfortunately does not say (since the creator did not make up replacements for them, and doesn't deal with much beyond Kanto). One of Kris's books will, however, since she deals with the other regions, and would remember the members switching out._

 **As for the chapter, itself…**

 **-I chose to put Will and Karen in here in order to expand on Kris's history, and to help develop Holly's character. This is also a bit of a homage to the original, because, her original incarnation knew both Will and Karen. However, her relationship with Will was bad, and the one she had with Karen wasn't much better. She actually has a better relationship with them in this version, but it won't be seen in Holly Rising.**

 **-Also, since I forgot to mention earlier, I should bring up magic in the Pokémon world. Magic is seen very much in the Pokémon world, but it is there. Many Ghost Pokémon Trainers mention magical powers, and one is shown being able to do magic by swiping the player's phone without even touching it to exchange numbers. Several Pokémon abilities are similar to magic, but I don't believe any are directly called that. Magic shows up a bit more in the anime, but not much. The biggest example was a witch that was gathering up Pokémon materials for magic spells, and accidentally turned Ash into a Pikachu with one of them. Magic has a greater role in this universe, but most likely not in Holly Rising.**


	38. Suspicion

**Welcome to Holly Rising with a new area! As always with a new area, there's a new prompt! As usual, I don't own Pokémon, and check the author's notes for details. All forms are the property of Wizardmonfan, and they're being summarized here with permission.**

 **Now, on to the prompt!**

 _Route 6 is a short route connecting to Vermillion. Due to sudden temperature changes, a lot of the vegetation on the route has died. Many Pokémon are left without shelter, and are aggressive. The same Pokémon can be caught here as in the previous route. The one exception is Mightyena, as the locals thought it would be too dangerous for them to be near a city and drove them out._

* * *

37: Suspicion

The group walked on in silence as they reached another tiny route. Kris continued, head down, not even meeting Holly's eyes. Anabel's face, on the other hand, looked like it could freeze anything.

Holly flinched as the woman swung her head around.

Her voice boomed throughout the route as she focused on Holly.

"I can't believe you acted up with two Elite Four members!"

Defiance gleamed in Holly's eyes as she stated. "They had no right to treat Kris that way! I can't believe you didn't even try to defend her!"

Kris briefly looked up at the mention of her name, but Anabel's eyes became even sterner.

She gestured around her. "We're in a safe route now."

She turned her gaze on Kris, and the disabled Trainer shrunk back. "Which means I believe Kris has something to tell us."

Holly could not miss the crestfallen look in Kris's eyes. Softly, she stated.

"Yes, I do." Holly easily detected the heartbreak present in Kris's voice.

She shivered. What did the older Trainer have to say?

What was she going to hear?

The disabled Trainer was now biting her lip, and Anabel had her hands on her hips expectantly.

Holly waited in an eerie silence, unable to stop herself from trembling.

Finally, Kris took a deep breath and stated. "The truth is, I am not human."

Holly gasped and Anabel clenched her fist.

"So, you _are_ a Pokémon!"

Kris shook her head.

"No, but I am fused with one."

Holly's eyes were wide, and she couldn't help having her jaw drop.

Fusion was some sort of failed experiment that hardly anyone talked about!

How could it be successful, let alone with a Trainer as well-known as Kris?

Kris continued. "The Pokémon that fused with me is named Tulip."

Kris closed her eyes. "And her species…"

Anabel cut Kris off, a hardness in her gaze. "It's a Nihilego. I could recognize the cry."

Holly cocked her head. "Nih-ili-ego?"

Annabel nodded. "It's an extremely dangerous Pokémon that is said to come from another world. The international police have been working to keep it at bay. Trainers shouldn't be _anywhere near one_ , let alone fused with it."

Suddenly, Kris's eyes blazed and a sharpness entered her voice. "Well, I'll have you know that Nihilego is one of my best friends, and has improved the quality of life for many people."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Before Kris had acted so defeated, but now she looked like she could attack Anabel right there…

And now Anabel was saying that Kris held a dangerous Pokémon, whereas Kris was saying that it had helped many people…

Holy wasn't sure who to believe!

But at least she could ask another question.

"So how did you end up with it?"

Kris shut her eyes, trying to compose herself before speaking. Eventually, she stated. "I ended up with Tulip because of Lusamine."

Anabel suddenly yelled. "Lusamine gave you a Nihilego? Why an earth would she do that?

The sharpness entered Kris's voice again, as she responded. "Because she wanted to see her powers used for good!"

Holly blinked. What did that mean?

She was almost afraid to know.

But Kris continued. "One day, Lusamine saw a Nihilego get dropped into Aether Paradise. She took pity on the creature, but realized that she couldn't get it back to its own world. So she resolved to make a comfortable in Aether. For many years thereafter, Nihilego lived with her."

Anabel clenched a fist.

"But why didn't she destroy it, or least capture it?"

The glare never left Kris's gaze as she responded. "Because that's not who Lusamine is. She loves all creatures, and wasn't about to be harsh to one just because it was from another world. Besides, she found the Nihilego quite useful to her."

Holly cocked her head.

"Useful? Did she battle with it?"

Kris shook her head.

"No, but she utilized its powers in other ways. Nihilwgo secretes strong poisons, which is part of the reason why it's one of the deadliest Pokémon in existence. However, Lusamine found out that those poisons could be used to heal people. So she wasted no time in teaching Nihilego how to do that."

There was no mistaking Anabel's raised voice. "But the poison still turns people into monsters! It infects their brains, taking away all sense of self. And then, they are used only for Nihilego's selfish desires!"

Now Holly was sure Anabel wasn't telling the truth! Kris may have had her moments, but she was no monster! Anabel would not have let her come along otherwise!

Holly shouted. "Yet Kris is still here! So that Pokémon can't be all that bad!"

She lowered her voice as she turned to Kris. "So what does all this have to do with you anyway?"

Kris immediately responded. "At the time, I had gone through several treatments for one of my medical conditions. However, nothing had worked. It was thought that Nihilego's poison could help me, though, so I became one of Lusamine's patients."

Anabel threw up her hands. "Where were your parents during all this?"

Kris held an intense expression as she locked eyes with Anabel. "Oh, they weren't there. I was 10 years old and had just gotten my Trainer Card. And as you well know, anyone with a Trainer Card can go wherever they want. My parents did endorse the treatment though. After so many failed ones, they were willing to try anything. No matter how experimental."

Annabel's eyes were hard as stone and she asked. "And what kind of condition would make you so desperate that you would use the poison of a monster to treat it?"

Kris shot Anabel her own a hard glare. "You should know. She had it too."

Anabel shakes her head and Kris replied. "It's the one that makes it difficult for me to walk."

Holly's eyes went wide. "So you did all this because you have bad legs?"

Kris shook her head. "It's not my legs. It's my brain."

Holly gasped. "Your brain?"

Kris nodded. "I've been brain damaged from the day I was born, and my condition is called cerebral palsy."

Holly cocked her head. She had never heard of cerebral palsy before! And what it Kris mean about being brain-damaged? As far as she knew, that meant Kris wasn't as smart as a normal person!

But she was plenty smart! And people mentioned her intellect many times, so Holly knew she wasn't lying about it!

As if sensing Holly's confusion, Kris stated. "I should explain a bit better. One of the things the brain controls is movement. In the case of cerebral palsy, the area controlling movement is damaged. But cerebral palsy doesn't affect a person's intellect at all. That's why I have difficulty walking, but I'm as smart as any regular person. And if you believe what others say, maybe even smarter."

Holly couldn't stop herself from gasping. "But how did you end up with something so horrible?"

Kris shook her head. "No one really knows. What the doctors do know was that I was born three months early, and didn't receive enough oxygen to my brain when I was born. The result was the cerebral palsy. However, no one knows why the early birth happened, or how to prevent something like that in the future from happening again. They don't even know why I have the intellect of a normal person, when so many other people like me don't."

Holly's eyes widened. She had heard that babies had to stay inside their mothers for nine months. But someone being born at six? How could they survive? And what did Kris mean by doctors not knowing why she had the intellect of a normal person when others didn't?

Holly stated. "What did you mean, before?"

Kris gravely responded. "Cerebral palsy itself cannot cause intellectual problems, but there are many other things that can come with it that can. And that's not even going into all the other physical problems people can have alongside it. By some miracle, I skipped all those other problems, and I only have cerebral palsy. Doctors don't know why that is, and I doubt anyone will ever know."

Holly found herself shaking, and slowly whispered. "I'm sorry. That still must be so horrible…"

Kris shook her head. "It's not, really, considering what could have happened to me. And also considering there are many others that have the condition much worse than I do. You see, cerebral palsy varies in how much it affects a person. So you can get people like me, or you can get someone profoundly damaged."

Kris let out the laugh, almost mocking. "Besides, at least it will never kill me, even if there is no cure."

All this time, Anabel's expression held no emotion. Holly quickly remembered that her Kris had the same conditions.

Was she bored that she was hearing something she knew of before, or had her Kris never told her?

Perhaps she was remembering what happened…

But even so, Anabel had never mentioned it…

Holly couldn't stop her voice from trembling as she spoke to Kris again. "So you chose to use poison because of your brain."

Kris nodded. "Cerebral palsy affects the brain, and so does Nihilego's poison. And with the amount of healing and research being done, it was thought that the poison could be controlled to only affect certain parts in certain ways. Lusamine thought that her Pokémon's venom could be used to help relieve me of some of my symptoms, or even reverse some of the damage. It sounded promising, so I agreed to try."

Annabel clenched her fist. "So why is Nihilego fused with you instead of just having its poison injected?"

Kris responded. "It has to do with how Nihilego's poison works, and how long I was to be treated. You are correct in that the poison is often injected into the patient. But that is only for weaker doses. To deliver a stronger dose, Nihilego must fuse with its host. And for a condition like mine, a stronger dose was needed. The other thing was that injecting poison into a patient is only a temporary treatment, unless someone wants to go back to the hospital again and again. Lusamine thought that I could use something less tedious and more permanent, so the decision to fuse was made."

Annabel clenched her fists again, voice dripping with her own venom.

"Nihilego's poison's transforms people into grotesque monsters. So much so that they barely resemble humans…"

Kris's voice dripped with their own venom as she responded. "And if you knew about Nihilego, then you know that it has the ability to transform itself into anything needed for its host. Lusamine simply told it to take any form that would allow me to keep mine."

Holly blinked. So that's why no one could see that Pokémon… It couldn't be seen, unless Kris herself was changed…

She couldn't help asking. "So what happened? You're here now, and so is the Nihilego…"

A deep sorrow entered Kris's eyes as she stated. "Almost nothing. When I completed my fusion, there were no benefits… No detriments… Nothing… It may as well have never happened…"

Holly stiffened.

To go through all that work… Only to have another treatment fail…

Kris must've felt horrible…

Anabel's sharp tone cut through the air. "And why didn't the treatment work? You've had in your body for over a decade!"

Kris's head drooped as she stated. "I don't know. No one knows. The procedure was the first of its kind. I've been treated with poison for my cerebral palsy, before, though. Lusamine figured I'd built up a resistance at some point. She constantly ran checks on me throughout the years, but nothing ever came of it.

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

"So that Nihilego that fused with you then, and the Tulip you are mentioning now…"

Kris nodded. "Yes, they are the same Pokémon."

Rage burned in Anabel's eyes as she yelled. "So you stole a Pokémon from Lusamine?"

Kris shook her head. "Tulip was never Lusamine's to begin with. She had always intended on returning her back home, and never formally captured her. Once Tulip fused with me, Lusamine figured she might as well be mine. She let me keep her, even though I never captured her like one would a regular Pokémon. In fact, the League has never officially recorded that I even have Tulip. As far as they're concerned, she doesn't exist. "

Annabel's voice still boomed as she stated. "But there must be some record of this?"

Kris nodded and responded.

"The only records of the fusion are the results are in Aether, and only Lusamine has access to them. It was a way of keeping what happened private, and prevent people from possibly harassing me about it. Knowing Nihilego's reputation, it was a way of keeping Tulip safe too."

Holly quietly asked.

"Why the name Tulip?"

"It's a tradition for me to name every Pokémon I catch, and even though I didn't catch Tulip like a regular Pokémon, she was still mine. As for the name in particular, I always thought Nihilego looked like a flower, and Tulip was the first flower that came to my head."

Kris let out a sigh and her body shook.

Holly couldn't help feeling pity for the older Trainer.

No matter how old the memories were, it was clearly still unpleasant…

Kris quickly recovered, and started to speak again.

"The fusion might not have done as intended, but there was some odd effects from it. One is that my anatomy is between that of a human and a Pokémon. That's why I can heal myself with potions, and why I look like a Pokémon to some. After I was fused with Tulip, my ability to communicate with Pokémon also became much better. I can only assume that's because I partially am one."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Someone who was half person and half Pokémon? How bizarre!

Holly worked up the courage to ask. "So can you eat Pokémon food and things like that?"

Kris nodded.

"I can eat Pokémon treats and food without any problems, but I still prefer human food. Oh, and Pokémon toys are quite interesting to me now, but I still prefer the human equivalents. I tried throwing myself into a Poké Ball a few times, but it didn't work."

The disabled Trainer laughed, although Holly could still detect bitterness.

"I guess the device couldn't decide what to do with me."

Holly blinked.

How horrible, to be turned into some sort of monster and not know who you really were!

Still, she continued. "What about training? Could someone help you with that?"

Kris shook her head as she responded. "I tried having people train me as a Pokémon, but since Tulip's physical powers never manifested and my own are weak, it didn't work. I always felt kind of awkward anyway, so it was just as well."

The older Trainer paused again before continuing.

"But that wasn't the only thing my fusion with Tulip did to me. That energy I can sense in people and Pokémon… Well, it's actually Tulip that can sense it, and the fusion has allowed me to borrow that ability."

Anabel glanced at Kris, an icy coldness in her eyes.

"That wouldn't happen to be Ultra Wormhole energy, would it?"

Kris nodded, a crestfallen look once again entering her eyes.

"Yes, that would be."

Holly couldn't help her rising rage as the two seemed to leave her out of the conversation.

"What in the world is an Ultra Wormhole?"

Anabel responded, eyes still icy cold.

"Remember the Pokémon from the other worlds? They are called Ultra Beasts, and their home is called Ultra Spaces. Sometimes, they appear from portals and enter our world. These portals are called Ultra Wormhole."

Kris nodded. "Ultra Wormholes give off an energy that typically can't be seen by people or ordinary Pokémon. Ultra Beasts can sense it, though, because the energy is from their homeland. This energy is also transferred to anyone who comes into contact with an Ultra Wormhole, and Ultra Beasts are attracted to it because they think they have found a way home."

Kris shook her head. "Although Tulip is in my body, she's still attracted to things with that energy. And through her, I can sense it too. Unlike her, I have no attraction, because I am from this world. I do find the feeling pleasant, though."

Holly couldn't stop her voice from trembling as another question flew out of her mouth. "So do you know where I'm from? Who my real parents are? How I can get back home?"

Kris shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't know. I don't know who is from what world, what they did there, what the world was like, any of that… All I know is whether or not they have been exposed to the energy. Or rather, that's all that Tulip knows."

Holly took a deep breath, looking down at her shaking hands.

She couldn't be from another world…

If so, then where were her parents…

Were they out looking for her, or looking for a place to travel?

Would they ever find her?

Were they even alive?

And how could she have Ultra Wormhole energy inside of her?

She didn't even know what that was until today! And she had not even remembered coming into contact with anything strange!

Not to mention that no one told her that she had it, until she met Kris!

But there were still other questions to be answered.

Holly continued to tremble as she weakly stated. "But I thought you said Tulip was attracted to that energy…"

It was Anabel who answered, still having her sharpened tongue. "Ultra Beasts chase those who come from the Wormholes relentlessly. I have heard some of the more violent ones will even kill them, in hopes that that will cause a Wormhole to open. I've even heard rumors that someone actually protect the beings they think will get them home. But I haven't seen that with my own eyes. I doubt that rumor is even real."

Holly shouted. "Kris and Tulip are together, and they protect each other!"

Annabel snarled back. "Tulip hasn't done anything to protect Kris, and Kris didn't even possess the energy before she met Tulip!"

Anabel fixed Kris with her stern glare.

What she said next made Holly's blood run cold.

"You're lucky Tulip hasn't turned on you."

Fury blazed in Holly's eyes.

She couldn't believe she was hearing such things from Anabel!

Anabel had sworn to protect all innocents, and from all they knew, Tulip was an innocent!

Anabel couldn't be picking on Kris because of some strange Pokémon!

Holly shouted.

"You're supposed to protect all Pokémon! How can you say that?"

Annabel rounded on Holly as she shouted back.

"These aren't Pokémon, Holly, they're monsters! And those monsters killed my friends and family in a single night! They're the reason the Tower fell! They're the reason I had to leave Hoenn! They're the reason I lost everything I had!"

Holly kept her defiant gaze.

Tulip wasn't part of those monsters! Nobody would let Kris take her otherwise! Anabel couldn't judge her based on what had happened before! She of all people should know that!

Kris, on the other hand, looked devastated. Holly wondered if the older Trainer secretly harbored some guilt for what happened.

Softly, she stated. "As soon as you mentioned the monsters attacking your home, I had a feeling that they were Ultra Beasts. And I had a feeling this would make you upset. I'd hoped not to bring it up at all…"

Yet there was no calming Anabel's fury. Her voice boomed.

"If you found out it isn't doing anything… Why haven't you gotten rid of that… That thing?"

Kris kept her voice calm, but her eyes betrayed her sadness.

"The process of undoing a fusion is even more experimental than the process of fusion itself. What methods are known are harsh on the body, and could easily kill us both. Even if we were to survive, either of us could end up in a state where death would be the kinder option. Besides, Tulip is not really harming me, and Lusamine has affirmed that she's happier having adventures with me than staying at Aether."

Annabel's eyes suddenly narrowed, and she looked as though she would attack Kris right there.

"No harm, you say? Why deny the fact the Tulip is doing harm when it's right in front of you?"

Holly shouted. "What?"

What was Anabel saying? Had she gone crazy?

Yet Kris's eyes flashed with recognition, and though she did not give ground, Holly thought she could see a bit of regret on her face.

Anabel's voice was icily calm as she continued. "Something like this… It's just what a denier would say… You should know that Nihilego's poisons cause their target to have wild, violent, behaviors. And, on top of that, it lowers their inhibition, while focusing all their strength on protecting the Pokémon that possessed them."

Holly shivered as Anabel continued speaking. "Now, what does sound like? I'm sure you can tell me."

Holly backed away, face pale.

Of course Anabel wouldn't forget the fights in Cerulean and the Nugget Bridge! And then there was Route 4, provoked though it was.

Holly blinked.

All those violent attacks couldn't be because of one Pokémon! They just couldn't!

And even if they were, it wouldn't make sense!

If Kris was wandering around with such a dangerous Pokémon inside of her, why would Lusamine let her travel?

Why would _anyone_ let her travel?

And if she was constantly being checked for the effects of the poison, wouldn't someone have noticed something by now?

Holly expected Kris to act frightened or surprised, but instead there was only a deep regret in her eyes.

"My behavior has nothing to do with Tulip. It's something I've had since I was born, and no one really knows why. Some suspect it may be related to my premature birth, but I have no confirmation. The only thing that is known is that the attacks occur when I am under an extreme amount of stress."

Holly's eyes widened.

That would make sense!

In Route 4, Kris was clearly fearful and angry. And she was tired, too. So of course, she would be stressed.

The Nugget Bridge had made her angry as well, and of course that would be a stressor.

Cerulean went without saying, and whatever Anabel had said had pushed her over the edge. Enough to physically attack someone despite her weakness.

Yet Kris seem to regret her actions, and was otherwise trying to atone for something…

Was the pain she directed at herself actually _fear?_

Living in constant fear of her next explosion?

Fear that she would truly hurt someone?

Holly thought back to what Will had said.

He had stated she was wandering, afraid of answers, and she did not object.

Was an answer to her outbursts one of the answers she was afraid of finding?

Was Annbel playing on that fear?

Now the woman was shaking her head. "More denial. I know better than to listen to you now."

Holy sprang up.

Enough was enough!

She used all her strength to slam into Anabel, knocking the wind out of the woman.

Holly did her best to stand in front of Kris, who now had surprise in her eyes.

She faced Anabel, fury blazing in her eyes. At the top of her lungs, she shouted. "Of course Kris is under stress, Anabel! Who wouldn't when they get attacked and scolded all the time? Oh, and she gets dragged on a journey she never wanted to go on, and she's always compared to a dead person! Of course she explodes! Who wouldn't?"

Holly threw up her hands.

"I'm surprised she's not exploding constantly, and as far as I'm concerned, she can explode all she wants!"

Holly took a deep breath before Anabel could say anything. "You're the one who told me not to use one's past as an excuse, Anabel, but look what you're doing! You're using your past with your Kris to force this one to do things she doesn't want, to force her to go on a journey she hates! You're forcing her to act like someone she's not, and she's miserable! But you don't care, because you have your excuse!"

Anabel looked like she was about to say something, but Holly continued.

"And now it's not just Kris! You've dragged her beloved Tulip into this too! Tulip saved our lives, and her power has helped us many times without us even knowing! Yet now, you demonize her because of your past with the Ultra Beasts! You're not even willing to give her a chance because some unrelated monsters destroyed your home! You're treating Kris like a monster too, calling her a denier and a liar, but you're the one who is denying! You're denying Tulip of any chances, and you're denying that she isn't the same as the monsters that destroyed her home! All because of your past! All because of your excuse!"

Holly noticed Kris's eyes were wide with fascination, and she continued.

"I used to think you were this really great person and trainer, Anabel! But now I see you're not! You're just a person that likes to hurt others, and a hypocrite!"

Somehow Anabel found her voice, and it quivered with rage.

"You side with her."

Holly nodded, surprised to hear her voice come out strong. "I will side with an innocent victim over someone that lies about protecting others and only cause them pain. Anabel, you talk about throwing other people in jail, but maybe you need to go to jail instead! Maybe you need to see how it feels! After all, lying and hurting others makes you a criminal!"

Anabel's eyes went wide, her face pale. Unsteadily, she backed away.

Kris looked up at her, and Holly noticed disabled Trainer only glared daggers.

Holly was immediately jerked back to Kris saying she would never forgive Anabel, and that she would never be her friend.

Holly looked back at the woman, and realized Anabel was finally starting to understand what Kris's words meant.

All of a sudden, Anabel's face turned bright red, but there was no anger.

Instead, Anabel hung her head in pure shame.

But nothing could prepare Holly for what was going to happen next.

Her eyes went wide as her tether disappeared.

Holly heard something happening to Kris, and judged by the older Trainer's similarly stunned reaction that her psychic monitor was also gone.

The two briefly looked at each other, and Holly guessed that neither could comprehend the cause of their newfound freedom.

Annabel rapidly turned and ran, saying nothing.

Several minutes passed. There was still nothing.

Yet, eventually, Holly heard a noise.

She cocked her head.

What was that?

Yet Kris's eyes flashed with recognition, and she spoke in an even whisper.

"It's the sound of quiet crying. The sound of someone who is completely broken."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So there's a lot here. First things first, Anabel's hostility. In the games, it's heavily implied that her homeland was destroyed by Ultra Beasts. However, she has no memory of this, and therefore is not hostile upon meeting them. However, in this version, she has her memories, so of course she is hostile towards them.**

 **-Second thing, Nihilego's poison, Ultra Space, and Ultra Wormholes work exactly as they're described here. However, there are some differences. One is that Nihilego's poison has never been used to heal anyone in the games. The other is that, in the games, Ultra Beasts always act aggressively towards those who exhibit energy from their world. However, I thought it was odd that they would try to kill something that could be their way home, so I changed it to some of the time. It's also noting that Nihilego's ability to shapeshift is never mentioned in the games, but only in concept materials for them. It also doesn't elaborate on what that means, so I did my own interpretation.**

 **-Thirdly, cerebral palsy, is actually a real-life medical condition that I have. Everything Kris talks about is exactly the same as how my disability functions real in life. As for treating with poison, there is actually a treatment for cerebral palsy that is actually a poison, but it's not advertised as that (and is it often very successful). This is where I got the idea of Nihilego trying to heal Kris's cerebral palsy, especially since the poisons affect the brain, just like her condition. I also got the idea of Nihilego healing others with poisons because of poison being used to heal some things in the real world (e.g. antivenom, some alternative therapies). It's also noting that in the games, Nihilego is implied not to be sentient. In this universe, it is sentient, just because that's more interesting and easier to write.**

 **-The idea of being released from a fusion having the ability to kill the Pokémon and their host comes from the games. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, one person who is forcefully broken apart from a fusion nearly dies. Another person is able to recover from a fusion, but he is unable to return to normal on his own, and it's implied to be risky.**


	39. Reconcile

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompts this time, but a longer chapter. As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts of the property of Wizardmonfan.**

 **Also, first of the companion one-shots, Safety, is up. It deals with some of the events taking place before Holly Rising, and features a character who has not had a viewpoint before. Anyone who is interested in learning about the background of Holly Rising, or simply interested in seeing a different viewpoint should check that story out.**

 **Without further ado, on to the chapter!**

* * *

38\. Reconcile

After what seemed like forever, Anabel finally came back. However, there was no missing the look of defeat in her eyes. Her head was down, and her hair was slightly unkempt. Holly thought she could still see tear stains on her face.

Before she could do anything, Kris stepped up. "Let's just go. We are close to the city. We can get a good night's sleep there, and clear our heads."

Anabel nodded, and Holly winced as the psychic restraints went back on.

Holly glared straight at Anabel.

What was the point of putting the restraints back on when she was so devastated?

But Holly's attention was drawn away from Anabel, as she detected waves of pain coming from Kris.

The older Trainer's eyes seemed to hold a deep grief, and Holly thought she could detect guilt and anger.

She thought it would inundate Anabel, but instead, Holly only felt the inward funnel.

Holly blinked.

Kris's pain was directed at _herself? Again?_

Holly clenched her fist, but her eyes also were wide with confusion.

What did Kris have to be angry and guilty with herself about? She obviously thought something was her fault, but what? She couldn't _possibly_ feel guilty about Tulip! That was something she couldn't control!

Holly waited, expecting Kris to share her anger at Anabel.

But there was nothing, only pain directed at herself.

The confusion left Holly as her eyes narrowed.

Kris had not had this pain before what happened with Anabel, so Anabel must be responsible!

Yes, of course that stupid bully would be responsible!

There wasn't any reason not to attack her further!

So Holly stepped forward again. "Treat us like humans, Anabel! We are not your prisoners, or some _thing_ you can push around!"

Anabel barely looked up as Kris spoke again. Surprise was evident in her eyes, but they quickly reverted to being crestfallen.

The older Trainer shook her head.

"She's right. I'm not your prisoner. I'm my _own_ prisoner."

Holly couldn't help staring at Kris in confusion, and noticed a similar look in Anabel's eyes. Before either could respond, Kris walked away, defeat still lingering in the disabled trainer's eyes.

Holly blinked again.

Why was Kris not holding her head high after what happened?

They headed to Vermillion City in silence, and reached it as the city glittered under the night sky. There were no words spoken at the Center, either, or even when the group retreated to their beds.

But although it was late and the bed was soft, Holly couldn't sleep.

Her mind was somewhere else.

As soon as she laid her head down, it took her back to the Poochyena pups. Their mangled, bloodied, bodies filled her vision, as their dead eyes stared at her. Their grey fur was still streaked with red, but always swore she could see it move.

How could the deceased Pokémon be alive?

Were these Pokémon like the zombie horror stories she had heard about? Of the dead coming back for revenge?

The ones that her mother told her weren't real?

Holly tried to scream, but found she couldn't, she tried to tear herself away, but was frozen in place. She could hear the weak howls of the surviving pups, but they barely registered. For once, she listened for Anabel's voice, but it was nowhere to be found.

Instead, the sightless eyes of the dead Poochyena kept staring. Holly knew the dead couldn't say anything, but she understood the message clear enough.

She wanted to clutch her throat, but she found that she couldn't.

Instead, words echoed in her head.

They were twisted and distorted, like the Mimikyu's laugh. Holly wasn't sure who was speaking, but she knew the voice wasn't hers.

It was some… Some monster…

And she was forced to listen.

 _We were killed by a bully, and you did nothing._

 _Why did you do nothing, when you make it your life's mission to take down bullies?_

 _Why couldn't you stop this one?_

 _Why weren't you fast enough?_

 _Why couldn't you help us?_

 _Why couldn't you save us?_

 _Our deaths… It's all your fault…_

Holly tried to scream, but she still couldn't move.

It wasn't her fault! It couldn't be! There was no way she could have avoided what happened!

Was there?

Holly suddenly felt the air grow cold, and she shivered. The world around her disappeared, only to be enveloped in white.

Holly looked around, no idea where she was. She could see nothing. Feel nothing.

Well, almost nothing.

She could still feel them. The dead Poochyenas' sightless eyes bore into her, as though they would never let her go.

Holly that they would jump right out of the white place and attack.

But they couldn't. Because they were dead.

Yet they still watched her. And she couldn't call for help.

Holly shuddered.

So these _were_ the spirits of the restless dead!

And they had come back to haunt her! It was just like what she had heard in the stories told by the Ghost Trainers! Only worse!

Every fiber in Holly's being wanted her to scream or cry.

But she couldn't. They wouldn't let her.

With the spirits haunt for the rest of the night? For the rest of her life?

Would they hurt her?

Yet before anyone could answer the questions, Holly was taken away again.

This time, she could see the girl, surrounded by the Mightyena. Fear radiating in her eyes, and Anabel spoke soundless words.

Holly didn't need to hear what was happening to understand it, though.

But then, the girl looked straight at her, fire blazing in her eyes. They bore into her, like the dead Poochyenas' had.

And then…

The girl wasn't there anymore.

Instead, someone else was, staring with wild, frightened, eyes.

Holly let out a gasp, for she knew that person like her own name.

The person was _herself._

But then…

She had not been arrested, and she had not killed any Pokémon! So why was she here?

Was this nightmare showing her _what could have been?_

But what was the point?

Holly didn't get a chance to ask as she was taken back to the Cerulean Pokémon Center. She was back on top of Espeon, bound in her restraints.

But why would the dream be showing her that?

She got her answer as soon as she was led to the door.

Because she knew there was something wrong.

Kris was there, but there was no unreadable expression.

No jammed signals of pain.

No shaking or pale face.

No suffering, not in the least.

Instead, her eyes glared at Holly, resolute and firm. She sat completely straight on the bed, her head held high. Whatever juice she had was drained, and there wasn't a soda can in sight.

Holly shivered, flinching at the gaze.

It was so much like Kris's commanding aura…

And yet it was unlike anything Holly had ever seen…

She tried to discern what the disabled Trainer was thinking, but there was nothing…

Instead, there was Anabel's cold gaze as the woman spoke, but nothing came out.

Instead, Holly screamed as she was forced onto her feet. Pain shot through through all of her limbs. Holly could feel more restraints being placed on her body, and she felt like she could barely move.

Holly let out another scream, but no one seemed to hear.

Anabel was talking again, but once again, Holly could hear nothing.

Well, almost nothing.

In the horrible dream, Holly could make out a few words.

Under arrest… Trainer's license revoked… Responsible for killing a Pokémon…

Holly blinked.

She hadn't killed anything! Was Anabel talking about? And why was she under arrest here? She was not under arrest now!

But no one seemed to answer, and Holly could find no sympathy as she was dragged out of the room.

She wanted to ask what happened, but she wasn't in Cerulean anymore.

Holly was standing in Route 4, with its windy cliffs. Everything appeared the same, so she wasn't sure why she was here.

Until she felt a weight in her hand.

It turned out to be a Poké Ball, gleaming in the sunlight.

Without warning, Holly threw over the cliff with all her might.

The wind played with a little, before the capsule went flying over the cliff.

It landed on the ground with a sickening smash, and Holly doubted whatever was in there had survived.

Holly tried to gasp in horror, but the dream kept on going.

What had she done?

She got her answer with more words.

"Oh, Smoke, I'm so sorry... Nidorina is… Despite everything that's happened, I'm just glad you're alive…"

Holly wanted to throw up her hands, but couldn't.

Who was Smoke, and who was speaking?

But she couldn't ponder that, as now she was running. Running from some assailant. Someone who she couldn't see, but who she knew was behind her. Torracat was beside her, panting as it sprinted.

At last, they were together again, but in such dire circumstances…

How could fate be so cruel?

Suddenly, a misstep.

Holly cringed as the ground came hurdling towards her. She landed with a sound that resonates through the area.

And then her attacker lunged.

Though Holly could not see him, she knew he was aiming for her now-exposed back.

And suddenly, Torracat was there, yowling and hissing.

For even after all this time, it would protect her like it always had.

Yet the hissing became a pained scream, and Holly nearly vomited as blood drenched her back. The scream rapidly died down, and Holly could now hear footsteps running away from her.

The attacker was fleeing, Holly knew, and she had to chase him.

She struggled to get to her feet, but bruises made her wince in pain.

That, and Holly slipped in a sticky red substance.

 _Sticky red substance… Just like…_

Her eyes widened as she called Torracat's name over and over.

But the only answer was the faint breeze that tickled her face, and made the rest of her body burn.

She could hear footsteps rushing towards her, but she could barely see anything in her tears.

This time, she knows her rescuers are too late.

Suddenly, Holly's vision went black.

She tried to move, but still found that she could not.

Was she dead?

Trapped here?

Both?

Suddenly, someone's voice joined her.

It sounded so familiar, and yet, she couldn't place it…

What she did know was that the voice was full of regret…

"I'm sorry. I know you thought I survived that attack, and honestly, I wish I could tell you that's what happened. But the truth is I died protecting another. I didn't even get a chance to say farewell."

Holly's eyes widened.

Who was the one that died?

And why couldn't the person say farewell?

Why couldn't Holly stop it?

Would the dead person be like those Poochyena, haunting her forever?

Holly wanted to shout or cry, but she couldn't.

At least, she thought she couldn't.

Holly finally was alerted to the sound of her own tears as the dark room of the Vermillion Pokémon Center blurred into view.

She sniffled, a faint nausea gripping her stomach.

Someone handed her a handkerchief, and she gratefully took it.

Drying her eyes, she realized the person in front of her was Anabel.

Holly's eyes widened.

Would Anabel be angry with her? Would she yell? Holly _had_ verbally attacked her several times, after all.

Even after the attack that Holly did, she wasn't sure she had the energy to handle one of Anabel's…

Yet there was no rage in Anabel's eyes, only concern and sadness.

Holly sniffled.

"Anabel, that dream, it was…"

Annabel shook her head. "Don't say a word. It's all right. Kris had a nightmare too. She called out Cheyenne's name, but you probably didn't hear."

Despite the gloom and tears, Holly focused.

Holly could make out the disabled Trainer, but she did not look her best. Every single part of her appearance was disheveled and worn down. Instead of the proud, resolute face she had worn in the dream, the disabled Trainer wore a mixture of fear and sorrow. And instead of sitting up straight and tall, she almost looked like she was going to fall back onto the bed. Holly had no idea how she remained upright.

Holly could not feeling a twinge of pity.

Despite their differences, the pain the two Trainers felt was the same.

No matter what it was, death took a toll on everyone.

And now…

That was something both Holly and Kris could understand.

Holly tried to talk again, but Anabel shook her head.

"Listen, both of you."

Holly blinked.

Was Anabel going to give them a lecture? When they were both down and out like this? Holly supposed it was only fair. After all, she did it to her.

But no lecture came out of the woman's mouth.

Instead, a soft song flowed from it. Holly blinked, then shut her eyes. She had never heard Anabel sing, but she was certain she wanted to again. The woman wove the melodies perfectly, as if she was singing all her life. There was never hesitation, never any slip up in words, never anything off key, never any breath out of place.

Instead, Anabel just kept going, the soothing song easily flowing like water.

Holly relaxed, letting herself fall back into the bed.

The song was very different from the few she had heard her mother sing, and yet it served the same purpose as them.

Holly smiled as she tucked herself back into bed.

Yet as Holly prepared to go back to sleep, a memory filled her head.

It was faint, barely anything to grab on to.

But it was _there._ And it was _something._

Holly recalled some music, but seemed like it was only a few notes.

And they were distant, barely audible.

Yet, somewhere within the tattered fragments was a similarity.

And similarity was in the song.

But where had Holly heard it before, if she only just recognized it now?

Perhaps it was her mind playing tricks on her. After all, that's what it had just done…

But she could hear Anabel wrapping up the song, and the room lapsed again into silence.

The silence was only broken by Kris speaking. "What is that song from? It beautiful."

Anabel rapidly responded. "It's a very old lullaby from Hoenn. I used to sing it at the Frontier, but it's been years. I'm surprised I remember the words."

Now, Holly was certain her mind was playing tricks on her. How could she remember a lullaby from Hoenn? She'd never been there!

Yet as she pretended to be asleep, she lazily cracked one eye open.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kris.

Unlike her, Kris had not fallen back into her bed. Instead, she looked pained, her eyes the mixture of fear and sorrow that Holly had seen before.

Holly resisted the urge to blink.

Why hadn't the lullaby done anything for Kris? She was the one who had inquired about it, after all. Perhaps Kris just didn't like lullabies from Hoenn…

The disabled Trainer didn't even move as Anabel put a hand around her shoulder.

"Are you all right?"

The disabled Trainer shakily replied. "I'm fine. I just… I just…"

Anabel soothingly finished. "Need some breathing room?"

Kris nodded.

"I understand. Just sit here and collect your thoughts. But it's been a long day. Do try to get some sleep. And call me if you need anything."

Kris nodded, and Anabel went back to her own bed. Holly wondered how she had dismissed the other Trainer so easily, when she had been so hostile before. Perhaps Anabel remembered Kris's temper, and just wanted to avoid another confrontation. Or perhaps she had thought it wasn't worth bringing up old scars when the nightmares had already done that.

Whatever the case, Holly figured Anabel was already relaxing, and waited until she heard the even breaths of sleep.

As quietly as she could, Holly threw off the covers and sat up. Kris had a slight look of bewilderment when she saw Holly, but quickly resumed the expression she had before. Holly wanted to ask her about her discomfort, but she heard Kris's voice in her head before she could.

" _I made the wrong choice, but it's too late for me to go back."_

Holly's eyes widened. Of course Kris would use telepathy! She didn't want to disturb Anabel.

But then, what did she mean?

Was she talking about going on the journey?

Holly quickly responded, through thought. _"What do you mean? Does it have to do with something you dreamt about?"_

Yet Kris ignored her. Instead, she grabbed an object from a nearby nightstand.

Her next words made Holly's eyes widen in surprise.

" _Thank you."_

Holly resisted the urge to gasp in surprise as Kris threw her right arm back. Ahe flung something into Holly's hands.

Holly barely had time to recover before Kris seized another object and threw it to her. It landed squarely in her hands. Holly tried hard not to gasp again, so as not to wake Anabel.

Holly couldn't see the objects, but the gesture alone made her eyes go wide.

She barely stammered out a _"What…"_

Kris didn't give her time to finish as she responded.

" _It's been a while since anyone stood up for me. It really means a lot. These are a token of my gratitude."_

Holly glanced down. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and they widened.

She could she now that they were evolution stones. One was a dark black, and the other had a lightning bolt pattern.

Holly's mouth hung open.

It was gracious for Kris to give her _one_ evolution stone, but _two_?

And for the two Pokémon she needed to evolve most?

There was a lighthearted tone in Kris's voice as she responded.

" _You stood up for me twice, so two stones."_

Her voice lost its lightheartedness as she continued.

" _On a more serious note, the Moon Stone is for your Nidorina. Its evolution, Nidoqueen, is immune to Electric type attacks. And that's exactly what the Gym Leader uses here. But I'm sure you knew that already."_

Holly simply glanced straight at the older Trainer.

Then what was the Thunderstone for?

Kris's eyes became hard as she stated.

" _The Gym Leader here… Lieutenant Surge… You may know his name, but you don't know who he really is. He's ruthless, unlike much of anything you've seen before. And he's especially merciless against Pikachu. You'll need all the help you can get."_

Holly stared at the disabled Trainer.

The way she talked about the Gym Leader almost made him out to be some sort of monster…

Holly gulped. Kris had lost at least one Pokémon…

Had Lieutenant Surge killed any others?

She didn't think he could, considering he had to keep his position as Gym Leader.

But maybe he did on accident? She had heard rare cases of that happening… And if Lieutenant Surge was as merciless as Kris claimed, it wasn't that hard to believe…

Holy nodded her thanks, but one question rattled in her head.

" _What did you mean when you said you were your own prisoner?"_

Kris's face twisted in pain, and Holly wondered if the older Trainer would answer.

She heaved a deep sigh, and Holly couldn't help noting the defeated tone in her voice.

" _It's the guilt. I'm constantly causing Anabel pain, by being a constant reminder of her dead friend. No matter what I do, I'm only able to bring more pain. And the longer I'm on the journey, the more pain I bring…"_

Holly's eyes went wide.

Anabel had expressed so much sorrow that her Kris was different than the one with them now... Of course, she always kept the true extent of the pain hidden from Holly, but who knew how bad it really was?

Holly's mind whisked her back to the Cape north of Cerulean. Back then, Kris had been apologetic.

" _I'm sorry I can't bring her back. And I'm sorry that the only thing we share now is painful memories."_

Now, Holly could see how true the words were.

 _She wanted to speak again, but Kris looked down at her hands as she beat her to it. "Now Anabel knows that I'm sheltering Tulip, and the pain is even worse. The guilt is too, felt twice over."_

Holly blinked as he took a moment to comprehend the statement.

Of course Tulip would feel guilty! And of course Kris would be able to feel that guilt! Was Tulip feeling guilty from the time they first met? Holly supposed she had no way of knowing.

Suddenly, Kris balled her left hand into a fist. Without warning, she slammed it into the outstretched palm of her right hand, and swore.

Her voice came so loudly that Holly had to resist yelping.

" _I have all this power, and yet I can't do anything! I can't do anything about the guilt, the anger, or the grief! I can't do anything to help Anabel's situation! And I can't do anything to fix things between the three of us! With all the power I have, I can't even fix the region!"_ The older Trainer smashed her fist into her other hand again, and Holly's mind wandered to the past.

The anger that Kris had towards Anabel…

Most of it involved events that went on before she came to them, and how she had been dragged along just because she resembled a dead person…

Everything she had done herself she admitted to, and apologized for…

Which meant…

All the anger directed towards Anabel was actually guilt and grief…

And Kris was directing it all towards herself…

All because the older Trainer thought Anabel's feelings were _her_ fault, and that she had made things worse…

Suddenly, everything Kris did made sense…

Holly tried not to scream as she replied.

" _The fact that everything Anabel did is your fault is preposterous! All of this is Anabel's fault, and she needs to resolve it! You just need to fight back!"_

Holly hoped that this would help the older Trainer, but it did nothing to lift the crestfallen gaze from her eyes.

A tone that matched that gaze came through when she spoke. _"How can I fight back against myself? How can I fight back when the words are true? Even if things aren't my fault, it doesn't stop me from thinking they are… Because all the time, that's what the voice tells me… And no matter how absurd it is, I believe it… Because I have no other choice... Or least, I feel like I don't…"_

Holly could say nothing, instead left to contemplate.

Perhaps Kris _didn't_ have a grudge against Anabel…

Perhaps it was against _herself…_

It would make sense, Holly supposed.

Kris was willing to work with the woman in the route to the north…

And she didn't attack her when she was hostile about Tulip…

Holly wanted to say more, but was cut short by something else stirring.

Kris tensed as the disabled Trainer noticed Anabel get up and walk over. The woman held a stern gaze, and Holly met it head on.

"What are you two doing?"

Holly rapidly tossed the stones into her bag, almost jumping off the bed as she protectively ran in front of Kris.

"It's no concern of yours." She snarled back.

Anabel sharply retorted. "Oh really? Weren't we traveling together?"

Holly screeched. "I'm not telling you anything about Kris after the way you treated her!"

Anabel put her hands on her hips, and Holly continued. "I don't care how broken you are! I will destroy anyone who threatens an innocent!"

Rage boiled inside Holly, and suddenly adrenaline shot through her body. She tensed up, ready to strike. Surprisingly, Anabel only flinched back.

Was the woman afraid of what happened before?

Fear or not, Anabel was still ready with a retort.

"The punishment if you act up… Does that mean anything to you?"

Holly shook her head, thrusting her fists out.

How dare Anabel bring that against her!

Holly thought she could hear Kris pleading with them to stop, but she paid the older Trainer's words no attention.

She stepped back against Kris's bed, blood pounding in her ears as she readied herself to fight.

And that was when Kris lunged.

She grabbed her walker, wheeled it sharply to left, and smashed it straight into Holly.

Holly let out a gasp as the pain shot through her entire body. A wheel crashed against her ankle, grooves doing their own type of damage. Holly thought she could see her skin turning red as a cold metal handle met her leg. The bags flew in her face, smacking her harder than any of Anabel's slaps. The handle holding the machine up jammed into her torso. The black handle at the top hit her chest. Holly staggered back, almost falling over as the wind was knocked out of her. Almost immediately, she was aware of her entire body aching.

Kris said she was near useless in physical fights, but who knew her machine would be this powerful?

Anabel was staring at Kris with her hand over her mouth, as though she couldn't believe what the disabled Trainer had just done.

Kris still held the same heartbroken gaze as before, stating. "Yelling "stop" wasn't going to work. I had to break up the fight somehow."

Anabel still hesitated, but there was no longer any shock in her eyes.

Holly tried to move forward, but winced as she was met by pain.

In an instant, Holly was alerted to Anabel's voice.

"Holly, to your bed!" She barked.

Holly rapidly did when she was told. She didn't dare disobey Anabel, not after the beating she took from Kris.

Anabel locked eyes with the disabled Trainer, and her face softened.

"I may not have known what you were talking about, but I know that look. And I know that pain… Feelings of anger, guilt, grief… Is that how you really feel?

Shakily, Kris nodded.

Anabel nodded back.

"I'm not going to ask if you're all right, because you're clearly not. Would you like to talk?"

Kris's eyes flashed with surprise. Clearly, the disabled Trainer had not been expecting a friendly reaction.

But Holly was prepared. "Go away, Anabel!"

She clenched her fists.

Anabel might make Kris go to jail!

Or stop the journey!

Or worse!

However, Anabel ignored Holly as Kris nodded.

"Very well." Anabel stated, tossing a Poké Ball into the air. Immediately, her Espeon emerged.

"You know the drill. Look after Holly while I talk with Kris."

Espeon quickly sat beside Holly, as Anabel led Kris to a separate part of the room.

Holly couldn't exactly hear them, but if she strained her ears, she could pick out some sentences.

Anabel was speaking in the same soothing voice.

"What would you like me to do?"

Kris rapidly replied in her defeated tone. "I don't know. I don't even know what I can do."

Immediately, there was more talking, so much so that Holly could not identify it at all.

However, she did catch one phrase. "Would you feel better if you had a choice? Would you feel better if there was something else there?"

Kris's voice was almost a scream. "How?"

Anabel hushed the older Trainer, calmly stating. "Have you ever thought of…?"

But then Holly could only hear more silence.

And then a gasp.

Holly gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.

What was Anabel doing to Kris?

Whatever was, Kris was horrified…

Holly could hear Anabel's voice again. "No one would have to see it... She could help you too… You're good at this, so why not use it? At least until you can handle things yourself…"

There was an eerie, dead, silence, and Holly heard Anabel's soothing voice again.

"I don't want to see you suffer…"

Holly couldn't help clenching her fists and hissing.

Everything Anabel said was a big lie! She was just a bully!

And yet her focus was taken away from Anabel as she felt waves of pain.

It had been a while, but it was unmistakable.

Holly groaned.

Another panic attack, on top of everything else!

As if on cue, Holly could hear Kris getting choked up.

"I can't…"

Anabel rapidly cut her off.

"Let's try it now, then."

Suddenly, everything went silent, and Holly stiffened.

What were they doing?

As quickly as they came, the waves of pain calmed.

Anabel's soothing voice returned as she stated. "There, see, that wasn't so bad. It's not that much different than what you have now, only tweaked a little. I'm sure if you saw a doctor, they might try this with you too."

Holly only heard more talking, and the sound of a lock breaking, before the two finally reappeared.

Holly opened her mouth to ask what had happened, but Anabel shook her head.

However, Holly clenched her fist.

She knew one thing.

Kris's psychic monitor was off, maybe forever.

Holly tried not to show the rage burning in her.

Why did Kris receive special treatment, especially when Anabel was the one instituted the punishment?

What had gone on in there?

Holly shook her head.

She clearly wasn't going to get an answer now.

But as Anabel walked away, Holly remembered about her lullaby.

"Anabel… The song... I think I recognize some of it…"

Anabel simply shook her head.

However, Kris suddenly stiffened, and a pained expression returned to her face.

Holly's eyes went wide as Kris initiated telepathy again.

" _Holly, about Anabel, I think she's…"_

Anabel quickly cut Kris off.

"That's enough. Just get some rest. We will have a big day in the city tomorrow."

Kris's head drooped, and Holly guessed that was the end of their secret conversations, as the disabled Trainer wasted no time getting back into her bed.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **-So, Holly finally gets that Moon Stone alluded to way back in chapter 16! I originally wasn't going to have Kris also give her a Thunderstone in this scene, but chose to do it because of something that comes up a few chapters later.**

 **-Surge being ruthless is because he is depicted as such in almost all media. His being especially ruthless toward Pikachu comes from the anime, where he is extremely harsh towards Ash and his Pikachu.**

 **-Holly's dream was originally going to only be of the dead Poochyena and the girl was arrested, but I chose to make it have a little more substance. As for its meaning, I will say that some of it is relevant in this book, and some of it is relevant in future works. If anyone wants spoilers, feel free to PM me.**

 **-Anabel being a good singer is a creative liberty, as she's never mentioned or seen singing in any of the games.**

 **-Kris ramming her walker into someone in order to break up a fight was actually something that I used to do, for the same reason. And, just as Holly experienced, the walker can be quite painful, so it would startle people enough to stop the fights.**

 **-Finally, the technique that Anabel uses to calm Kris down is based on a real technique to manage anxiety. The details of this technique will be revealed in a later chapter.**


	40. Gravity

**Welcome back to the next chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt this time, but still things going on! As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

39\. Gravity

The sunlight streamed through her windows as Holly opened her eyes. A quick glance outside showed her it was high in the sky. Her eyes quickly went wide.

There was no tug on the tether, no sharp command from Anabel…

Holly's only companion was the shining sun.

Holly blinked, the pain from her bruises alerting her to what happened last night.

Was something wrong? Had Anabel really stepped out for good? Did something happen to Kris while Holly wasn't looking?

Holly suddenly banished the dark thoughts as Anabel greeted her. "Good morning."

Holly eyes went wide, but she noticed Anabel's tone and eyes were much softer.

"After that rough night, I figured I would let two to sleep in."

She gestured to Kris, asleep in her bed, wincing at the pain only she could feel.

Anabel's Espeon slept beside her bed, but Holly could still see psychic power radiating from the Pokémon. Occasionally, the psychic power would radiate around Kris, and her frightened face would disappear.

However, as soon as things seemed normal, the disabled Trainer's face would twist in a grimace.

Holly glanced at Anabel, a question written in her eyes. Anabel shook her head.

"I've never seen someone have so many nightmares in my life. Espeon is helping to keep her calm, but it's been working through the night… Thankfully, psychic Pokémon can still use powers when they sleep…"

Holly managed to stammer out. "Did your Kris…?"

Anabel replied. "I don't know. But she very well could have."

She glanced at the disabled Trainer, uneasily resting in her bed.

"I have no idea when she'll wake up. It's not worth waking her now, when she's had such a rough time…" There was no mistaking the worry in Anabel's voice as she spoke.

Holly's eyes went wide.

How many times had Anabel seen her Kris like that? Was she reminded of that now, of a time she couldn't help her?

Or was this the first time she'd seen her like this, and she was overwhelmed?

Anabel did not give Holly a chance to respond as she laughed bitterly.

"I wanted her to join so I could keep her safe… Looks like that won't happen…"

Holly stiffened, eyes wide.

There was no missing the guilt and grief in Anabel's voice.

She thought back to Kris's own guilt, about causing Anabel pain…

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

Kris and Anabel, their feelings were like two sides of the same coin…

And they seemed to be able to understand each other, even when they were fighting…

Holly sighed. Maybe that's why they got along so well…

Perhaps… Anabel had that same relationship with her Kris… Or perhaps not, considering she never knew her personally…

Holly got out of bed, looking straight at Anabel.

Even though her tether was not on, she had not forgotten the punishment…

As if on cue, the tether appeared, and Holly tried not to cringe.

She had been free before, but it lasted only a brief moment…

Anabel nodded.

"Let's go get some breakfast, and then walk around the city for a bit. Espeon will alert us when Kris wakes up."

Though it was phrased politely, Holly knew from the sharper tone that this was a command.

She supposed it was only fair that Anabel would resort to that, after what happened the night before. Holly was surprised she didn't bring up the fight from before, but perhaps it wasn't worth it. Tensions were running high enough in the group, and Anabel must have known she couldn't change Holly's mind.

Not after she made it clear who she sided with.

They ate in silence, Holly not even looking at Anabel. If it bothered the woman, she paid it no mind. Rapidly, they got up from the table, Anabel quietly thanking the server. With that, the two walked outside.

It seemed like they had only taken a few steps when they heard another voice.

"So _there's_ the people that made all the ruckus last night!"

Anabel spun around so fast that Holly nearly fell. When she regained her balance, she was looking straight at another woman.

The woman appeared to be younger than Anabel, but definitely older than Kris. Her silver hair and purple eyes made her look much older, however. Holly could see she was carrying a golf club, along with a golfer's cap. Holly wondered what there were for. As far as she knew, there were no golf courses near here... But maybe there were. Holly never paid attention to golf. The woman's other clothing was light blue, and she wore white tennis shoes. She also had on long socks that were orange and white. They didn't cover all of her exposed legs though, and Holly wondered if she was cold.

Holly didn't know who this woman was, and she wasn't sure she cared. If she stopped them before they could really walk around, then she was just annoying.

But Anabel somehow did. Her eyes went wide. "You're…"

The other woman simply nodded. "Kahili. And you're Anabel. I've heard you from the police force."

She suddenly looked straight at Holly with a scowl on her face. "Oh, and I'm your neighbor at the Pokémon Center."

Holly firmly met her gaze. It wasn't _her_ fault Anabel had been stupid!

Kahili continued. "You kept me up last night too. Aren't you going to say something?"

Anabel glared back at Holly, but Holly shrunk back.

Being with Anabel was the last thing she wanted!

Kahili let out a sigh and shook her head.

"So where is she?"

At Anabel's and Holly's bewildered glances, Kahili elaborated. "You know, the wanderer... The one that ran the other girl over…"

Holly couldn't help blurting out.

"How do you know that?"

Kahili gravely responded. "I may not know her personally, but I do know her strength… I'd remember someone that used a machine… And I'd remember someone who went toe to toe with the Champion of Alola. Although to be fair, I wasn't champion at the time."

Holly's eyes went wide. _This_ was the Champion of another region? What was she doing here?

Before she could respond, Anabel continued. "Kris is sleeping. She had it the worst."

Kahili simply nodded, and Holly wondered if she knew they had been talking about the disabled Trainer.

Holly found her voice again, shouting. "If you're the Champion of Alola, what are you doing here?"

A solemn look entered Kahili's eyes. "In times of crisis, it is the duty of the Champion to look after all regions. What's in Kanto is affecting Alola too. I'm here to find out what exactly is going on, and how to stop it."

Holly blinked. How could Kanto influence another region? And how could a Champion be away from her post for so long?

She couldn't help shouting again. "How can a Champion be away from their post for so long? Isn't that irresponsible?"

Kahili ignored the insult, responding in an even tone.

"All Champion have several runner-ups, just in case one has to leave, retires, or dies without naming a successor. There were so many people gunning for my seat that it wasn't hard to hand it off to one of them so I could search for answers here."

She seemed to whisper something to herself, yet Holly still caught what she was saying. Although I have to admit, that Molayne _is_ rather eccentric…"

But Holly continued shouting. "Doesn't Alola have its own problems?"

Kahili's tone continued to be grave as she spoke.

"Yes, the region is in chaos. That woman, Lusamine... Ever since her children…"

Kahili suddenly closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Pay me no mind. I was just thinking about the people back home."

But Holly couldn't help feeling her eyes go wide.

Bill had mentioned a woman named Lusamine treating Kris like a daughter… Did she do that because something had happened to her own children? And if so, what?

But Kahili had started speaking again. "The point is, if the problem affecting Alola is here in Kanto, then there's no reason for me not to in this region."

Annabel replied.

"Well spoken."

Holly clutched her head.

First the International Police... Then the Elite Four… And now a Champion was involved… It was all too much!

Anabel's eyes filled with concern as she asked.

"Holly, are you all right?"

Holly shook her head. "The International Police… Elite Four members… And now a Champion… There's so many important people in our journey… It's a bit overwhelming!"

She took a breath, stating. "I think I need a gambling hall."

Anabel's eyes went wide. "Holly!"

Kahili's eyes suddenly hardened.

"You're a gambler?"

Holly didn't take notice of the hardened gaze as she responded.

"I'd give anything to play at the slots! Ever since the entire journey began!"

Kahili's hard gaze never left her face as she continued.

"Do you have any idea how unhealthy that is? How it can get you addicted? How it can ruin your life?"

"Kahili…" Anabel started to say, but the Champion cut her off.

"We had an Elite Four member who devoted his life to gambling. Now he's fallen from grace, a mere shadow of its former self. That could happen to you too, if you don't stop."

Holly rapidly responded. "Oh, and how should I stop?"

Kahili kept her cool gaze as she stated. "Pick up another hobby. Something healthy. You must have other talents."

Holly's eyes wandered to Kahili's golf clubs. She hadn't been near a sport in so long she had almost forgotten about her love of it…

But now the equipment was calling to her.

Holly had to answer.

"Could you teach me that, then? How to golf? I love sports."

Kahili growled.

"I might if you behave."

Holly tried not to scowl back. She _was_ behaving! Couldn't people see that?

Suddenly, Anabel stepped up. Rapidly, she stated.

"We should head out. We want to explore some of the city before Kris wakes up."

Holly cocked her head. This was obviously a poor attempt to defuse the tension, and as predicted, it didn't work.

Kahili kept her scowl, as she closed her eyes.

"That Kris… She's like a bird in a cage… A cage from which she might never emerge… She was in one then, and she's still in it now… If something doesn't change…"

Holly cocked her head, and Anabel's expression became stern.

This was just like Will and Karen, making jabs at Kris! How dare they! They probably didn't know her as well as Holly did!

Although, Holly had to admit she didn't know Kris much at all…

Holly moved forward to say something, but Kahili popped her eyes open.

Her expression still seemed grave, but less so.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking out loud… I wish you luck in your journey, but do be careful… And to Kris as well…"

Anabel nodded.

"Thank you."

As Anabel turned to leave, Holly followed.

She couldn't look back at Kahili, instead clenching her fist.

What was so dire that a Champion had to get involved?

And what evidence did Kahili have to make accusations against her and Kris?

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Holly's gambling issues and love of sports make a reappearance. We haven't seen them in a while, but this won't be the last time…**

 **-Also, say hello to Kahili! She's actually a canon character, but the player doesn't see much of her. May as well explain her here. Kahili's an oddball in that she's the only major battle the player fights in the Alola games (Pokemon Sun and Moon, as well as Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon) to not have any significance to the story beforehand.**

 **-She is mentioned a few times in the Sun and Moon demo, as well as in a place called the Hano Grand Resort. However, all of these conversations are optional, and easy to miss. She doesn't show up again until the player battles her as a member of the Elite Four. She explains that she had been traveling, and the professor of the region wanted her to come back home to become an Elite Four member for the new Pokémon League. Kahili was reluctant, but accepted due to wanting to fight strong opponents. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon gave her one more appearance, teaching the player how to use an item called the Flyinium Z. however, like everything else before the Elite Four, this event is completely optional and easily missed.**

 **-Kahili being the Champion of Alola has to do with what she's capable of doing in the games. In the games, she explains that she completed her own journey around Alola, winning its traditional Island Challenge. After that, she set off for other regions, holding her own there. I felt like someone so powerful could easily be the Champion.**

 **I also thought it made sense because Kahili states she enjoys battling, and is constantly seeking worthy opponents. When the player becomes the Champion, she states that other people will be trying to take their title. Oddly enough, she isn't one of them. But I could still see her taking the title, especially since the person who eventually does become the Champion the games forfeits his role immediately after being fought (and thus, leaving the player to fight challengers on subsequent runs through the League).**

 **-Kahili's explanation about how Champions have runner-ups comes from the Pokémon Special manga. In this story, Hoenn's Gym Leader Wallace actually won the title of Champion for his region. His friend Steven was the runner-up. However, Wallace didn't want his Champion title at the time the story starts, so Steven becomes the Champion instead. During the climax of the story, Wallace takes back his Champion title.**

 **-** **Molayne being Kahili's runner-up has to do with the games. In the games, he is the creator of the Alola Pokémon storage system, but he is also a competent battler. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, he is one of the people that can challenge the player for their title. In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, he actually becomes a member of the Elite Four.**

 **-The Elite Four Kahili refers to is actually Grimsley of Unova. In the games, Grimsley is implied to have had a gambling addiction, or currently has trouble with one. He appears in Alola later on looking noticeably more haggard, implying that this addiction took a toll on him. Since Kahili is from Alola, I figured she would have seen the downward spiral happening, or at least, she would've heard of it.**

 **-Kahili was originally supposed to have a much bigger role in this story, but her role changed in development. She still important here, but much less so. However, she will have a large role to play in Kris's story, Usurping.**


	41. New Power

**Welcome back to Holly Rising! As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. There is a prompt this time, but it's at the end to avoid spoilers for the chapter. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

40\. New Power

The two walked around the city for little longer, before psychic powers suddenly surrounded Anabel. The motion was brief, but Holly couldn't help her eyes going wide.

As soon as the psychic power disappeared, Anabel responded.

"Oh, that's Espeon sending me a message. It seems that Kris is awake."

Holly nodded. It was time to continue their journey at last.

With that, the two headed into the Pokémon Center. Espeon was already up, trotting over to its Trainer. Kris sat on the bed with her usual can of soda. The disabled Trainer did not look quite as disheveled as before, but there was still pain in her eyes.

Holly wondered if she was remembering the night before, or if she was simply upset for slowing them down.

Regardless, she responded.

"Good morning, and apologies."

Anabel responded. "Good morning, and there's no need to apologize. You look like you needed rest. Why don't you get dressed and get some breakfast? We can talk afterward."

Kris nodded, releasing her Blissey as she headed off to get dressed.

As she did, Holly clenched her fist.

The psychic monitor was still gone! And she had no idea what happened to make it disappear!

Anabel noticed, asking. "What's wrong, Holly?"

Holly quickly responded. "The psychic monitor… It's gone…"

A look of sorrow enters Anabel's eyes, and she states. "Yes, it's off indefinitely."

Before Holly could say anything more, Kris returned, dressed.

Quickly, the disabled Trainer faced both Holly and Anabel. "I'll be off to eat something. I will try not be long."

Anabel nodded. "Take your time, and see you in a bit."

The disabled Trainer walked off, and Holly tried her hardest not to scowl.

She had already been waiting for a long time! She didn't want to wait anymore!

Yet it seemed the disabled Trainer came as quickly as she had left. Holly wondered if she had been eating rapidly to avoid slowing the others down even more, or if she simply thought time had passed quicker than it did.

Whatever the case, Kris's eyes, so pained before, were now resolute and firm.

Nevertheless, Anabel asked the question anyway.

"Are you ready to move on?"

Kris nodded.

"I am. But first…"

Holly's eyes went wide as her name was mentioned.

"Holly, could you please deposit Poliwag and pick up Growlithe? The latter will be more useful to you in the foreseeable future."

Holly did not miss the newfound politeness in the disabled Trainer's tone. Perhaps it was because of what happened the night before.

She was about to obey, but remembered the other part of Kris's punishment from Cerulean.

The disabled Trainer couldn't give her commands anymore, no matter how much she might want to.

So Holly turned toward Anabel, a question written in her eyes.

Anabel's voice was even as she answered.

"That part of the punishment is gone too, Holly."

Holly's eyes went wide. "Why…"

Anabel's eyes went hard as she stated. "Kris has different needs than I initially thought."

Holly blinked.

What did Anabel mean?

Then again, considering what happened last night, if she had to follow orders from someone, she would rather follow them from Kris than Anabel.

Quickly, Holly walked up to the PC, depositing Poliwag and grabbing Growlithe's Ultra Ball.

Despite everything, she smiled. No matter what, it felt good to have her fire back.

As Holly walked back over, Anabel nodded.

"All right. Now that Holly has switched out her Pokémon, where would you like to go, Kris?"

Kris wasted no time replying. "The next Gym battle will most likely be a difficult one. I think Holly should do some training in the route we just were on."

"All right. Would you like Holly to take all of her Pokémon, like before?"

Kris shook her head.

"No, I only want to focus on two."

Holly couldn't resist trembling with excitement.

It was easy to realize which two Kris was talking about.

She fought to keep her excitement from Anabel, as Kris briefly switched out her own Pokémon. It was difficult to keep a straight face, but somehow, Holly managed. The shaking was even more difficult, but somehow, Anabel didn't notice.

For that, Holly was glad.

The woman still didn't know what was going on, and Holly didn't want her to find out. That might ruin the entire plan before it even started, or create further distrust between Anabel and Kris.

But Holly didn't have to wait long.

In a matter of minutes, Kris had put her machine away, Delphox at her side.

The disabled Trainer signaled again, and the group set out.

Holly could hear the cries of Pokémon as the group entered the dry, sunny, Route 6. Holly couldn't wait to get into the sparse grass, but Kris suddenly stopped just short of where it was.

The disabled Trainer ignored Anabel's questioning look as she glanced at Holly.

"Holly, send out Nidorina and Pikachu."

Holly rapidly obliged, not even spouting one complaint as she tossed the Poké Balls into the air.

Pikachu and Nidorina appeared, at first going into combat stances. However, they both glanced around in surprise when there was nothing there.

A smile crossed Kris's face, and she nodded.

Holly felt her own giant grin spread across her face. Ignoring Anabel's widened eyes, she grabbed the Moon and Thunderstones. With all her might, she tossed the Thunderstone at Pikachu and the Moon Stone at Nidorina.

The Pokémon barely had time to turn around as the stones hit them.

Holly shielded her eyes as the route was blinded by bright light. She could hear Anabel hiss, but, surprisingly enough, Kris continued staring.

Holly guessed the disabled Trainer must be used to the light. Or perhaps, because she was part Pokémon, it didn't bother as much.

Whatever the case, the light continued.

After a while, it stopped. Holly kept her grin as she gazed upon her new Pokémon.

Nidorina was now up on her hind feet, black eyes shining fiercely. Her body was now a dark blue, with sturdy legs supporting a wicked tail. White claws gleamed in the sunlight, and Holly thought they could pierce anything. There were some tan parts of the new Pokémon's body too. They included her chest, mouth, and torso.

Holly couldn't wipe the grin off her face.

This was no longer Nidorina.

This was something far more powerful.

This was Nidoqueen.

Holly glanced at what Pikachu had become, and noticed something odd.

Typically, the Pokémon before her would be orange-yellow, but this one was a dark orange. Instead of having black eyes, its eyes were blue. Yellow ears reminded Holly of bananas, and its tail almost reminded her of a yellow leaf. The new Pokémon balanced on white feet, as it floated on top of its tail.

Beside her, Holly heard Kris whisper.

"It appears that Pikachu had some Alolan blood. That Raichu… It's like the ones that come from the islands…"

Holly cocked her head. She had heard of Alola, the group of islands where Pokémon took different and exotic forms.

But she had never been there, so she never dreamed of meeting one.

Holy resist the urge to shout with glee.

She couldn't be luckier!

Yet the urge was completely silenced when Anabel walked up. Her face was cold as ice, and her fist was clenched. She glared straight at Kris, but the disabled Trainer met her gaze evenly.

"So that was your plan… I don't believe you… Going behind my back like that… Why did you …"

Kris nodded.

"Because the Gym Leader will show no mercy. Holly needs all the strength she can get."

Anabel threw up her hands. "By going to this extreme? Evolving two Pokémon without their consent, or even knowledge? And not telling your traveling companions? Isn't this a bit much? You are acting like the Gym Leader is a monster!"

Kris simply cringed, and Holly wondered if she would say something back.

Holly thought she could catch the words. "If only you knew…"

However, neither she nor Anabel dared asked what the disabled Trainer meant.

But before anyone could say anything, Anabel turned her gaze on Holly.

"What didn't you tell me what was going on?"

Fire blazed in Holly's eyes as she retorted.

"Why would I? Knowing you, you'd stop the entire thing before it started!"

Anabel simply winced, and look like she was about to say something more. Holly suddenly was aware of Kris stepping up, but noticed the disabled Trainer's eyes looked pained.

Holly clenched her fist. What did Kris have to be in pain about? After all, Anabel deserved everything she got!

Yet the pain disappeared from the disabled Trainer's eyes.

"Enough. There is training to be done. We have to make good time if we want to reach the Gym by today."

The disabled Trainer turned towards Anabel.

"You said we could work as a team, right? Perhaps if Holly and I train, you could supervise what was going on. It's important that Holly's newly evolved Pokémon get used to their new powers, but it's also important that nothing goes wrong. Don't you agree?" Holly noticed that there was a hidden bitterness to Kris's voice.

There was no missing the hidden message.

 _It's also important that I don't do anything wrong._

Holly's face fell for moment, but then it brightened again.

With these powerful evolved Pokémon, nothing could go wrong!

Anabel nodded, although Holly noticed she had her own pain.

Perhaps it would go away when the session started.

Kris nodded in response.

"Let's began, then."

Holly felt the older Trainer's voice ring in her head.

" _Holly, use Nidoqueen first. There's a new technique it learned upon evolving. Raichu has learned some new techniques too, but it will take longer."_

Holly nodded.

"Nidoqueen, let's go!"

Nidoqueen roared and charged toward the cries of wild Pokémon. The others quickly followed.

It wasn't long before Holly saw feathers falling in the sky. There was a flap of wings, and a flicker of movement. Before long, a bird was among them.

The bird had a cream-colored body and brown wings. The sharpness of its black eyes matched its pink talons. It had a matching pink beak, with red feathers on its head. It also had red feathers as a tail, but these feathers were also yellow.

Kris responded rapidly.

" _A Pidgeotto. Perfect. Holly, when Pidgeotto dives down, have Nidoqueen use Superpower."_

As if on cue, the Pidgeotto's eyes narrowed as it focused on Nidoqueen. The bird angled into a dive, throwing itself at Holly's Pokemon.

Somehow, Holly managed to shout. "Nidoqueen, Superpower!"

Nidoqueen let out another deafening roar, and her fist turned red-orange. As the Pidgeotto zoomed in, it screeched as Nidoqueen smashed her fist into it.

Pidgeotto went tumbling backward, crashing onto the ground. It didn't even try to get up, and Holly knew she had won.

Holly cheered. Her Pokémon could take on anyone now!

"Great job, Nidoqueen!" Holly shouted, and her Pokémon let out another frightful roar.

Yet Anabel walked up, her face stern. "Are you happy about Nidoqueen, or happy about _Nidoqueen's strength?"_

Holly glared at Anabel. She should know the answer to that!

On the corner of her eye, Holly saw Kris flinch.

She resisted the urge to smirk. Even the disabled Trainer was disgusted with Anabel now!

Yet, she quickly recovered.

Holly heard the older Trainer's voice inside of her head. _"Holly, use Raichu now."_

Holly nodded. "Let's go, Raichu!"

Raichu let out a cry and floated forward, still standing on its tail. As it floated toward the grass, a Pokémon jumped out.

Holly narrowed her eyes. It was a Luxio. A common Pokémon, but one that could be vicious.

The Luxio's ears twitched rapidly, and it lashed its tail. It locked eyes with Raichu, curling its lip in a snarl before leaping.

Just in the nick of time, Kris's voice sounded.

" _Tell Raichu to use Psychic."_

Holly yelled. "Raichu, Psychic!"

Raichu's eyes glowed, and a blue aura orbited from its body. The Luxio's mouth hung open as it was caught mid-leap. The aura around Raichu intensified, and its opponent let out a scream. Raichu flung the Luxio backward, and slammed on to the ground.

The opposing Pokémon lay crumpled in a heap, showing no signs of getting up.

Holly's eyes brightened and she cheered again. "Excellent, Raichu!"

Yet Kris was not so quick to join in the festivities.

" _Stay on your guard. There are still more battles to come."_

And Kris's word, another Pidgetto soared up into the air. Its eyes looked just as sharp as the last one's, and it dove for Raichu immediately.

Kris confidently replied. _"Zap it out of the sky with Thunderbolt!"_

As the Pidgetto neared, Holly cried. "Raichu, Thunderbolt!"

Raichu let loose a huge bolt of yellow lightning, and the Pidgeotto squawked as it was briefly lit up. As soon as the yellow lightning stopped, the Pidgeotto fell from the sky.

Holly grinned ear to ear as she shouted. "Yes, we're unbeatable now!"

Kris smiled as well. _"Well, I don't know about unbeatable, but you can sure put up a fight! Let's show our enemies some more!"_

Holly nodded. Of course she would fight some more with this power!

And so the battles continued like that. Every fight, Kris ordered Holly and her Pokémon to use their new powers. And every time, their opponents stood no chance.

Holly felt like her face would break into a permanent smile. Things couldn't be better!

At least until Anabel grabbed Kris's arm right before they were going to battle.

"Stop!" She commanded.

Holly and Kris's eyes went wide as the woman pointed to the Pokémon.

Nidoqueen was panting and sweating, and her ears drooped. She was still standing upright, but Holly noticed she was swaying. Raichu didn't look much better. It was also sweating and panting, and its eyes on longer glowed. It was still standing on its tail, but it looked so unsteady that Holly thought it might fall off.

Kris wasted no time giving another command.

"Holly, recall the Pokémon. We will stop training for now."

Holly nodded, recalling them both.

Holly glanced at Kris, but the older Trainer shut her eyes and clenched a fist.

Holly wanted to ask what was going on, but suddenly felt the familiar funnel of pain.

Holly's eyes widened.

What was the issue now?

Anabel quickly responded. "What's wrong?"

"Even after everything, I still worked Pokémon to exhaustion."

Anabel put a hand on her shoulder, speaking soothingly.

"You stopped."

Fire blazed in Kris's eyes as she retorted. "Only because you told me to."

Anabel replied. "But no one collapsed or had serious injury. And no one died."

Yet Kris seemed not to hear, and Holly could feel the pain increasing. It was as if she was withdrawing into her own little world.

Holly shuddered.

What was in that little world that Kris wanted to stay there? And what would that mean for Holly and Anabel if she did?

Now, she was speaking to herself. "I couldn't stop… I couldn't stop… It still happened… I still needed help…"

Holly's eyes went wide, and she realized Kris was shaking.

Was she going to have another panic attack?

Yet suddenly, Kris's Delphox radiated with psychic power. The psychic power surrounded Kris and she winced.

Holly's eyes went wide again.

These were Kris's Pokémon! They wouldn't hurt her, would they?

Suddenly, Holly heard the familiar laughing cry from inside Kris, and realized it was probably Tulip. But what was she coming out for? Kris didn't need her now, did she?

The disabled Trainer couldn't stop cringing, as the psychic power held in place. Holly realized the older Trainer was shaking, and wondered if she would fall over. Holly heard the cry again, and both Pokémon only seemed to get stronger over time. The funnel of pain kept going, and Holly couldn't stop shivering. It seemed like forever, yet nothing was changing.

What were the Pokémon doing, and why wasn't it helping?

All of a sudden, the pain slowly ebbed. The psychic power became weaker as Kris ceased shaking. The fire disappeared from her eyes, to be replaced by a neutral expression. She let out a huge breath, in the psychic power only stayed a little longer before it disappeared.

The disabled Trainer stood on the ground, but sorrow still filled her eyes.

Anabel turned to her. "I know you don't completely feel better, but that wasn't bad for your first time."

The disabled Trainer still cringed, and Anabel put her hands on her hips. "Come on, no matter how strong you are, you can't be perfect."

Kris only flinched back.

Holly blinked.

Holly finally mustered up the courage to ask. "What was that?"

Anabel replied. "That was Kris's new restriction."

She gestured to the disabled Trainer. "Would you like to explain?"

Kris shook her head, and Anabel replied. "Would you like me to explain?"

A nod.

"All right, I will try my best."

Anabel turned to Holly. "You see, Kris has a voice in her head. You've probably heard her mention it. This voice… Tells her many things… Horrible things… Negative things… And it's often about herself… It comes most often when she's stressed… It's most likely part of her anxiety…"

Holly nodded. She had already heard about all this before. Why was Anabel repeating information?

"The point is, Holly, Kris is good with Psychic Pokémon. And Psychic Pokémon have the ability to enter and place thoughts in people's minds. So I thought she could use her service Pokémon to start placing positive thoughts in her head to counteract the negative ones the voice tells her. Tulip can help too, because they can already talk to each other… And they understand each other perfectly… It's not a cure, but I think it will help... At the very least, she will be more comfortable…"

Holly nodded, but had to stop herself from shivering.

So the pain that Kris had experienced last night… And how quickly it went away… That was all because of a Pokémon, digging through her head while she suffered and screamed…

Holly's face turned pale.

If there was horror, this was it.

To have someone going through a person's head while that person had no control…

Holly couldn't even begin to picture it, and what the searcher might do…

Not to mention how desperate Kris had to be in order to _willingly_ consent to something like that _regularly…_

Holy gulped.

It wasn't a psychic monitor, but it might as well be one.

No, it was _worse._

Before, Kris had been a prisoner physically.

Now, she was prisoner in both body _and_ mind.

Holly shuddered again.

It sounded like a fate worse than death.

Anabel saw Holly, and her expression softened.

"It's not as bad as you think, Holly. Kris consented to having this done, and she's not in any pain when it happens. There's also the fact that Kris and her Pokémon know each other very well, so there is nothing that they're not used to finding. Besides, it's better than letting her suffer."

Holly backed away. She wasn't convinced on any of that!

How could someone want something so horrible, and how could it not be painful?

Holly looked towards Kris for answers, but the older Trainer's expression was unreadable.

Anabel looked toward the horizon, stating. "It's been a long day already. How about we drop off the Pokémon to heal, and then do something to relax? I've heard there's a Pokémon Fan Club in town, and they always enjoy meeting new Trainers. What do we go there?"

Kris slowly looked up, softly responding. "Okay."

Although she was unsure she had any choice in the matter, Holly nodded.

After all the new information she learned, she needed something to do something to unwind. And the Fan Club sounded like just the ticket.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _So the characters entered this area while ago, but since they're actually going to be proceeding to it, have a prompt._

 _Vermillion City is situated on the city, and it's a popular place for ships. In particular, there are the famous S.S Anne and S.S. Aqua. There are also the less known Seagallop Ferries, which travel to the faraway Sevii Islands. There are also other exits to Route 11 and the Diglett's Cave to the east._

 _As far as buildings go, there is the Pokémon Fan Club, whose members enjoy meeting Trainers. They also enjoy cute and unevolved Pokémon, but are not opposed to seeing others. Players can opt to visit this place, but it is not required._

 _What is required is defeating the Vermillion Gym Leader and obtaining the Thunder Badge. The Gym Leader is Lieutenant Surge, and he uses Electric types._

 **Now about the chapter…**

 **-So, this was that foreshadowing way back in Chapter 4. I picked the Alolan form of Raichu just because I felt like it wasn't represented as much, and also to make a particular scene that's coming up less confusing.**

 **-The moves that Raichu and Nidoqueen use in this chapter are based on what moves they have when they evolve. Should Raichu evolve to the Alolan form, it will automatically learn Psychic. While Raichu doesn't automatically learn Thunderbolt, it can learn it via by being forced to remember older moves if it hasn't already learned it some other way (as a Pikachu, passed down from some other Pokémon and learned at birth, or by being taught by the Trainer). To make things easier, I just had it learned upon evolving.**

 **-Nidoqueen was the same way. In the most recent games, it learns Superpower if it is forced remember a move upon evolving. Like with Raichu, I just chose to have it learned automatically to avoid making things complicated.**

 **-The reason for this is that forcing a Pokémon to remember moves requires a certain person, a certain item,** _ **and**_ **being in a specific location. I felt like that would be a little hard to write, so I went with learning upon evolving instead.**

 **-The technique that Anabel uses is actually based off of a real technique to help individuals with anxiety. Anxiety can make people have a lot of negative thoughts, so one technique used is slowly teaching the person to think positive thoughts in order to counter the negative ones. In this world, Psychic Pokémon exist, and they can place thoughts in a person's head. I figured they could help out by putting positive thoughts in the person's head, until they could do it on their own. Provided the person trusted the Pokémon and gave consent, as Kris does.**

 **-Another thing Anabel does is also based off of real treatment for anxiety. Another thing that can help is that if a person talks to others they feel comfortable around, those people can help them work through their anxiety and the negative thoughts it creates. This is what Tulip, and to a lesser extent, Anabel, does with Kris.**


	42. Reputation

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! No prompt this time, but see the author's notes for details. As always, I do not own Pokémon and all prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

41\. Reputation

After dropping off the Pokémon at the Center, the group headed to the small building that housed the Pokémon Fan Club.

Holy wondered what she would find there. After all, she didn't have any fans.

But as the trio entered, the peoples' eyes lit up.

"Oh my gosh! Is it really her?"

Another voice sounded. "Yeah, she's right here!"

A younger voice shouted. "No way! This is awesome! I want to meet her!"

A third voice cut through the crowd. "I'm so excited I can hardly speak!"

Holly blinked her eyes confusedly. The people couldn't be talking about her…

Kris's eyes suddenly glimmered with recognition, her expression changed to a mixture of surprise and fright.

Holly was about to ask what was wrong, but could only focus as a crowd of people rushed toward Kris.

The disabled Trainer had no time to react as a group of people mobbed her. There were so many that she nearly toppled over, and her eyes were full of wild panic as she fought to stay upright.

Holly could barely see the disabled Trainer among the crowd of people, and said crowd was so large it almost moved as one as they swarmed their target. Holly couldn't make out any individual people, but she could hear what they were saying.

"Can I have your autograph?"

"Oh boy, I've waited so long to meet you!"

"Oh, this is incredible! Shake my hand, shake my hand!"

Holly still had widened eyes as she glanced at Kris frantically trying to keep up with the demands of the frenzied crowd.

Holy blinked.

What was going on?

Holly glanced at Anabel, expecting to find the same look of surprise.

Instead, the woman looked almost expectant at what was going on, and Holly could see she was trying not to laugh.

Holly gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

Anabel had said she didn't want Kris to suffer! Yet here she was, suffering! And Anabel was laughing!

Anabel turned to Holly and noticed her severe look. Anabel's own face softened, and she explained.

"I'm not surprised, given Kris's strength. The regions' Fan Clubs seem to enjoy meeting strong Trainers. Her past as a well-liked vigilante probably makes her popular too."

Before Holly could reply, a voice soared above the crowd.

"Back away and give Kris some space! Besides, I've been waiting longer than any of you to meet her!"

The crowd parted, but Holly couldn't resist groaning.

She recognized that voice.

Anabel looked like she was about to ask what was wrong, but Holly only groaned again as the problem revealed itself.

There, walking through the parted crowd, was Ivy and her Litten, Alex.

The other Trainer's eyes twinkled when she saw Holly. Alex let out a cheerful meow, eyes also glowing happily.

Holly snorted, but Ivy didn't notice.

Apparently, she didn't pay attention to what had happened, or didn't care.

Maybe she was just too dumb to realize what had gone on.

Holly nodded.

She would go with that.

The other Trainer walked over, gleefully introducing herself.

"Hi, I'm Ivy, and this is Alex. We are on a journey too, and we are both friends of Holly's."

Anabel nodded. "Hello, I'm Anabel, nice to meet you. And I assume you know Kris's name already."

The disabled Trainer also nodded, but she seemed to be looking at something far away.

Holly blinked.

What could be over there in the distance? Not anything she could see…

Holly was torn away from Kris as Ivy started speaking again. Ivy was completely unaware of the situation around her as she continued with a grin on her face.

"Holly, it's so good to see you! And it's so cool that you made such famous friends! And you've grown so strong already! I've heard you already have two Badges!"

Holly clenched her fist. Why did Ivy have to be so annoying? And couldn't she _at least_ read the room?

Holly took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and shouted. "Shut up, Ivy!'

Ivy's eyes were wide, and the crowd stepped back. There was no mistaking that she had gotten the message now.

There was also no mistaking the smack that Anabel gave Holly. It reverberated through the area, followed by another shout.

"Holly, you don't say that to someone who is being nice to you!"

Holly kept her fists clenched as she continued.

"Well, I don't like her, and I really don't want to talk to her!"

There was no mistaking the pain in Ivy's eyes, and for that, Holly was glad. If she had to be blunt to get her point across, so be it.

Anabel was continuing to speak. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think Holly would lash out like that…"

"It's fine…" Ivy replied, but her voice was noticeably subdued.

Holly smirked, but before she could do anything else Kris stepped up. Holly noticed the disabled Trainer's face was pale, and couldn't help wondering what was happening.

There was a glimmer of recognition in her eyes as she stated. "You, you are…"

Surprise appeared in Ivy's eyes as she replied.

"Huh? You're acting like you recognize me, but I haven't met you before now."

Kris cringed, and her voice took on defeated tone. "I'm sorry, I must've just mistaken you for someone else."

Ivy's eyes brightened. "Well, it's okay either way! Because it's cool to know someone so famous!"

She glanced straight at her Pokémon.

"Well, Alex, we should go! We've been here a while! See you around!"

Holly was quickly jerked to the left side as Anabel stepped out of the way to let the pair pass. Kris took the opposite side, as Ivy and Alex walked through the center.

When the duo had left, Holly shouted at Kris. "What was that all about?"

Kris simply continued cringing, color returning to her face.

"It's nothing. Forget it."

Before Holly could protest, she heard someone from the crowd before shouting. "Hey, come on!"

Her eyes went wide. In her conflict with Ivy, Holly had almost forgotten they were there.

But now that she had left, it was like a spell had been broken over the crowd. Now, countless pairs of eyes focused on Kris.

Another voice came from the crowd.

"Send out your favorite Pokémon! Of course, your friends can send out theirs, too!"

Holly blinked.

She had heard this was a time-honored tradition in Fan Clubs, to send out one's favorite Pokémon for others to gape at. After what happened with Ivy, she didn't really want to participate, but she supposed, as a companion of Kris, she had no choice.

Holly glanced at Anabel, a silent question written in her eyes.

Anabel closed her eyes, before tossing her Torracat's Poké Ball.

Holly guessed the woman didn't really want to give it to her, but since this wasn't a battle, Holly supposed she could.

Holly tossed Torracat's Poké Ball into the air. The feline Pokémon glanced around at all the people, before purring.

The crowd shouted with glee, and then many were charmed by Torracat's purring. Holly could hear the crowd saying that it was cute, and the Pokémon only purred more as people stuck their hands out to pet it.

Holly wondered why Torracat didn't act this way in battle, but she supposed some Pokémon just acted differently when they weren't fighting.

Her attention was drawn to Anabel, who had released her Espeon.

Espeon started in a combat stance, but soon relaxed. It quickly soaked up attention, rubbing itself up against the crowd. Espeon let out something similar to a purr, as people also reached down to pet it.

It was clear Anabel's Pokémon was used to people, and Holly wondered if it had done something like this before.

A final Poké Ball flew through the air, and Holly recognized it as Kris's. The capsule opened to reveal her Mimikyu, who glanced around at the crowd.

It let out a high-pitched cry, although it was more like a child laughing, and less like what Holly had heard on the bridge.

She didn't think the Mimikyu was any less creepy, though. Apparently, some of the others felt the same, as the person backed away even as the Pokémon innocently approached. Some of the crowd bent down to pet it, but Holly realized they were noticeably more hesitant.

Holly narrowed her eyes. Even the _fan club_ didn't like that Pokémon!

All of a sudden, one of the members fixed his gaze on Kris.

What he said next made the disabled Trainer stiffen.

"That's not your real favorite Pokémon, is it?"

Holly glanced at Kris, and the disabled Trainer had taken a step back.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Just what was the fan club member talking about?

But the crowd was transfixed on Kris.

The male member spoke again. "Where is it? The one from all the stories we've heard? The one that you started your journey with?"

At this, Kris's face went pale, and she looked as though she was about to cry. A deathly silence filled the room, and even Holly found herself unable to speak.

What had rattled the disabled Trainer so much?

After what seemed like forever, she finally broke the silence with a whisper so quiet Holly could barely hear it.

"Lavender… My Pokémon is in the town of Lavender…"

Her next sentence was a little louder, but not by much.

"I'm sorry. I need to go."

Without warning, Kris recalled her Pokémon and slowly walked out of the building.

Holly paid no attention to the crowd as Anabel shouted. "Kris, wait!"

The plea fell on deaf ears, but Holly couldn't help asking a question.

"Why would someone leave a Pokémon in Lavender?"

Anabel's eyes were full of sorrow as she replied.

"Lavender is the town where Pokémon are buried, Holly. I think that means her Pokémon's dead…"

Holly's eyes went wide.

Kris's first Pokémon was dead? She couldn't believe it! That was so horrible! Holly couldn't imagine losing _any_ Pokémon, let alone the _first_ one she ever had! A Trainer's first Pokémon was said to be the one that they had the closest bonds with! To have that bond be severed…

Holly didn't think she could bear that pain, let alone imagine it with someone else!

Anabel saw Holly's pained look, and stated. "Come on, let's catch up with Kris. Maybe we can find out what happened."

Holly quickly obeyed as Anabel led her out of the fan club.

Kris hadn't gotten far. The disabled Trainer stood in the center of the city, pain written on her face. She still looked like she was going to cry, and Holly wondered if the older Trainer would break down in front of them.

Anabel put a hand on Kris's shoulder, stating. "That Pokémon… It's passed away, hasn't it?

Kris shakily turned around, nodding.

Holly couldn't resist blurting out. "How did it die?"

Kris didn't respond, instead shaking her head over and over.

When she finally spoke, it sounded strangled, and she was clearly trying to hold back tears.

"I can't... I never told anyone…"

Anabel soothingly stated. "Do you need some time alone?"

Kris started to shake her head, but Anabel took one look at her face and shook her own.

"You look like you do. Let's head back to the Pokémon Center, so you can recover. That will allow the Pokémon to heal, and then we can head to the Gym."

Kris only nodded, and the group started back.

Holly couldn't concentrate on where they were going, instead thinking about the dead Poochyena. She had been so devastated by wild Pokémon dying… She couldn't imagine losing her starter…

Holly clenched her fist.

No matter what, death was the same for every Pokémon.

And regardless of what happened to the Pokémon or whose Pokémon it was, the pain felt by the ones left behind was also the same.

Holly unclenched her fist, coming to a grim realization.

She may not have much in common with Kris, but the one thing they could share was their pain.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So the way the fan club reacts to Kris has to do with how they behave in the games. When the player visits in Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald, the fans won't notice them. However, should they complete certain accomplishments, they will gain fans. The fans will act toward the player the same way they acted towards Kris in this story. Particularly noteworthy is that one of the accomplishments that can gain the player fans is beating the Champion. Since Kris is implied to be at least as strong as the Champion, it would make sense that she has a lot of fans. This is also a carryover from her original version, because her original version was also somewhat of a celebrity because of her strength.**

 **-Also, have another Ivy appearance. I figured it would make sense for her to appear here, but she may not appear much in the rest of the story. However, she is set to have a much bigger role in Chris's story, Usurping.**


	43. Charge

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! There is a prompt for this chapter, but it's at the end to avoid spoilers. As usual, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes at the end for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

42\. Charge

A few tense moments passed at the Pokémon Center, before Kris finally emerged from a room in the back. The tear stains and paleness were gone from the older Trainer's face, but Holly could still sense the older Trainer was in pain.

Before she could reply, Kris took a deep breath and spoke. "I'm sorry about before… It's been many years since that Pokémon died, but I kept what happened to myself… I never expected anyone to ask me about it, so I was caught off guard…"

Anabel nodded. "It's understandable. And it was a little rude for them to ask you like that."

Kris shut her eyes. "They are right though. Mimikyu is not really my favorite Pokémon. It's just something I used to replace the one who died. And that truly _was_ my favorite. I haven't been able to pick up another of its species since."

Kris shook her head. "I should have known there would have been some stories about it… I traveled everywhere with that Pokémon… And I spent a lot of my life with it… It was stupid for me to think no one would know about it…"

Holly hung her head low. Despite how much time had passed, it was clear the disabled Trainer had not recovered from the loss. Holly couldn't help letting her thoughts wander to morbid topics.

If _she_ lost her first Pokémon, would she be like that too?

Were _all Trainers_ who lost their first Pokémon like that?

Holly felt like asking Anabel, but quickly decided against it. There was no knowing if the woman had had that experience, and if she had, Holly doubted she would talk about it.

So instead, she asked another question that rattled in her mind.

"That starter Pokémon you lost… Was it Cheyenne?"

Kris shook her head. "No, this was a completely different Pokémon. How it died was different too."

Holly clenched her fist. She couldn't imagine losing _one_ Pokémon, let alone _more than one!_

She wanted to say something to comfort the older Trainer, but could find no words.

It didn't seem to matter, as Anabel stepped up.

"What matters now is that you are feeling better. Are you?"

Kris nodded. "As well as I will ever be. Let's head to the Gym."

Holly resisted the urge to shout with glee.

Finally, she would get her next Gym Badge!

Yet, Holly tried not to shudder as she remembered the punishment.

She might not be able to battle, because from the sound of it, the Gym Leader was not someone who forgave easily.

Holly shook her head, trying to make her fears dissipate.

She already had one Badge stolen away from her! She wouldn't let it happen again!

The Gym was only a short walk away, and before long, its wide doors swung open.

The Gym was full of inky darkness, but Holly could still make out an area of blue. She also noticed a bunch of garbage cans sitting in the corner, but they all looked clean.

Holly cocked her head.

Why would someone need so many garbage cans, and why keep them clean? Weren't garbage can supposed to collect trash?

Holly jerked her head up from the garbage cans to look at someone approaching.

It was a male trainer, a little older than her. However, he had a sinister look, and Holly fought the urge to glare back at his arrogance.

However, his gaze swept right over Holly, eyes focusing on Kris.

"You... It's been a while since you've been here… This place is out of the way for you… Why did you come back?"

Holly blinked.

Now she was certain Kris didn't have a good relationship with this Gym!

After all, the male Trainer just implied she didn't come here often.

Kris kept her voice even as she responded. "We are here for a Gym Challenge."

The older Trainer nodded. "Fair enough. But don't expect the boss to go easy on you."

Kris nodded, and another set of doors swung open.

Holly could now see a yellow room with many lights. She could hear the crackle of electricity, and wondered from where.

Holly saw giant gates, and stared straight at them.

But it wasn't the gates that caught her attention.

It was the man standing behind them.

He had yellow hair with a pair of glistening shades. Holly could see that he was very tall and muscular, and she could understand why Kris had made him out to be intimidating. Holly could see that he was wearing a green shirt and brown spotted pants, and they looked well-worn. Dog tags jingled around his neck.

Holly had heard Lieutenant Surge served in the military, and she didn't doubt the rumors.

But now, she clenched her fist.

Military or not, intimidating or not, he was still a Gym Leader.

And he had to be defeated like all the rest.

The man, Lieutenant Surge, walked up. A menacing glare never left his eyes. His gaze pierced all of them, as if he was surveying their strength.

Holly met his gaze evenly, but Lieutenant Surge didn't even look.

Instead, his gaze focused on Kris. Her eyes flashed with recognition, and despite having to stand on her toes to look at him, she met Surge's gaze squarely.

"Kris… It's been a while… Did a Gym Challenge make you come out of hiding?"

Holly thought she could see Kris stiffen, and Holly briefly wondered what she was hiding from.

Did it have anything to do with the death of her first Pokémon?

Rapidly, the disabled Trainer responded.

"Yes, but I'm not the challenger."

Kris shifted aside, letting Holly step up.

Before she could say anything, Lieutenant Surge directed his fearsome gaze at her.

"Oh, it's you. I've heard about you. A brat like you wouldn't live long in combat."

Holly narrowed her eyes. What did combat have to do with anything?

Holly glared and retorted. "We aren't in combat, so let's just battle!"

Lieutenant Surge did not say anything, instead looking away from Holly's blazing eyes.

In another instant, lights went on, and Holly was nearly blinded.

When she could see, she realized she was in the middle of an orange arena. Aurge was standing on one side. Holly felt her tether disappear as Anabel went to go sit in the stands. Kris had followed her there, but her expression was unreadable.

Holly clenched her fist. She would win this!

Lieutenant Surge already held a Poké Ball in his hand.

"Let's see if you can back up your words! Go, Voltorb!"

He tossed his Poké Ball into the air, and Holly's opponent emerged in a bright white light. It looked like another Poké Ball. However, Holly knew it wasn't, because of the sharp big black eyes it had.

Holly smiled.

She knew _exactly_ what she was going to use!

"Go, Nidoqueen!" She tossed her own Poké Ball into the air, and the rabbit Pokémon came out.

It let out another roar, before glaring fiercely at its opponent.

Holly couldn't resist the urge to smirk. This would be an easy win!

Yet Lieutenant Surge already made the first move. "Voltorb, Sonicboom!"

Voltorb briefly glowed white, and waves of white energy pulsed from its body.

Holly cringed. Sonicboom could hit Nidoqueen, and it could be a powerful move.

Yet before Holly even needed to give a command, Nidoqueen easily sidestepped the attack.

Holly couldn't resist the urge to smirk again. It was as if Voltorb was striking at air!

And she knew just what to do to attack back.

Holly pointed at her opponent. "Nidoqueen, Superpower!"

Nidoqueen's fist glowed the deadly orange, before slamming straight into Voltorb. The other Pokémon didn't even try to get up, instead, rolling over backwards and upside down.

Lieutenant Surge rapidly recalled his Pokémon, as Holly cheered.

Her new evolutions were already proving to be powerful!

Yet Lieutenant Surge held a grim look on his face.

"Don't get too cocky, kid! I won't go down easily!"

He seized a Poké Ball from his belt, tossing it into the air.

"Go, Raichu!"

Another Pokémon appeared, and although Holly knew it had the same name as her own, it couldn't have been more different.

Its body was a light orange, with white on its torso. The Raichu's paws were brown, and its black eyes shown in the light. The inside of its ears were yellow, and the outside was brown. It still had the familiar lightning bolt tail, but the tail now lashed behind it. It seemed to have no intention of floating on it.

Holly grinned. This would be so simple!

"It's another Electric type! We can take this, Nidoqueen!"

But before she could shout out a command, Surge said something that made her eyes go wide.

"Raichu, Surf!"

Holly resisted the urge to put her hand over her mouth.

Raichu couldn't surf! There was no way!

Yet Raichu conjured a huge wave of water from somewhere. It jumped on its tail, then jumped onto the wave. Raichu lifted the water up as Nidoqueen was caught in its ominous shadow. The water came down in a sickening crash as Raichu went down with it. Nidoqueen screamed as she was drenched by the wicked wave.

By the time the water had cleared, Raichu stood without a scratch. Its eyes blazed, and it looked ready to fight another opponent.

Nidoqueen, in contrast, looked anything but.

She lay collapsed on the ground, coughing up water. Then, her eyes closed, and she lay still.

Holly's face went pale as she recalled her Pokémon.

If Nidoqueen was defeated, what Pokémon could she use next?

She didn't currently have anything that resisted _both_ water and electricity…

But she did have something else that was newly evolved…

Holly glared at Lieutenant Surge as she held up her next Poké Ball.

He was cheating! He must've been!

Yet Lieutenant Surge met her gaze evenly.

"It isn't cheating, kid. Raichu and Pikachu can learn Surf through special training. It pushes them to their limits, but it is worth it."

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fists.

How could any training that pushed the Pokémon to its limits be worth it? She had already seen what that could do…

Holly rapidly tossed her next Poké Ball.

"Go, Raichu!"

Her own electric mouse appeared, eyes shimmering. Holly tensed.

Her Pokémon may look different, but that didn't mean it wasn't strong!

Yet Lieutenant Surge still spoke confidently.

"Raichu, Surf again!"

Again the dreaded wave came, and Holly's own Raichu's eyes widened as the wave towered over it. Before either Holly or her Pokémon could react, it was howling as the wave slammed into it.

Holly could see her Pokémon stagger backward, coughing up water. Unlike Nidoqueen, it didn't collapse.

But Holly could see it was already swaying, and was reminded that Raichu didn't take hits well.

She would have to end this battle fast, but her opponent gave her no time to recover.

"Raichu, follow it up with Mega Kick!"

Raichu lashed out its left leg. Holly's Pokémon screamed again as it smashed right into it. Holly's Raichu flew across the arena, crashing to the ground. It slowly got up, but Holly could see the pain in its eyes. It was now painting, and swaying even more.

Holly gritted her teeth. It looked as though the battle was already over!

And Lieutenant Surge was already seizing the advantage.

"Raichu, finish this with another Surf!"

Holly paled as the wicked water came again.

What could she do? Raichu was already standing there, helplessly shaking. The electric mouse seemed already trapped by the wave's sinister shadow…

Holly's eyes widened.

Shadow…

That was it… She knew where the wave was… Now she just had to act…

As the wave loomed over her Raichu, Holly shouted.

"Raichu, above you! Use Psychic to knock the other one off!"

The other Pokémon's eyes widened in terror, as Holly's own Raichu's eyes glowed.

The enemy Pokémon was seized by the psychic power, and it let a scream. The wave slowly dissipated, its monstrous form turning into tiny droplets that harmlessly showered overhead.

But Holly's Raichu couldn't pay attention to the droplets, as the glow around it grew stronger. With a mighty cry, it threw the opponent off the shrinking wave, and onto the ground. The wave completely disappeared, meekly splashing on the ground as Holly's Raichu completed its attack.

Its opponent slowly got up, but Holly wasn't about to give the chance to recover.

"Raichu, Psychic again! Finish this!"

Holly's Raichu let out a mighty cry, as it enveloped its stunned opponent. Surge's Raichu didn't even have time to scream as Holly's Pokémon hurled it into a wall. The stunned Pokémon slid off the wall, smashing facedown into the ground.

There wasn't even a flicker of movement, and Lieutenant Surge quickly recalled it.

His eyes were still intimidating as he walked towards Holly, but they had softened considerably.

"You may be a brat, but you are strong! Here it is, the Thunder Badge, and a TM for a powerful electric move, Thunderbolt."

Holly took the Badge, running her hand around the sun-shaped design. She took the TM too, and smiled.

Finally, her third Badge, and a powerful move to boot!

She turned to Kris and Anabel.

"Finally, I got the Thunder Badge! Now I'm one step closer to challenging the League!"

Anabel managed a small smile, saying her congratulations. Holly figured despite everything that happened, the woman could still be happy.

Holly continued beaming, eyes shining as she turned towards Kris.

"Thank you, Kris! Thanks to you helping my Pokémon, I was able to win!"

Yet before Kris could respond, anger flashed in Lieutenant Surges's eyes.

He stared straight at her, voice booming.

" _You_ gave her those Pokémon?"

Kris met his gaze evenly, but Holly thought she could see her stiffen.

"I gave them the stones to evolve, yes. I figured Holly would need all the power she could get."

Lieutenant Surge clenched his fist. "If you gave her the power to win, that is that Holly's victory, or yours?"

Kris let out a small gasp, backing away. She did not even raise a hand to object to Surge's claim.

Holly clenched her fists. What was Lieutenant Surge talking about? Of course it was her victory! Kris hadn't fought!

Lieutenant Surge's voice suddenly softened, yet Holly could detect nothing soothing about it. "Tell me this is isn't about what happened before. Years ago, when you lost that Pokémon in the Gym…"

Holly's eyes went wide. Lieutenant Surge had killed one of Kris's Pokémon? Was _that_ why she was so ruthless with him? But how could that be? He was still a Gym Leader!

Yet now Kris was shaking her head.

"What happened then has nothing to do with the battle now. I only wanted Holly to get stronger."

Without waiting for an answer, she simply stated. "Goodbye."

The disabled Trainer turned to leave, and Holly and Anabel quickly followed.

Yet Holly couldn't help the morbid thoughts engulfing her again.

First the Pokémon mentioned at the fan club… And now the Pokémon mentioned by Lieutenant Surge… And the fact that Kris had been avoiding Vermilion…

Holly's eyes widened as she came to a realization.

Was that Pokémon Kris's starter? And had Lieutenant Surge killed it?

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _First, as promised, the prompt for this chapter._

 _-_ _Lieutenant Surge has three Pokémon they can be used. They are Voltorb, Pikachu, and Raichu. I chose Voltorb and Raichu because using Pikachu together with its evolution would be seen as redundant. Raichu alone would make the battle too short._

 _-This chapter is also worth noting because a new prompt was given after this area, but before the next one. This is to move the action along, and players don't need to do anything. This prompt is too short to make a separate response anyway, so I will just detail it here._

 _-Prof. Pine calls the player, and they tell her everything that's going on. However, something seems suspicious, and the idea of studying Pokémon has taken on a darker tone…_ _The professor's first name is also revealed to be Annelle._

 **-Now for the chapter itself…**

 **-So I decided to make Holly's Raichu evolve to its Alolan form just for the scene. I figured it would be interesting to see the two different types battling it out, and would make things less confusing.**

 **-** **Lieutenant Surge's Raichu knowing Surf comes from the games. Starting with the first Pokémon Stadium, Lieutenant Surge had a Raichu that knew Surf. It could easily catch the player off guard, since Raichu was faster than almost every Ground type initially released, and has enough power to destroy things in one hit. It's also worth noting that he had this surfing Raichu long before the player could get access to one.**

 **-** **Lieutenant Surge mentioning that Pikachu and Raichu can get Surf through special training comes from the games. Starting with the first Pokémon Stadium, the player could do special quests to get a Pikachu with Surf, which could then evolve into a Raichu. However, these quests were often out of the way, contained no hints on how to complete them, and most were very difficult. There were also some real-life events that distributed a Pikachu knowing the move. It is also worth noting that Pikachu cannot legally learn Surf outside of these quests or real-life events.**

 **-Traditionally, Lieutenant Surge has handed out either Thunderbolt or Shock Wave, depending on the game. I chose Thunderbolt here, simply because I was reminded of the older games where he handed it out when I was writing this chapter.**

 **The layout of Surge's Gym has to do with both the games and the anime. In the anime, the Gym is basically a straight shot, with a darkened room. Eventually, there's another room and back that lights up to become an arena.**

 **-In the games, however, Surge is noted for having one of the most notorious Gym puzzles in the entire series. Surge is guarded by electrified gates. To get past them, the player has to find two switches. However, doing this is easier said than done. Surge's Gym is littered with trash cans, and the switches are in two random cans. Once one switch is found, the other will always be right next to it. Unfortunately, complicating matters is that with the way the cans are set up, there can be up to four choices for the second switch. Should the player choose wrong, the switches will reset completely.**

 **-Obviously, this is a pain to solve and an even bigger pain to write. So, I just went with the anime version of the gym, and made a reference to the games. I might just use the game version in a future story, however…**


	44. Hunt

**Welcome back to the next chapter in Holly Rising! It's been a while, but I'm pleased to announce two new companion fics in the same universe, Knowledge and Homecoming! If you like this story and are interested in the future story Usurping, please give those a read! They will also slightly influence events here, but are not required to understand the rest of the story.**

 **This area is a new one, there is a prompt. However, to avoid chapter spoilers, the prompt will be detailed in the author's notes.**

 **As always, see the author's notes for details and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

43\. Hunt

Tension still hung in the air as the group trudged onto Route 9.

Holly hoped no one would see her shuddering.

She had just gotten done with a call from professor Pine, and the professor had acted darkly…

Yet Holly decided not to tell anyone.

After all, the group had enough things to worry about.

But no matter how hard Holly tried to conceal her fear, Kris noticed anyway.

The disabled Trainer whirled around to face Holly, an unreadable expression in her eyes.

"You know, you've been acting odd since that phone call…"

This time, Holly couldn't help answering. After all Kris did for her, the least she could do for the disabled Trainer was be honest.

"Oh, it was just a weird call from the professor."

Kris cocked her head.

"The professor?"

Holly nodded.

"Professor Annelle Pine of Viridian. She's in charge of the study."

Kris suddenly looked surprised.

"Annelle? But her name is Julia!"

Holly's eyes were wide.

"Julia? But I'd never heard her use that name… She always introduced herself as Annelle…"

Anabel suddenly cut in. "Kris, it doesn't make sense for the same person to have two completely different names. Perhaps you made a mistake?"

Kris shakes her head.

"No, I didn't. Because I met her too, and that's what she told me her name was. That was years ago… When… When…"

Kris suddenly grimaced, shutting her eyes. She looked like she was biting her tongue, but Holly wondered why she would do something so painful.

Her Delphox radiated with psychic power, but Kris shook her head.

Instead, Kris simply kept her pained look as she stated. "I'm sorry."

Holly opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but Anabel stepped between them.

"We should be going. We don't want to be late to the next town."

Holly followed Anabel, but she couldn't help being lost in her own thoughts.

What did Kris know, and what was she about to say?

Now, an eerie silence hung over the group. They walked slowly, no one even looking at each other.

Holly knew the next town was only a short ways away, but now it felt as though the journey would take forever.

So, Holly decided to break the silence.

Softly, she stated. "Kris… That Pokémon you mentioned… Lieutenant Surge… Did he…"

Kris suddenly whirled around, a glare in her eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Anabel stepped up, a question in her own gaze. "Why? We might be able to help."

Kris shook her head fiercely, voice taking on a low tone that sounded almost like a warning.

" _I said_ I don't want to, and you can't help me."

Anabel put her hands on her hips, and looked like she was about to say more.

However, Holly quickly grabbed the woman's arm, shaking her head.

When Anabel gave a questioning look, Holly put a finger to her lips.

Anabel should know better than anyone not to provoke Kris's temper!

Luckily, the woman got the message and let out a sigh.

"All right, let's continue on."

The woman paused, then spoke again.

"Maybe we'll find some hidden items."

Holly cocked her head.

"Hidden items?"

Anabel nodded.

"Most people drop items on this route, so you can find a lot if you know where to look."

Kris suddenly stepped up.

"And to find hidden items, you need something like this."

The other Trainer held two silver rods, and placed them in Holly's hands. Holly could detect some energy flowing from them, and wondered what it was.

At Holly's questioning look, Kris responded.

"It's an Item Finder. It can help you find items that aren't immediately present. I always was bad at using them though, so you'll get better use out of it than me."

A grin crossed Holly's face.

Now she could be a treasure hunter!

Yet as soon as she turned to walk away, she felt a sharp tug on her tether.

She glanced at Anabel, noticing the woman was glaring at Kris.

The words that came out of Anabel's mouth sent a shiver down Holly's spine.

"What are you planning?"

Holly threw up her hands. "What you mean, Annabel? That's crazy talk! We're just going to go treasure hunting!"

Yet Anabel ignored Holly, keeping an icy cold gaze on Kris.

The disabled Trainer did not answer, so Anabel continued.

"At first, you hated Holly. But now, you're giving her objects. And not just any objects, but things that are extremely valuable to Trainers. You didn't need to give Holly those evolution stones or the Item Finder to progress, but you did."

Kris opened her mouth to say something, but Anabel continued.

"More than once, there've been cases where Holly would never have won a battle, but you manipulated the situation so that a victory was possible. And you've also directly manipulated other things with Holly's journey, like what Pokémon she does or doesn't have. At first I thought it was because of the punishment, but now it seems _far_ too strategic…"

Anabel's eyes suddenly blazed as she continued.

"You've even gone behind my back _with her!_ I thought at first it was just some bad blood between you and the Vermillion City Gym Leader. Or not knowing how to use your aggression properly… But you just keep manipulating more and more..."

Anabel's eyes darkened as she bore into Kris.

"So, what's your motive?"

Kris shut her eyes, and Holly wondered if the disabled Trainer would answer.

Frankly, Anabel was crazy! Kris was only a Trainer trying to help and make the journey she was forced on easier!

Kris opened her eyes and slowly responded.

"I want Holly to get stronger for when I can't be."

Holly cocked her head.

Was that supposed to mean? Of course Kris could get stronger! She didn't need anyone else to do that!

Anabel cried. "What do you mean?"

Kris suddenly cringed, and a pained look entered her eyes.

"I made the wrong choice… Making sure Holly becomes strong enough to survive is the only way I can rectify it."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Kris had said something similar back in Vermillion. What did she mean?

And Holly shuddered at Kris's choice of words.

Strong enough to survive.

Did that mean something would happen to either of them? Or both?

Anabel threw up her hands, anger still blazing.

"That's no answer!"

The woman's icy gaze pierced Kris, but Holly didn't see what she was about to do.

Holly simply didn't want to hear anymore! Kris's help or not, she had just won another Gym battle, and she wanted the time directly after her victory to be on a happy note!

With that, Holly started to run, jerking the tether with all her might.

Anabel let out a gasp, nearly falling over as she was almost dragged with Holly. The woman tried to pull Holly back, but Holly twisted and turned as she fought against the tether.

"Holly, get back here!" The woman screeched.

"No!" Holly shouted. "I don't want to hear any more fighting! All you ever do is fight, Anabel! I want to look for items, and I want things to be happy!"

Kris suddenly spoke up. "I'd like Holly to look for items too. It's a way of exploring the route and getting stronger. And Holly won't get any stronger if we just sit here fighting."

Anabel replied. "But…"

Kris cut her off, fixing her with a hard stare.

"You said that I had control over the journey, and this is where I want to go. So Holly looks for items, whether you like it or not."

Anabel cringed, and Holly wondered if she was regretting the punishment she had set.

Holly hoped she was. The whole thing was ridiculous!

Yet Anabel didn't give any indication of regret as she responded.

"Fine. But don't do anything stupid."

Anabel tossed a Poké Ball into the air, releasing her Espeon.

"Espeon, they're going to look for items. Supervise them."

The Pokémon nodded, and Holly's tether disappeared. Holly flashed a huge grin. However briefly, she was free!

With that, she took off, holding the Item Finder in front of her. Kris, her Delphox, and Espeon soon followed.

Holly's grin only widened as she raced across the countryside. The Item Finder hummed to life, only becoming louder as it began doing its work. Within minutes, the hunt was on.

Within more, it was fruitful.

For Holly couldn't believe how many items there were in the route…

And they were powerful items too…

A Rare Candy to level Pokémon lay conceled among cliffs…

A Full Restore that completely healed Pokémon was tucked between the trees…

And even some strange clay rested hidden beneath the grass… Kris said something about it helping barrier moves, but Holly knew she didn't have any of those.

All she knew was that Kris was beaming every step of the way. Somehow, the disabled Trainer kept a steady pace, her smile just as wide as Holly's. Every time Holly thought they'd found all the items, Kris would encourage her to keep going, and they would find more.

Before long, Holly returned to Anabel, a huge smile still plastered on her face. She confidently dropped her bag near her feet, all the items she found in full view. Kris came up behind her, smile as wide as Holly's.

Holly cheerfully cried. "Look Anabel! Look at all the items I found!"

Kris continued. "I have to say she did quite well. She's a natural with the Item Finder."

Anabel rapidly responded. "That's great!"

Holly noticed that her happiness seemed genuine, and wondered if she was relieved that Holly did not do anything stupid, or if she shared the same cheer that Holly did over her success.

Regardless, at least Anabel was happy.

But then, the Item Finder hummed again, louder than Holly had ever heard it.

The sound was almost deafening, and that's when Holly realized she it had pointed at Anabel.

Nevertheless, she let out a laugh.

"Look Anabel! You're a hidden item!"

There was no missing the seriousness in Kris's tone as she replied.

"Or that just mean she _has_ one."

Before Anabel could respond, something felt from her jacket pocket.

At that moment, the Item Finder grew louder still, and Holly was sure she was on the right track.

Yet there was nothing more perplexing than what Anabel picked up off the ground.

It was a doll, of some sort of Pokémon. The doll depicted an orange bird with blue eyes. It had yellow feathers on its body, with another pair of yellow ones on its head. His feet were tan, and Holly could see they were sharp talons.

Before Holly could respond, Kris spoke.

"A Torchic doll… A popular Fire Type Pokémon in Hoenn... And especially popular amongst young girls… Why would you have something like this, Anabel?"

A pained look entered Anabel's eyes, and it was a while before she responded.

"It's something from my Frontier days… I held onto it because it gave me hope…"

Holly expected Kris to show sympathy, but instead, the disabled Trainer's eyes flashed with suspicion.

Holly blinked.

Kris had tried to say something about Anabel earlier… She thought Anabel _was something_ , and that _something_ was related to Holly…

What did Kris know?

But the instant the suspicion arose in Kris's eyes, it was gone.

Holly cocked her head.

Perhaps the disabled Trainer didn't want to have tensions arise so soon after they had calmed. Or maybe she wanted more info before jumping to conclusions.

Nevertheless, she stated.

"All that has made me tired. I think I'll use a Chesto Berry to wake up. I found some on the trees around here."

With that, the disabled Trainer produced a light blue berry and held it delicately in her hand.

She offered one to Holly.

"Want one? I find them quite tasty."

Holly smiled, taking the berry.

She knew that berries were used in desserts and juices, and that they were good. So the wild berries must taste even better!

"Okay!"

Kris smiled, popping her berry into her mouth.

Holly quickly did the same.

Yet while Kris seemed to be enjoying the sweet treat, Holly found out she couldn't.

A dry flavor hit the back of her mouth, and it tasted like sandpaper. The berry felt sharper than a knife, and try as she might, Holly couldn't swallow it.

Instead, she gasped, coughed, sputtered, and choked on the food. She gasped again as Anabel gave her a huge whack on her back.

Before Holly could react, Anabel was doing another few slaps, commanding. "Holly, spit it out. There's no point in swallowing if it's that bad."

Holly did as she was told, spiting the half eaten berry out onto the grass. However, she still felt the juice lingering on her tongue.

Anabel handed her a glass of water, instructing.

"Use this to wash your mouth out."

Holly once again did what she was told, spitting the berry and water mixture onto the grass.

She looked right into Kris's concerned eyes.

"Are you all right?"

Holly rasped. "Yeah… Ugh… What…"

Kris rapidly responded. "I'm sorry. I forgot it's an acquired taste."

Anabel suddenly snapped. "No kidding. Kris, I know you're part Pokémon, but you should remember that humans aren't supposed to eat wild berries _meant for them!_ "

Kris rapidly responded. "Some people like the taste of wild berries though. I did even before I met Tulip. So it was worth a try."

Anabel nodded, although a stern look was in her eyes.

"I guess so. But please don't do that again."

Kris nodded. "All right, I'll just eat all the berries myself."

Even though Holly still felt a little sick from what happened, she found she couldn't get angry at Kris.

At least the disabled Trainer had good intentions.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _First, the prompt!_

 _Route 9 is a place north of Cerulean and leads toward Rock Tunnel. At the end of Rock Tunnel is the small town of Lavender. Before Rock Tunnel, the area leads to route 10._

 _Pokémon that can be caught here are Raticate, Sableye, Arbok, Buizel, Venonat, Nidorino, Nidorina, Fearow, and Sandslash. For the first time, items are available on the route. They are two Full Restores, a Rare Candy, a Chesto Berry, a Max Potion, and a Light Clay._

 **Now for the chapter itself…**

 **-The talk about Holly's strange call with the professor is to follow up with an event that occurred in the prompt for the last chapter. It is a fairly important event, but the fact that's part of the prompt can make it be difficult to find. Therefore, I thought it would include a follow-up here. Kris's confusion with the names and meeting the professor has to do with something explained in Knowledge. For those who don't want to read this companion fic, the events will also be explained later on in this one.**

 **-The idea with the Item Finder has to do with the fact that this is the first route where items are mentioned as part of the prompt. This is also near the place where one would typically find the Item Finder, although I actually did not realize that when I was writing.**

 **-In all main games, the Item Finder (or an equivalent) helps the player find items that are not visible (although using it is not required to find these items). How it finds the items differs between every game, so I just chose to use sound for this RP. It's also worth noting in many of the games, I have difficulty using it, hence Kris's comment about being bad with it.**

 **-All of the items Holly finds have the same effect in the games as mentioned here. Particularly noteworthy is the Light Clay, which increases the duration of moves that create barriers around the target. These moves include things such as Light Screen and Reflect, but Holly's Pokémon don't know these moves.**

 **-The Chesto Berry and Holly's reaction to it is based off of the games. In the games, the Chesto Berry awakens Pokémon from sleep. It can either be used as a regular item, or held by a Pokémon and consumed. If the latter option is used, the item does not take up a turn in battle. The idea of the berry being dry comes from sidequests. In some of the games, berries can be used to make treats for Pokémon. Each berry has different flavors, and the Chesto Berry is dry.**

 **-The idea of humans not eating berries comes from optional dialogue in the games, and to a lesser extent, the anime. Pokémon X and Y has restaurants that serve the player desserts made from berries, but humans are never seen eating berries by themselves. The Alola games also continue this, with some cafés serving juice from berries, but no mention of anyone eating the berries straight up. The anime has some Trainers eating berries, but they don't appear to be the same ones used on Pokémon.**

 **In Pokémon Heartgold and Soulsilver, there is a hiker that mentions watching his Pokémon eat some berries. It seemed to be enjoying the meal, so the hiker decides to try some. He mentions that he's not sure if people should eat wild berries, but that he found it delicious. Therefore, I thought that berries could be an acquired taste in the Pokémon world, and since Kris's close to Pokémon even before her fusion, it would make sense for her to enjoy them.**


	45. Disturbance

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there is also a new prompt. However, I'm going to wait until chapter to explain it, because it contains spoilers.**

 **As usual, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

* * *

44\. Disturbance

After Holly's close encounter with the berry, the group continued on.

Holly couldn't help feel a chill creep down her spine at how quiet it was.

No matter where she looked, no Pokémon approached. She couldn't even see any on the horizon…

Holly blinked.

Pokémon were everywhere. To have nothing here was unnatural beyond belief…

Holly couldn't help her eyes going wide.

What was going on?

Somehow, Anabel noticed Holly's bewilderment.

"Holly, what's wrong?"

Holly's voice came out as a stammer.

"The Pokémon… There are none here…"

Kris's eyes became severe as she replied. "That's because this is the domain of the lightning bird legendary Pokémon, Zapdos. It lives in the nearby power plant, and its mighty presence scares all Pokémon away. They might return later, but who knows when "later" will be. At least the Pokémon in the waters and around the power plant live peacefully. Oh, and those in the back of the power plant don't seem to mind it either."

Holly blurted out. "Wait, there Pokémon in the back of the power plant? I thought that was just a room where people ran generators…"

Kris shook her head.

"When people added onto that building, they found a back room full of Pokémon. Rather than force them out, they simply expanded and built the room with the generators in front of them. It turned out to be a good decision, considering it's also the resting place of Zapdos. The Pokémon seem to like it, too. Fitting, considering most are Electric type."

Holly couldn't contain her fascination.

A room each for people and for Pokémon… And the domain of a legendary one… Would she get a chance to see the legendary Pokémon? A chance to capture it?

Holly opened her mouth to speak again, but something broke the silence.

Holly heard footsteps, and it wasn't long before another figure approached them.

Kris stopped dead, eyes gleaming with recognition. Holly almost banged into her, but luckily, Anabel kept her steady. Holly couldn't help staring at the figure that made Kris stop so suddenly. The figure stared straight back.

The figure had light reddish brown hair, and brown eyes. Holly could see that he was a male. He looked to be around Holly's age, but Holly could see strength and maturity that made him look much older. His purple and black clothing looked well-worn, but at the same time had a certain finesse to it.

The figure looked like he was about to speak, but Kris spoke first.

Her voice was almost a whisper, and Holly thought she could detect a bit of fear.

"Blue… What are you doing here?"

The figure blinked, confusion showing in his eyes.

"Huh? I'm not Blue. I'm his son. My name is Azure. I can see how you could confuse us, though. We look a lot alike."

Kris nodded, but Holly could see the nod was shaky.

Holly blinked.

What could make Kris be so terrified, especially of a much younger Trainer?

But Holly tore her attention from Kris to focus on Azure.

"I'm out looking for tough Trainers. I was hoping I could find some here."

Holly stepped up, confidence brimming.

"Look no further!"

Yet Azure took one glance at her and scoffed.

"You? A criminal like you isn't worthy of my time. Besides, I can see you're not strong enough to challenge the Viridian Gym Leader."

Holly's eyes were wide.

 _This_ was the Viridian Gym Leader? The Gym Leader of Viridian City, the most powerful in Kanto, stronger than Holly could even dream of?

What was such a Trainer doing here, so far away from the city?

As if sensing the question, Azure answered. "If you're curious, we Gym Leaders do a lot more than just hang around at our Gyms. Some others like to travel, and I guess I'm one of them. My dad told me he did the same thing, back when he ran the Gym."

Holly blinked.

A Gym Leader traveling? She supposed it was possible. After all, her mother had a job outside for Gym duties. Holly remembered she was some sort of doctor, but it wasn't the usual kind… And apparently her Gym Trainers helped make perfume.

So maybe Azure's job involved traveling.

But then…

Wouldn't a traveling Gym Leader be an issue for challengers?

Maybe the League had some sort of protocol in place…

Before Holly could ask, Anabel was speaking.

"Why don't you battle Kris instead? She is strong."

The disabled Trainer took a step forward at Anabel's words.

However, Holly noticed her steps were shaky.

What Kris think Azure was going to do? Yell at her?

Then again, considering how the last encounters with League officials went, Holly wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened.

Yet Azure did anything _but_ yell.

Instead, he simply shook his head.

"Sorry, you're not worthy of my time either. I'd rather not challenge a wanderer who's already been around the League Challenge several times."

Anabel stepped forth, confusion written in her eyes.

"Then who-" She was cut off as Azure pointed to her.

"I will challenge you. I've never seen you around before, and you look strong."

Anabel looked surprised as she responded. "Me?"

Azure replied. "Yes, you. Did you not hear what I just said?"

Anabel rapidly recovered. "Sorry. It's been a while since someone challenged me in the field. I was caught off guard."

Azure didn't seem to acknowledge this, as he took his place across from Anabel.

Holly felt her tether switch to Kris, and the disabled Trainer backed up to give Anabel some more space.

Azure shouted. "Let's make this a one-on-one! I've got somewhere I need to be."

Anabel nodded. "As do we."

Holly wondered why he even wanted to battle when he was in a hurry, but she figured he probably just wanted to blow off some steam.

Azure already had a Poké Ball in his hand.

"Go, Arcanine!"

A doglike Pokémon appeared with a howl. Its fur reminded Holly of a tiger, being orange with black stripes. Its black eyes stared fiercely as Anabel, but she did not flinch back. The Pokémon also had a cream-colored mane that matched its tail and some of the fur on its legs.

Holly nodded.

This was no surprise. Arcanine was one of the strongest Fire type Pokémon, so it would make sense that the most powerful Gym Leader in Kanto would have it.

And it was a familiar sight. After all, it was what Growlithe would evolve into.

Beside her, Holly saw Kris stiffen.

Why would the disabled Trainer stiffen at seeing an Arcanine? She must've seen plenty before…

Holly shook her head. She had to focus on the battle.

But Holly wasn't prepared at all for what Anabel had to say.

"Entei, this battle is yours."

Holly's eyes widened in shock as Anabel threw the Poké Ball.

After the bright white light cleared, a powerful beast stood. A gray cloud rippled on its back and spikes jutted from below it. It had well-kept brown fur and massive gray paws, and Holly could see the muscle underneath. Black rings were around each of its legs, but they didn't seem to slow it down. The Pokémon had what looked like a gray mouthpiece over its mouth, and black eyes fiercely glared at its opponent. The Pokémon had a red face, with yellow on the top.

Holly finally allowed herself a moment to breathe.

This was one of the strongest Pokémon in existence. One of the many gods of fire. A Pokémon so powerful it could make a volcano erupt with a single roar.

This was Entei.

Holly had seen the Pokémon other times, but it still didn't seem real now.

She flashed back as she recalled what happened.

There had been a woman who had studied under the Saffron Gym Leader, Sabrina. And her mother had known the woman because Sabrina was a close friend. According to them, this woman was the best student Sabrina had ever had. She apparently had more power than almost any other Trainer the League had ever seen. The woman's strength was so impressive that she had been offered the position of a Champion, but had turned it down.

But Holly didn't pay any attention to that.

All she remembered was Entei.

Apparently, the woman had befriended the legendary Pokémon before she was even half a Trainer's age. Now, she traveled the world on its back, and some whispered that she could even reach the places beyond.

Holly recalled one time they came to visit.

Holly remembered she had been young, and she had thought the sun itself had come down to greet her. But it was only the woman and her majestic Entei. She had let Holly pet the beast, and then the woman had stroked it herself. At the time, the Entei had seemed like a giant dog.

But Holly saw how powerful it really was. Some Trainers had been foolish enough to challenge the woman. Holly remembered her eyes going wide with awe, as it used its flames to completely obliterate the opposing Pokémon.

And during all this, the woman had been completely calm, despite blazing eyes matching the fire. And the Pokémon has responded in kind, retaining its own serene majesty.

Holly could never forget that day.

The day when she saw fire personified.

Yes, fire personified…

What she hoped to see here…

Along with the same strength and majesty the Sabrina's student had wielded long ago…

But…

One question remained.

How did Anabel get that power?

She hoped to find the answer to as she glanced towards the woman.

Azure seemed as taken aback as Holly had been, confident façade broken as he stumbled backward. His eyes grew wide and he opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead he just couldn't stop staring.

Holly thought he had the same questions she did.

But Anabel gave him no room to answer them.

Before Azure could even speak, Anabel coolly commanded.

"Entei, Stone Edge."

Entei let out a deafening roar and light blue rings surrounded it. Suddenly, the rings turned white, and Holly could see stones forming. Entei let out another roar, and the stones flew at its opponent. Arcanine screamed as the rocks pierced it. Holly winced, not seeing a place where Aracanine wasn't hit. She winced even more she felt the shards piercing her, and wondered if there were volcanos erupting now.

Holly continued gritting her teeth, but stole a glance at Kris. To her surprise, she found that the disabled Trainer seemed to be deep in thought, and had closed her eyes.

However, Holly thought she detected pain in Kris's eyes.

Holly blinked.

Kris had seen a lot of battles, surely. And she was used to legendary Pokémon because she commanded them herself.

So what could be making her so distressed now?

Yet the disabled Trainer did not show the source of her distress as she opened her eyes and continued to stare ahead. Holly quickly followed suit, and realize the battle had changed.

The stones had disappeared, and Entei still loomed over the battlefield. However, Arcanine now trembled, pain and desperation burning in its eyes.

All of a sudden, Aracanine's legs buckled, and there was a sickening crash as it hit the ground. The Pokémon let out a pitiful whimper, before closed its eyes and lay still.

Azure stared at Anabel, mouth hanging open.

Anabel stood by her own Pokémon, expression unreadable.

Holly blinked.

Anabel had taken out Viridian's Gym Leader without him landing a single blow.

And she commanded one of the most feared legendary Pokémon like it was nothing…

Just how powerful _was_ she?

Holly noticed seemed to be staring at something far away.

Holly didn't dare ask about what she was looking at. She doubted the disabled Trainer would answer.

Now her eyes focused on Azure, who was shakily grabbing his Poké Ball. He recalled his Pokémon, but he never took his eyes off Anabel.

Anabel also recalled hers, giving a polite nod as she turned to face him.

Azure managed to stammer.

"How… How are you so powerful?"

Anabel evenly responded.

"I've been through a lot." Holly noticed there was a mixture of sharpness and sorrow in Anabel's voice, and wondered if she was thinking about all the people she lost at the Frontier.

But Anabel said nothing more about the subject as she gave another polite nod.

"Thank you for the battle, but we'd better go. We must get to Lavender before it's late."

Azure's eyes went wide.

"I'm going there too. Maybe I'll meet you guys there?"

Anabel nodded. "I'm sure you will. We have to pass through Lavender to get to Celadon. Where in Lavender are you headed?"

Azure's face fell. "The Pokémon Tower. It's the anniversary of my Pokémon's death, and I want to pay my respects."

Sorrow filled Anabel's eyes, and Holly remembered everything she'd lost.

"I am sorry for your loss. Would you like some company? We're heading in the same direction, after all.

Holly felt Kris stiffen, and she hoped Anabel would refuse. Holly remembered how the disabled Trainer had acted when her dead Pokémon were brought up.

How would she react upon visiting the Tower, where all their graves were?

Yet surprisingly, Azure nodded.

You'd do that for me? That's so nice of you…"

A smile lit his face, and Holly could see it was genuine.

"All right, it's a short flight away for me, so I will see you there. I'll make a stop at the Center here, first, though."

Azure suddenly paused. "You know, there's a tunnel over there that leads to Lavender."

He jerked his thumb in the direction of a cave. Holly stared at the entrance, dark and foreboding.

She couldn't help shivering.

Were they really going to go in there?

But Azure was speaking now. "It's a bit of a longer trip, and it can be a bit dangerous. However, I heard it's good training, and people can find strong Pokémon there. I don't need any training, and I already know the area, so I will just fly over it."

Anabel nodded.

"Then we will head to the cave and meet you. Thank you for pointing that out."

Holy sighed.

A pitch black cave was the _last_ place she wanted to go!

But she supposed that it was worth the training, and possibly another catch.

She turned to Kris, but was surprised to notice the disabled Trainer was shaking. Her face was pale, and she did not move even when Anabel switched Holly's tether from the disabled Trainer to herself.

Why would Kris be afraid of some stupid cave? She'd probably been through hundreds of them.

Holly quickly asked.

"Kris, what's wrong?"

Kris didn't answer, instead focusing on sky.

Holly wondered what was up there, but soon got her answer.

There was suddenly a deafening flapping of wings, and a screech that pierced the air. Holly covered her ears, but could still see lightning flashing in the otherwise calm blue sky.

It seemed like the noise would last forever, but eventually, it ended.

Holly unplugged her ears.

"What…"

Kris answered, although the disabled Trainer's face had gone even whiter than before.

"Zapdos… It's here… It's watching…"

Holly's eyes widened.

Was it waiting for her?

Was it angry?

Yet Kris was now cringing, and the disabled Trainer had clenched her fist.

An ominous tone filled her voice.

"Now I'm certain I took the wrong path. That power… It will never be mine now…"

Holly blinked.

Was Kris talking about not catching Zapdos? Holly could just ask her to go catch it, and knowing Kris's strength, it would be easy.

So Holly rapidly responded.

"What do you mean? Are you talking about not being able to catch it?"

Kris rapidly shook her head.

"No, it's nothing."

Holly blinked.

How could it be nothing when Kris was so distressed?

But before she could ask more questions, Anabel motioned to them. Holly had no choice but to follow as the group walked in front of the entrance of cave.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 _Here is another chapter! But first, the prompt._

 _Route 10 is south of Route 9, and is on the way to Lavender. It also is home to the Power Plant, where Zapdos lives. It also rules the route, which is why no Pokémon appear when the Blair traverses it. Azure is the son of Blue, and he challenges the player here. In the next prompt, it explained that Azure is heading to Pokémon Tower to pay respects to Pokémon of his who died. The player decides to accompany him._

 **Now for the rest of the chapter…**

 **Azure himself has no set appearance in the RP, but when I thought of Blue's son, I thought of a younger version of Blue (with a bit of his tendencies for one when Blue himself was younger). It's also worth noting that Azure has no set Pokémon at this time, but I figured it would make sense for him to use Arcanine, because this is repeatedly shown to be one of Blue's main Pokémon. It's also worth noting that the player is not supposed to know that Azure is the Viridian Gym Leader yet. However, when obtaining information for Kris's side of the story, I found out that he was, having inherited the position from Blue. So I threw that in the here.**

 **-It would also make sense for him not to challenge Holly, because Holly is nowhere the level power he is. Kris has already been shown in battle, and will get more battle appearances in other books. Therefore, Anabel was the best choice because up to this point, she had not been seen battling yet despite being very strong.**

 **-Anabel using Entei is from the games. She uses it in Emerald and Sun and Moon. In the latter, Stone Edge is one of the moves it can use. The talk about a woman riding an Entei is a reference to a canon character. However, said canon character will be explained in detail a bit later.**

 **-Gym Leaders having other jobs is seen in all media. It's mostly seen in the mangas and the anime. One of the biggest examples in the former is Sabrina being a shrine maiden and city protector, while one of the biggest examples in the latter is Brock being a Pokémon breeder, a homemaker, and eventually deciding to become a doctor. There are also other examples though. One is Roxanne being a teacher, with one of Ash's traveling companions attending her classes.**

 **-However, the games also mention other jobs in optional events and conversations. Pokémon Black and White are a bit more direct about this, with several Gym Leaders working other jobs outside their gyms throughout the story. For example, Lenora runs a museum and library with her husband, Burgh is a famous artist, Elesa works in the fashion industry, Skyla is a pilot, and Clay runs a mining business. The Alola games are even more direct about this, because that region's equivalent of Gym Leaders are expected to hand over their position to someone else when they turn 20 years old. Several of them have jobs lined up or are trying to find them. The biggest example is Mallow, who states that she plans to eventually take over the family restaurant, and is already helping out there.**

 **-Erika's Gym Trainers running a perfume shop comes from the anime. In the anime, Erika herself manages the shop and her Gym Trainers help out. Strangely, Erika has never seen managing the shop until Ash causes a disturbance and she decides to stop it. Furthermore, being a manager probably wouldn't leave for a lot of time for Gym duties, yet somehow she's seen switching effortlessly between the two. Finally, it's the Gym Trainers that give Ash the punishment for causing the disturbance, rather than Erika herself. So I decided it would make more sense for Erika's Gym Trainers to run the shop, or it to be a property of the Gym. What Erika actually does for a living will be shown later (although there is a hint in Holly's description this chapter).**

 **-Erika being close to Sabrina comes from common interpretations of the games. In the games, their cities are right next to each other. So the common interpretation is that they are close friends. I figured it would make sense to use that interpretation here.**

 **-Blue traveling a lot comes from the games as well. In the games, he helps out with his grandfather Professor Oak's research. However, that takes him far away, and he is away from his Gym a lot. As a result, it causes problems for people who want to challenge him. It's unknown if there's a policy in place for that, but in the Pokémon Special manga, there is a leader for the Gym Leaders. One of the tasks of that leader is to find those who have been away from their gym for too long and redirect them back. Amusingly, the leader of the Kanto ones is Erika.**

 **-Kris's description of the power plant comes from the changes between the Kanto and Johto games. In the Kanto games, the power plant is a bit of a maze, with many items and Pokémon within. At the end of the plant, Zapdos is waiting to challenge the player. In the Johto games, it's just a room with the generators and a few people. There are no items or Pokémon here, although there is a patch of grass where one can find wild ones outside of the plant. Zapdos is also nowhere to be found. In the remakes, it appears outside the power plant, but only if the player has collected all the badges in the game. I chose to combine the two interpretations for this story.**

 **It's also worth noting that in the games, the power plant has its name capitalized. However, I'm assuming there are other ones, and Route 10's particular one is never named. So I left it lowercase.**


	46. Collapse

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! This chapter deals with a new area, Rock Tunnel, but said area doesn't have a prompt.**

 **As always, see the author's notes for details and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

45: Collapse

The group was about to head into the cave, but Kris stopped dead.

Concern filled Anabel's eyes as she stated. "Kris, are you all right?"

The disabled trainer shook her head.

"I don't want to go into the Rock Tunnel. Can we just fly around?"

There was no mistaking the surprise in Anabel's voice.

"Kris, Azure mentioned Rock Tunnel was good for training. You _do_ want Holly to get stronger, don't you?"

Holly couldn't resist shouting.

"What? Are you afraid of the dark?"

Kris shook her head. "I'm not. I'm afraid of falling rocks."

Holly responds. "Falling rocks? There won't be any falling rocks here! You will be fine!"

Anabel replied. "I understand your concern, Kris, but Trainers traverse this cave all the time. We should be safe."

Kris did not seem convinced, but the disabled Trainer clearly knew there was almost no other option.

Holly caught her muttering a name.

"Velvet…"

Holly didn't have time to ask what the name meant as the disabled Trainer trudged into the cave.

Holly and Anabel quickly followed.

As soon as Holly got into the cave, she couldn't help gasping.

But it wasn't like anyone would take notice.

For the entire place was pitch black.

Holly constantly strained to see anything, but no matter how far she looked, there was nothing but inky darkness. For once, she was glad that Anabel had her tethered, as the woman guided her. She couldn't see Kris, but she assumed from the close footsteps that the disabled Trainer wasn't far behind.

Holly shuddered.

What if something horrible took place in this cave? She was beginning to regret going… With all this darkness, there'd be no way to guard against attacks, and something could just jump out at them…

Holly wondered how this was training, unless one wanted to see in the darkness.

She was so lost in her fearful thoughts that she wasn't watching where she was going. Holly let out a yelp as she tripped. The ground hurtled towards her, and Holly could hear Anabel yelling. The woman tugged on the tether to try and keep Holly standing, but it was no use.

Holly continued lurching forward, and she thrust out her hand. She felt it slam against rock and tried to regain her balance. Though she was able to stand up, she scrambled. She gripped the nearest rock she could find.

However, Holly let out a gasp as the rock wobbled loose. Dust and other small pebbles emptied into her hands. She staggered backward, the tether finally allowing her some balance.

For a few moments, there was an eerie silence.

And then, it was all broken.

Holly still couldn't see anything, but she heard the sound of something crumbling. However, it was much louder than any sound she'd ever heard, and it seemed to be right near them.

Holly had never heard anything like this, but she heard Kris screaming and running away.

And that's when Holly finally registered what this was.

The very thing Kris was afraid of.

And it was coming for her too.

Holly heard the sound of her own screams as the crumbling only grew louder. She was vaguely aware of something above her as she fought to stay out of the way. Holly coughed as dust threatened to enter her mouth, and pebbles slammed into her body.

Was she going to die here? Would her journey come to an abrupt end?

And what of her mother? What would she do when she found out she was dead?

Holly felt a sharp tug on the tether, and Anabel's voice pierced through the chaos.

"Holly, step back!"

Holly felt frozen to the spot, and she could only manage another scream.

The jerk on the tether grew stronger, and Holly tumbled backward. She slammed onto the ground, but didn't register the pain. Instead, she felt herself being dragged across the ground. Holly could hear the sound of the rocks getting quieter and quieter, before it subsided completely.

And then it hit her.

The pain.

It washed over her like a wave, flooding her everywhere. Holly wanted desperately to stand and make the pain go away, but she found out she couldn't.

She saw a flash of red. And it was oozing.

The blood… And the pain… It was all too much…

Holly felt her vison swimming, and she couldn't stop the hot tears pouring down her face. Her sobs filled the area, and she wondered if they would cause more rocks to fall. Holly couldn't stop her nose from running. As her sinuses burned, Holly felt as though her injuries throbbed even more.

Yet movement beside her alerted Holly that she was not alone.

Someone gently placed a handkerchief into her hands, and Holly wiped her eyes.

She still couldn't see anything, and found herself too choked up to speak.

The other person seemed to understand, though and Holly heard the sound of a Poké Ball being thrown into the air.

Holly was alerted to the sound of Anabel's voice as the woman issued a command.

"Alakazam, Flash!"

Holly shielded her eyes as a blinding white light filled the area.

When she finally allowed herself to look, she realized she could see all of the cave. It looked similar to Mt. Moon, with its brown and large rocks everywhere. Yet Holly knew this wasn't Mt. Moon, instead feeling dwarfed by this place's towering rock walls and high ceilings. Holly couldn't see Zubat on these ceilings, but she knew they probably were somewhere else.

Yet, what she _could_ see was another light.

Holly glanced around, noticing Anabel's Alakazam. It held its spoons tightly, and they radiated with the psychic power that lit up the cave.

Holly blinked.

She had forgotten Anabel had had that Pokémon. Perhaps the woman picked it up at the Center, after it was done doing work in Vermillion.

Holly then noticed Anabel looking straight at her, concern written on her face.

She tried to speak, but found that she couldn't. Instead, more tears threatened to spill over, and the pain throbbed worse than ever.

Anabel put a hand to her lips, quieting her.

"It's okay, Holly. You're safe now."

Holly shook her head.

How could she be okay after everything that happened?

And she wasn't safe! She was hurting!

But Anabel simply stated. "Look in front of you."

Holly did as she was told, and her eyes widened in shock.

In front of her where the deadly stones from before, but none of them even threatened to fall. Instead, they lay on the ground in a heap, dust and pebbles alongside them. Holly could've just picked one up off the ground, but didn't dare.

Instead, Holly blinked.

She was here, alive…

And she could see the rockfall from before.

It was beside her, and so was Anabel.

So that would mean…

Holly was aware of her voice shaking as she pieced together what happened.

"Anabel, you saved me…"

The woman only nodded gravely, but Holly could still see that her face betrayed concern.

Holly wanted to speak more, but she let out a gasp. Pain shot through her entire body, reminding her that she had not walked away completely unscathed. She noticed a few drops of something red on the ground, and resisted the urge to cry again as she realized one of her wounds was bleeding.

She managed to sputter. "Anabel, the pain…"

Annabel simply nodded. "I know."

Holly wondered how literal that was, with a woman's ability to sense pain. Regardless, Holly could see Anabel opening what appeared to be a first aid kit. Anabel rapidly cleaned the wounds and Holly felt relief flowing through her as the blood from one of them stopped trickling. However, she quickly gasped again as Anabel put something that stung on her wound.

The woman quickly looked up to explain. "It's for helping ward off infections. With all that dirt and rock, I don't want to take any chances."

Holly nodded. Despite the stinging, Anabel at least had good reason.

And before long, Holly felt her injuries being bandaged up, relief flooded through her again as she realized she no longer had look at them.

But that relief soon turned to tears threatening to spill as Holly faced Anabel.

Her voice shook again, and she could feel herself getting choked up. "I'm sorry… I'll never complain about the tether again… If you hadn't been there, I'd…" Holly shuddered as tears began to overwhelm her again.

Anabel gestured, and Holly wiped her face with the handkerchief again.

The woman cut her off, stating warmly.

"I'm just glad you're okay."

Anabel let out a sigh.

"And really, _I'm_ the one that should be sorry."

Holly cocked her head.

"What for?"

Annabel shook her head and she explained.

"For not lighting the cave up. Skilled Trainers sometimes will navigate caves without lighting them up. They don't have to bring an extra Pokémon that way. And since there was plenty of skill in our group, I didn't think we would have an issue… Trainers being injured from rockfalls isn't commonly reported, so I'd honestly forgotten about it until Kris mentioned it."

Holly's eyes widened.

Kris! Where was she?

The disabled Trainer had not appeared at all during the rockfall, or even after it!

And she hadn't lit up the place at all…

Did that mean…

She was wandering lost?

Had she found a way to escape after all?

Holly yelled so loud she thought her voice echoed in the cave. "Kris! Where is she? I don't see her, and I didn't see her before…"

Anabel shook her head.

"I don't know, Holly. She fled in terror as soon as the rockfall started, and her Pokémon followed her. Given the fact that we haven't heard anything at the Center, I can only assume she's still in the cave somewhere…"

Anabel's voice trailed off, and Holly could easily detect a note of dread.

Before she could reply, Holly was surprised to hear Anabel let out a dark laugh. Holly thought the laugh almost sounded mocking, and wondered how far Anabel's guilt extended.

"I guess Kris's fear was justified."

Holly finally found herself able to speak normally.

"Your Kris… Did she have a fear of rockfalls too?"

Anabel shook her head.

"I don't know. If she did, she never mentioned it to me."

Holly felt herself shudder again.

So Kris had run off alone... In a place she was afraid of… And she couldn't even see anything there…

And she hadn't contacted to tell them she was safe…

So, was Kris hurt?

Or dead?

Holly quickly yelled. "We have to find her! Who knows what happened to her?"

Anabel nodded. "We should be able to, provided we go deeper."

Holly tried not to let her fear show. The last thing she wanted to do was to go further into a cave that nearly killed her.

But if it was to find Kris and ensure she was safe, than it was worth it.

Holly nodded resolutely, getting to her feet.

"All right. Let's go."

Holly thought that finding Kris would being easy task. After all, the disabled Trainer would eventually realize she was safe and make her way back.

Yet, all the two of them found were rocks and more rocks. Holly was aware of a dull ache in her feet, and wondered how long she could keep going. She and Anabel called Kris's name, but all that answered were the echoes of their own voices. Holly tried to remain hopeful, yet she could feel the hope leaving her with every step. Her body drooped, and she wondered how long it would be before she crashed to the floor.

Yet just when Holly was about to ask Anabel if they could stop, Holly caught sight of a shadow in the distance.

She was about to speak, but found out she did not need to.

Anabel broke off into a run, and Holly quickly followed.

As they got closer, Holly breathed a sigh of relief.

The shadow was a person!

And she recognized it as the Alola Champion, Kahili.

Holly knew her relationship with the Alola Champion was not the best. But it could be their only chance for information.

As they ran up, Anabel started speaking.

"Kahili, have you seen-"

Kahili cut her off, stating. "You are looking for your friend, right? She's over there."

Kahili gestured to her left, and Holly could see the light of a fire burning. Holly's eyes followed the light of the fire, and she noticed a woman standing near it.

Holly could see that there was calmness and experience in the woman's light blue eyes. However, she also seemed concerned, and gave her full attention to the newcomers. Her blonde hair was rather short, although Holly could see covered all of her neck. She wore turquoise clothing, but also a white cape. It almost reminded Holly of a lab coat, and she wondered if this person was some sort of scientist. The other person wore earrings in the shape of black diamonds, and Holly wondered if the gems were real.

But more than that, she wondered why this person brought a feeling of familiarity.

Desperately, Holly searched, hoping faded memories would give her some answer.

But there was nothing, only confusion.

At least until she looked at the beast next is a woman.

It was an Entei, just like Anabel's. However, while the two were the same species, they could not have looked more different. Anabel's Entei had flaunted its power, yet this one didn't let out a single roar. And instead of having an intimidating glare, this Pokémon held almost an almost fatherly gaze. Holly wondered if this Entei had children of its own, before remembering that most legendary Pokémon couldn't have children. Perhaps it had adopted one, because it certainly looked like it could. Rather than destroying opponents with a single movement, this Entei was lying beside the woman protectively.

And it was curled around something else.

Holly's search for the woman's name was completely forgotten as she noticed just _what else_ the Entei was protecting.

Her face went white, and she let out an earsplitting scream.

For there, motionless and bleeding, lay Kris.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this is Rock Tunnel, one of the most annoying areas in the games. It also can be one of the most dangerous, at least in Kanto. The reason for this is that the player literally can't see anything without the move Flash, and there are a lot of Pokémon and Trainers. To make matters worse, in the Kanto games, Flash can only be gotten through an out-of-the-way side quest, with no hints on how to complete said quest (including where to _find_ it). All the enemies are around the player's level assuming they didn't train extra. That, in combination with the darkness, makes it very possible to for the player to get lost and injure their Pokémon. The player's also is far away from any place to stock up on items at this point, which means that healing is very limited (unless you're at the beginning and can run back to the Center). Therefore, it's not impossible for entire teams to be defeated in this place.**

 **-The remakes are bit better about Rock Tunnel, however. For one, they give players a hint on where to find Flash. The player is also given a small field of vision if they choose not to use the move, although it is still required to light up the cave completely. Therefore, Rock Tunnel is not as dangerous in the remakes, but the other issues are still there.**

 **-In the Johto games, Flash is still only available via sidequest, but it's not as out of the way and there are many hints to it. On top of that, the player is much stronger and there are no Trainers. So Rock Tunnel isn't an issue. It is also optional, although certain Pokémon are exclusive to it. And like with the Kanto games, the area is pitch black in the originals, but there is a limited amount of light in the remakes.**

 **-A lot of the issues with Pokémon and Trainers don't translate to the RP, because two out of the three members of the group are much stronger than the average Trainer at this point. So instead I made the main issues rockfalls (which are never seen any of the Pokémon games, hence Anabel not hearing about them) and darkness.**

 **-Anabel's comment about strong Trainers going through the cave without the use of Flash refers to a way the games can be played. If the player does extra training with their Pokémon, they can make it to a level where they don't have to worry about encounters because they won't take much damage. As a result, they can just wander around dark areas without lighting them up until they find the exit. Some players choose to do this instead, since Flash has little use inside of battle, and the areas where it is used outside of it are very sparse.**

 **-Originally, Kahili was going to be alone in this scene, but changed that when I made the decision to add the other canon character seen here. Also worth noting originally I was going to have Holly get injured in a rockfall but have her receive only minor injuries. However, after looking up how much damage rockfalls could do, I chose not to do that because I knew that would be unlikely. So instead she avoided the rocks, but got injured by falling. Kris, however was planned to be injured from the start, but she wasn't supposed to be injured as badly. Reasons for why that was changed will be explained next chapter.**


	47. The Newcomer

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This chapter is the continuation of the last area, so still no prompt. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. Also, all prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan.**

* * *

46\. The Newcomer

Holly thought she would scream until her voice went hoarse. Surprisingly, no one stopped her.

She ignored the pain of her own injuries, and she could barely register her tether disappearing as she raced over to Kris.

What she saw almost made her vomit. The disabled Trainer's eyes were closed, her face fixed in an expression of pain. Holly wondered if she was dead, but noticed no one was crying. Holly realized Kris had been placed on a white blanket of some sort, but it seemed to bring her little comfort. Holly wondered if the other woman or Kahili had done that, or even _why._ After all, Kris couldn't feel what was happening. Holly spun around, looking for Kris's Pokémon. However, not a one was in sight. Even Tulip was eerily silent.

Perhaps she had recalled them all before her injury.

Or perhaps they had been injured too.

Maybe they were even _dead._

Holly shuddered.

If Kris died here, would Tulip die too?

She shook her head.

She couldn't think those morbid thoughts.

Yet now it was difficult not to.

Not with Kris's severe injuries.

Holly noticed that the disabled Trainer had bruises and scrapes almost everywhere. One particularly nasty wound oozed blood from her right leg. Her hands lay limply out to the side, and Holly could see more of those horrible wounds on her arms. Holly realized there were more scrapes on Kris's fingers and palms of her hands, and wondered if she had tried to grab something.

But nothing was more gruesome than her left leg.

The leg was twisted at a horrific angle, and Holly could see something jutting out. She shuddered as she wondered if it was bone. Holly didn't know what broken ones looked like, but she figured this was it. Holly could see huge bruises that dwarfed the other ones Kris had. But by far the most disturbing thing was the blood that pooled below her leg. It quickly stained the blanket red and flowed like a crimson river. Whether that was because of Kris's left leg or some other injury, Holly didn't know.

But she _did_ know a question she wanted to ask.

Holly clenched her fist and held back tears as she looked at the unknown woman.

"What did you do to her?"

Before the stranger could answer, Kahili responded.

"You should be thanking this woman. She rescued Kris."

Holly's eyes widened in shock as the woman introduced herself.

"My name is Molly. Molly Hale."

Holly's eyes widened further.

She knew a Molly, and it wasn't just because they had similar names! Almost every Pokémon trainer knew Molly Hale, because she was one of the strongest psychics ever! She was said to have trained under Sabrina, but eventually surpassed her teacher. Some people claimed Molly Hale could also do magic, but considering how few people actually knew magic, Holly wondered if it was true.

Holly couldn't focus on Molly Hale now, though.

Instead, she let the tears flow as she skidded into a kneeling position. Her injuries throbbed, but she imagined they couldn't be as bad as what Kris must have felt.

Holly yelled at the top of her lungs. "Kris, Kris wake up! You can't be dead! You just _can't be!_ "

Yet Kris didn't stir, not even at the mention of her name.

The tears continued to fall.

This _couldn't be_ happening!

Holly was suddenly aware of a hand on her shoulders. Rapidly, she dried her tears to face the other person.

Molly Hale was now looking at Holly with sympathy in her eyes.

"Kris's still alive, but she has lost consciousness."

Holly managed to choke out. "If you didn't do this, then…"

She was quickly aware of the sharp voice of Kahili.

" _That_ _idiot_ ran around in the dark like a headless chicken! Kris wasn't careful, didn't look where she was going and smashed straight into a rock wall. The impact caused the rocks to fall. Her psychic fox tried to save her, and managed to get her further away. Thanks to that, she wasn't killed. The Pokémon wasn't quite fast enough though, and one of the rocks crushed Kris's left leg."

Kahili gestured to a boulder beside Molly's Entei. Holly felt nausea and bile rising in her body as she could make out blood stains on the rock.

Kahili shook her head.

"Kris's unconscious from pain and shock. Who knows when she'll wake up."

Holly could not help a twinge of rage after glancing at Kahili! How dare the Champion act so unconcerned and inconsiderate about this! And she had the nerve to call Kris an idiot!

Holly yelled. "But Kris wasn't an idiot! She was just scared!"

Kahili snarled back, eyes blazing. "Well, then she needs to learn to control her fear! As an experienced Trainer, she should know better than to do what she did! Besides, that fear almost killed her, and it could've hurt many others!"

Holly glanced toward Molly Hale. The other woman looked like she wanted to say something, but did not speak. Her Entei didn't even move. Holly wondered how much Molly knew about Kris.

But she knew she couldn't get answers now. So instead, Holly focused on what Kahili was saying.

She had mentioned others…

 _Others…_

Like Kris's Pokémon…

Holly blurted out. "Kris's Pokémon… Where are they?"

Molly Hale suddenly answered. "The Pokémon were heartbroken, and we didn't want them to get injured. So they're back in their Balls. I'm not sure when would be the proper time to let them out though…"

Holly still noticed the stranger seemed to left have words unsaid, and thought about asking her about them.

She suspected that would be a bad idea, though.

But she could at least get her to talk.

So instead, Holly rapidly responded. "What are you and Entei doing here anyway?"

Molly's voice took on a grave tone. "I was actually looking for Kris specifically. I've been to tell her something important for a long time."

She suddenly shook her head.

"But it may be too late now."

Holly cocked her head.

What did Molly mean?

Would she keep talking?

Yet the psychic continued.

"Spencer, my Entei… I was using his fire to light my way... That was how I could see Kris, although she was already injured when I found her… Kahili found her shortly before that, but without psychic powers, she couldn't do anything. Kris's Pokémon were too shocked to help, so Kahili had already recalled them."

Kahili nodded. "And Molly used her psychic powers to lift the boulder off of Kris. If you're wondering, the reason I saw the injury happen because Pokémon know the move for lighting up darker areas. It was easy to find Kris, but convincing her to stop what she was doing was impossible."

Holly ignored Kahili's still sharpened tone, her mind focused on a single track.

She felt herself become resolute as she stated. "There is no time to lose! We have to get Kris to the Pokémon Center!"

Noticing Molly and Kahili's confused stares, Holly elaborated. "I was poisoned, and the Pokémon Center made me better. So I'm sure they'll make Kris better, too!"

Holly felt another hand on her shoulder, and was aware of Anabel standing beside her. However, the woman sadly shook her head.

"Kris's injuries are a lot more complex than a Pokémon poisoning, Holly. Especially concerning her left leg. Kris is already unable to walk without assistance, so she will probably end up bound to a wheelchair, needing someone to help her constantly while she heals. On top of that, healing could take weeks or even months. And we don't know if Kris will ever be able to use that leg after this…

Holly shook her head, unable to stop the tears forming in her eyes.

This couldn't be happening!

The powerful, independent, Kris _couldn't_ be confined to a wheelchair! And she _couldn't_ be reduced to relying on others for everything, while she herself was completely helpless!

And if her leg was _that_ badly injured, couldn't they just get her a new one?

Holly glanced at the others, howling. "Then just get her one of those metal legs! She'll be fine with that!"

Anabel sadly shook her head. "Kris already has a lot of problems walking, and she can't walk the same way as a normal person no matter what she does. A metal leg might give her even more trouble walking. And I don't know of someone who already can't walk normally can even _use_ one."

Holly felt hot tears run down her cheeks. Her sinuses were stuffed, and she was sure her nose was running.

But she didn't try to stop herself.

What would she do without Kris? The Trainer had helped her through so much, and was continuing to do so… Even though they originally hadn't had the best first meeting…

There was that wrong choice Kris had said she'd made, and she had been so eager to correct the decision by making Holly as strong as she could…

How could Kris do that if she were injured and helpless? Could Holly even get stronger without her?

And the Trainers ahead were only growing fiercer… Without Kris to guide her, how would Holly beat them?

There were more and more challenges to face every day… With Kris's knowledge, Holly could surmount them easily.

But if Kris wasn't here, how could she overcome these challenges that lay ahead?

How would she even get to the League?

Holly somehow managed to speak through her tears. "After all that we've gone through together, it can't end like this!"

Kahili snarled. "It should have ended like this long ago! Kris should have known that training was too dangerous for someone like her. Especially since so many others that were disabled have died…"

Holly's eyes blazed. She'd had enough!

She took a deep breath, yelling at the top of her lungs. "Shut up!'

Fire burning in her eyes, Holly surveyed the crowd.

Anabel had backed away, her mouth open in a gasp. Kahil's gaze was even sharper, and Holly wondered if the Alola Champion would slap her. Concern had left Molly's face, replaced by surprise and shock. Holly was reminded that even though she had met the psychic, they didn't know each other personally. So perhaps Molly didn't know anything about how Holly normally did things.

But she was about to find out.

Holly faced Molly Hale, giving one cold command.

"Heal Kris now."

Molly stepped back, surprise still evident in her eyes. The Entei, Spencer, growled.

Holly could hear Anabel stating. "Holly, she can't…"

But Holly cut Anabel off, glaring. "You're the most powerful psychic in the world. If not _one_ of the most powerful. You should be able to do _something._ "

Holly was aware of Kahili's shrill voice. "Molly, you don't have to listen to her!"

However, the Alola Champion was ignored as Molly shut her eyes. Her Entei started to move, but Molly silenced him with a shake of her head.

The psychic took a deep breath, stating. "Yes, I can do something, but it's a last-ditch effort… I don't even know if it will work."

Holly harshly replied. "Well, it has to work! Without Kris, our journey ends here!"

Molly opened her eyes, and her body radiated with psychic power. She gazed at everyone, before issuing a command.

"Stand back. I'm going to need space."

Holly and the others backed up as Molly stepped closer to Kris. All of a sudden, the entire area glowed with an intense bright light. Holly shielded her eyes, cringing, but it seemed as though the light overpowered everything.

Holly opened her eyes, but the cave was gone.

Instead, Kris was floating in front of her, suspended by psychic power. Molly was behind her, surrounded by the same psychic power and levitating above the ground.

But even stranger was what they were levitating over.

Holly glanced around wildly. There were no rocks and caves here.

Instead, the entire place was surrounded by blue shimmering crystal. Holly could see purple crystal too, glittering as brilliantly as the rest. Holly noticed pink crystal, looking almost like a flower, rainbow colors shining off of it. There were other flowers too, of all different colors, nothing like Holly had ever seen. She could detect the sound of running water, but she wasn't sure from where. But the biggest thing were two purple crystals that stretched proudly into the sky. Holly shuddered, thinking that they would reach the heavens themselves.

She blinked.

Obviously, Molly had transported them all somewhere. But hadn't moved... And what was this place?

Certainly nothing Holly had ever seen or heard of.

Holly opened her mouth to say "What…"

However, she was quickly interrupted by many sounds. Holly didn't know where they were coming from, but she knew she could most certainly hear them.

And what she heard made her face go pale.

Holly realized the sounds were the cries of several tiny creatures, but she couldn't be sure how many there were.

But the cries still sounded familiar.

It was as if the creatures were laughing, or even singing.

Holly felt her face go even paler.

The cries… They sounded just like Tulip's…

But Tulip wasn't here…

So who was this?

Were the Pokémon here… related to Tulip somehow?

Were they in... An Ultra Beast's world?

But before Holly could ponder further, she was drawn to the sound of Molly speaking. The psychic had now opened her eyes, and they were radiating with the same power that held Kris.

"You know why I'm here… Please… Listen to my wish… I wish for the girl in front of me to be permanently and completely healed. I know it is difficult, but it is within your power."

Holly blinked.

Who was Molly speaking to? It wasn't like there was anyone else here…

But then the laughing and the singing of the creatures grew louder. Holly wondered if they were acknowledging Molly's request.

The psychic nodded, power still radiating from her body.

"Very well. Let us begin."

The psychic power radiated even more fiercely, and Holly shuddered as she wondered what Molly would do. The cries of the creatures were deafening, and suddenly the place was surrounded in a different type of light.

Holly noticed that most of the light was blue, but it was a darker shade than the crystal. She could also see purples and deep yellows. All the colors collaborated together to form a swirling vortex, and Holly could've spent time admiring the beauty.

If she wasn't terrified by what she saw _in_ the vortex.

Kris floated in the middle, and Holly had no idea how she got transferred there. The disabled Trainer still had her wounds, and did not wake up despite all the commotion.

Holly wanted to shout Kris's name, but found she had no voice.

All she could do was watch as the light grew brighter.

However, Holly was soon drawn to a different type of light. She looked and realized it was coming from Molly.

Her light was as bright as ever, but Holly could see the strain evident in the psychic's eyes.

Holly cocked her head.

Why would someone do something like this if they were going to hurt themselves?

All of a sudden, Kris glowed, and Holly turned back around.

What she saw made her gasp.

Kris's bruises and scrapes slowly disappeared, skin pristine as though it had never been damaged. Kris had had dirt and pebbles on her body, but now Holly couldn't see a speck. Blood stopped dripping at last as the wounds on her legs closed up. Her arms, so limp before, now moved easily as they were put at her sides.

But the most incredible thing involved Kris's crushed left leg. The larger bruises melted away, as all the others had. But then Kris's leg was surrounded by even stronger psychic power. Holly couldn't resist a gasp as the bone jutting out was put back into place as though nothing had happened. Holly saw an extra glow at the center, and figured whoever was doing this had healed the break. Kris's leg twisted around, moving as easily as though it had never been hurt. Before long, it was at its proper position and angle.

Kris glowed again, and Holly noticed that her grimace was gone. Instead, it was replaced by a serene expression, and almost looked like Kris was in a deep sleep.

With that, Kris was gently lowered down on the ground and Molly nodded again. Holly noticed the psychic power still radiated, but not as strong.

Molly spoke one phrase. "Thank you."

At the psychic's words, the crystal place disappeared and Holly found herself in the cave again.

Kris still lay on the blankets, but there was no blood. Instead, she had her peaceful expression, with no hint of the devastating injuries she had suffered before.

Holly turned to Molly Hale, noticing the psychic's face was red and there were still strain in her eyes.

However, Holly couldn't stop her own eyes going wide as she asked.

"What did you do?"

Molly rapidly responded. "She couldn't be completely healed, not in this world. So I used my power and others' to take her to a different world."

Holly's eyes went even wider, and she could not help blurting out.

"A different world? Like the worlds of the Ultra Beasts?"

Holly could hear Anabel's sharp tone as she yelled. "Holly!"

But Molly shook her head. "It's all right. I'm a scientist. I know what you're talking about, but it's not quite like that. The place it took Kris to was not just an alternate dimension, but an entire other reality. I guess the closest thing you could compare it to is a dream world."

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

She had heard of dream worlds, but nothing like this! Apparently some scientists in the far-off region were studying them, and Trainers could do bizarre things in these worlds. However, only a select few could enter, and they were very difficult to get to. Holly didn't even know if _anyone_ could get them to anymore.

And still, nothing even came close to describing what she had just seen!

Yet Holly's fascination faded as she was directed back to Molly Hale. The psychic let out a deep breath, and she suddenly looked very tired. Molly's entire body dropped, and Holly wondered if her Pokemon Spencer would have to support her. Thankfully, the Entei didn't move.

Before Holly could ask what was happening, Molly stated. "Please, don't make me do that again. That power can be dangerous, and if used incorrectly, who knows what will happen?"

Holly cocked her head. What was Molly referring to?

Before she could ask, Anabel ran up. "Thank you so much for healing Kris, although I don't know when she'll wake up…"

Molly smiled as she replied. "That's alright. If you're not headed far, I can simply follow you until she does."

Anabel responded. "We are heading to Lavender. We're supposed to meet someone there, but given that we got delayed, I don't know that he is still waiting."

Molly nodded. "Then allow me to accompany you, at least to the town. I have Pokémon to mourn there, and it's been a while since I stopped by."

Holly was drawn to the voice of Kahili as the woman replied. "I might as well accompany you too. After all, I'm the one that can light up the cave."

Anabel nodded. "That would be most helpful."

Molly replied. "Very well. Spencer, if you please…"

With that, the giant Entei finally moved, standing at his full height. He still wore his gentle visage, and Holly wondered if anything could make him angry.

Molly glowed with psychic power again as Kris was wrapped up in the blanket and slowly lowered onto Spencer's back. The psychic then mounted her Pokémon, power still glowing as she held Kris in place.

Holly felt her tether returning. She winced.

With everything that happened, she had almost forgotten she had it.

At least Kris was safe now, and so was she.

But Holly didn't have time to ponder the tether as Molly gave a signal.

With that, the group started off again, in search of an exit to the cave.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So I may as well start by addressing the biggest part of the chapter; Molly Hale. Molly Hale is actually a canon character, but she acts a bit differently than her canon incarnation. I will go into the canon incarnation first before addressing the changes.**

 **-Molly Hale appears as the main (if unknowing) antagonist of the movie Pokémon 3: Spell of the Unown (Lord of the Crystal Tower in the Japanese version). In the movie, she starts out as a five-year-old girl in a town called Greenfield. Her father is a Pokémon professor called Spencer Hale, and her mother is alive, but unnamed. Unfortunately, Spencer's work keeps him away from Molly a lot, and her mother has long since been gone. Molly spends a lot of time missing her parents, but one day her father reads her a book about legendary Pokémon. She immediately identifies with Entei, believing him to be like her father. Her father plays a game where he is Entei, before leaving her to continue his work.**

 **-Molly finds tiles of the Pokemon Unown, and becomes upset. This causes a large amount of Unown to appear, and they pull Spencer Hale into their mysterious dimension. It is revealed that large numbers of Unown have the ability to grant wishes and distort reality. Molly is unaware of this, as the Unown start granting her wishes (sometimes via dreams). Molly's first wish is that Entei appears than that it is her father. This wish is granted, and Entei accompanies Molly throughout the movie. She also creates a giant crystal fortress, building its keep anyone from entering. Molly decide she wants a mother too, and so she has Entei brainwash Ash's mother (although, it's unknown if Molly was aware of what was actually going on, or if she simply saw Ash had a mother, and wanted that same relationship).**

 **-This causes Ash and his friends to get involved, and Molly decides to confront them. After they make their way into the crystal fortress, Molly wishes to battle them as a Pokémon Trainer. She then appears in two different guises, once as a teenager and another as a 10 year old. Molly uses these guises to easily defeat Brock and Misty with Pokémon she creates.**

 **-Eventually, Ash reaches the area where the real Molly and his mother are waiting. Ash's mother has left her trance, and she and Ash explain to Molly what is really going on. However, Molly refuses to accept this, and the Unown start to lose control of their power after granting so many wishes. She then challenges Ash to a battle using Entei, where she easily defeats many of his Pokémon. Molly finally realizes how much damage her wishes have done when Entei nearly kills Ash's Charizard.**

 **-Molly tries to ask the Unown to return things to normal, but by then they have lost control of their power. Entei and some of the other Pokémon battle the Unown and defeat them. However, since the Unown are responsible for Entei's existence, defeating them means it disappears too. Molly tearfully wishes Entei goodbye, and both her parents return. In the credits, she is shown to own a Tediursa, and it's implied to be her first real Pokémon.**

 **Obviously, a lot of things have changed here.**

 **-In this version, Molly is much older. Her appearance is based on her teenager look, although she is older still. She has still met Entei when she was five, but the meeting was benevolent and the Pokémon is real. It is named Spencer after her father, and a reference to the fact that she saw it as her father in her original material.**

 **-Molly Hale was not famous in her original material, even though her father was. She was also neither a natural psychic nor a natural magic user. This idea comes from the fact that when she uses the abilities of the Unown, it resembles both psychic and traditional magic power. This also makes sense because Unown is a psychic Pokémon. Molly being incredibly powerful also comes from this. This is because the Unowns' ability to respond to her desires to warp reality is more powerful than anything seen in any media before that, and (possibly) since. The fact that she can use that power from an age is also impressive, because no one in any media has been seen using a power that young. Although several Trainers have been implied to use supernatural powers young, the age when they began using them was never stated.**

 **-Molly's ability to pull things into another reality in order to do tasks she can't do in the real world is also based off of her source material. The entire movie focuses on her uncontrolled ability to do this, but here, she can control it. In the movie, she is seen doing several tasks that cannot be done normally (e.g. breathing underwater without assistance, having powerful Pokémon instantly), but each time she does something, she puts strain on the Unown.**

 **-In this universe, her power works much the same, but she can do more with it because some of the strain is transferred to herself. Molly also has the ability to bring some of her results back into the real world, something that she was unable to do in her source material. Molly referring to this other reality of the dreamworld comes from the fact that the world she created in the source material was effectively (and sometimes literally) created from her dreams.**

 **-The crystal fortress Molly uses is the exact same one from the anime. It's meant to be creepy in its original source material, but I found it hauntingly beautiful instead. I also thought it was incredibly elaborate for someone of Molly's age. I decided to keep it here as her base of operations for when she has to put things into other realities, since she doesn't have one otherwise.**

 **-Finally, in her source material, Molly was not connected to Sabrina at all. She's connected to her in this universe for several reasons. One of them is that the only psychic in Johto is Will, and he is never seen taking any students. In contrast, Sabrina actually turns her Gym into a psychic school, and is seen training several people in both games and anime (and even in some of the mangas). Molly is actually close to Sabrina distance wise, because her home is near Goldenrod. Goldenrod has a high-speed train that directly connects to Saffron. In the original Johto games, it was one of the easiest ways to travel between Johto and Kanto. So it's not unreasonable to think that Molly and her family would take the train to Kanto so that she could train with Sabrina. Not to mention that in this universe, Will eventually leaves for Kanto, so Molly wouldn't lose anything by going there.**

 **-This chapter's title is a reference to the fact that Molly is both a newcomer in the story and in terms of the writing itself. I was originally going to make a reference to Molly as a story Holly had heard about, and have that be it. However, when I was researching Entei so Anabel could use it, I was reminded of Pokémon 3, and Entei's role in that. I was also reminded about how much I enjoyed the character Molly, and often wondered what she was like as she grew up. So, this character was born as an answer to that. She's also referred to with her last name a lot in order to differentiate her from Holly's similar name. Molly is now set to be a reoccurring character throughout Holly's story, but she has a much bigger role in Usurping.**

 **-Kris's injuries been changed also has to do with Molly appearing here. In the original, Kris was simply found unconscious but mostly uninjured, Kahili would scold her and Holly a bit, and the group and move on. However, I realized that that was a bit unrealistic as I was doing research, and I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce Molly and her powers. Kris would need someone that would heal her rapidly in order for the RP to continue as it was, and Molly was the only person that could do that. Making Kris's injuries more severe also made the flaw and irrationality of her fear bit more noticeable, even if she is healed right away.**

 **-Holly being unsure if Entei can have children or not comes from how the games in the end may treat legendary Pokémon. Originally, legendary Pokémon could not breed, which meant they could not have offspring. However, Pokémon media has flip-flopped on that since. The biggest example in the games is Manaphy. Manaphy can breed with a Ditto, creating a new Pokémon called Phoine. It's also worth noting that an event in Heartgold and Soulsilver has legendary Arceus produce an egg for the player. This egg hatches into one of the three main legendary Pokémon of the Sinnoh region. Solgaleo and Lunala also create a Cosmog in a certain event in the Alola region. Mew is mentioned as giving birth in the Pokémon lore, although whether or not that is literal is left unexplained. If Ultra Beasts are also considered legendary Pokémon (and the game flip-flops on that too), then they can reproduce in various ways.**

 **-The anime isn't completely certain on this. There is a Latios that has a father and a sister, and different Celebi that come from different timelines to revive a fallen comrade. The biggest example here is actually Lugia. There's Lugia that have families and babies that look like miniature versions of themselves, even though no legendary Pokémon in the games has ever been seen in a situation like that.**

 **-With all this confusion, I just chose to leave the concept ambiguous.**

 **-Finally, Holly talking about dream worlds refers to a mechanic in the Unova games. This mechanic allowed players to send up Pokémon into a mysterious area called the Dream World and view their dreams, provided they had an account on the official Pokémon site. The Pokémon would level up, and bring back items that could be found nowhere else. The player could also bring back Pokémon that had different abilities than they normally would. However, players could only access the Dream World for an hour a day in real-time, and that service is now no longer available.**


	48. Wrath

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This one is a new area with a prompt, but I will do part of it a little bit later. The prompt was mentioned a few chapters ago, but it's meant to be used for this area, so it is repeated here. The chapter is also a little longer.**

 **As usual, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes at the end for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 _Now onto the prompt!_

 _The group heads to the Pokémon Tower to pay respects to Azure's Pokémon, but things are not as they seem…_

* * *

47\. Wrath

Holly thought they would never reach the end of the cave. Eventually, there was a light, and she quickly ran towards it.

Although momentarily blinded, Holly could still see.

The light led to a small town which seemed to enjoy the color purple. Roofs and buildings were full of the color, but Holly didn't pay much attention.

She didn't really enjoy purple anyway.

Instead, she focused on a large tower that was to the upper right of the city. It cast a somber air, and Holly guessed this must be Pokémon Tower.

Holly shuddered.

She had never lost a Pokémon, and hoped she wouldn't have to come here except to mourn someone else's.

Holly looked at the other three, wondering how many Pokémon they had lost. Anabel must've lost a lot, and Molly mentioned losing one. She had no idea if Kahili had lost any, but being the Champion of another region, she didn't doubt it.

However, none of them betrayed sadness in their expressions as they continued walking forward.

Holly shuddered as she looked back at Kris.

The disabled Trainer had lost several Pokémon, and reacted badly whenever any of them were mentioned…

How would she react to being in Lavender now?

Holly hoped the disabled Trainer wouldn't wake up until they were out of the place, but knowing that she was healed, that probably wouldn't be the case.

Holly shook her head to clear it, and focused on the rest of the town.

There was not much here, and she felt almost sleepy. Holly saw a faded sign that said Name Rater, and wondered who would use a service like that when people could just name Pokémon whenever they wanted.

Then again, she heard that Name Raters had discovered an ability to recall all the names that a Pokémon had gone by. Even those in the wild, from other Trainers, and those that had more than one life. Sometimes, they even helped Trainers who couldn't choose names.

Perhaps _someone_ could use those services, but Holly knew she wouldn't.

So she looked into the upper left corner of the town. Holly could see a small building with many radios in front of it. It wasn't as grand as the ones in Celadon, but it stood out.

Holly blinked.

Why would anyone have a place with radios the same town that honored the dead? Holly had heard spirits enjoyed the music, and that people used it in rituals, but was that really true? She hadn't seen either thing happening, and her mother certainly didn't use it…

But Holly brought herself back to the present as the group walked into the Pokémon Center. Kahili went first, followed by Anabel and Holly. The back of the group consisted of Molly Hale and her Entei, Spencer. The latter was still carrying the unconscious Kris.

Kahili was already speaking to the nurse at the desk, occasionally making gestures to the others. The nurse nodded, and gestured to the beds.

Psychic power radiated from Molly again, as she gently lifted Kris off of Spencer's back. The psychic pulled back the covers of the bed. Rapidly, she laid down Kris and tucked her in tight. Holly thought it looked as though she was comforting a child, and was reminded of her mother. Perhaps Molly was a mother, but Holly thought better than to ask.

Instead, she thought of Celadon, and how she would have to face her mother to continue the League challenge.

Holly gritted her teeth.

How would that battle go, and what would her mother say?

She had gotten into a lot of trouble since, and she was no closer to finding out who were real parents were.

Would her mother be disappointed in her? Or would she simply encourage her to keep going, happy that her adopted daughter had gotten stronger?

Of course, there was the argument they had before Holly left, and the fact that she left without telling anyone… Her mother didn't seem to be too concerned about it, but by the time she found out, she couldn't really do anything… Not to mention she probably enjoyed the money…

Holly shuddered.

She hadn't told anyone the truth, and hadn't planned on it.

But if her mother brought it up, what would she do?

And then there was Kris… The disabled Trainer seemed to know something about Holly and Anabel, but was keeping a tight lip. Would she reveal her information soon, or would she constantly take the secrets with her?

Was it something Holly even _wanted_ to know?

Should she even _ask?_

But before Holly couldn't continue those thoughts, Kahili had finished with the receptionist, and had turned to face the group.

"It seems like you're stable here, so I will take my leave. I have to continue exploring the region, in order to find out what's happening in mine. And I don't have a Pokémon to mourn here, so I can't stay."

Anabel nodded.

"Understandable. And thank you for the help. Will we be seeing you again?"

Kahili simply faced them, her expression unreadable. Holly stepped back. Given her past with them, she wondered if the Alola Champion would _want_ to see the group again.

Kahili simply stated. "I don't know, since we are traveling for different reasons."

Anabel replied. "Then I suppose this is goodbye."

Molly nodded politely. "Farewell, and good luck."

Holly only waved, and Kahili's gaze became hard as she stared at her. Holly wondered what the Champion was thinking, but she didn't give any indication.

Instead, she simply responded. "Goodbye and thank you", before walking out the door.

In the distance, Holly could hear the flapping of wings, and figured Kahili was flying away on a bird Pokémon.

Holly could feel a bit of sadness, as she remembered she had wanted one for a long time.

But there just hasn't been any that were strong enough…

Maybe that would change…

For now, Holly faced Molly Hale, noticing the psychic had a questioning look in her eyes.

Holly was about to ask what was going on, but the psychic spoke anyway.

"It seems as though you were waiting for someone, but I don't see him here. Could he have moved on?"

Anabel shook her head.

"We did get delayed, but a lot of Trainers have trouble in Rock Tunnel. Since he knew the area, he probably understood that. I imagine he's just inside the Tower."

Molly nodded in understanding.

All of a sudden, Holly felt a burning pain and winced.

She clenched her fist. There were still her injuries, and she had forgotten!

Molly's eyes filled with concern as she asked. "Are you all right?"

Through cringing, Holly replied. "I'm fine. It's just, in the cave I got hurt…"

Anabel nodded gravely.

"And you forgot about your injuries. Good thing we are here."

With that, Anabel walked up, speaking to the receptionist.

Holly tuned it out, still focused on her pain. She was jerked back to reality as her tether was removed, and a Chansey walked up.

Holly walked into the back room, Anabel and Molly Hale watching intently.

Holly let out a sigh.

She still hated hospitals, but at least she wasn't restrained here.

And at least the healing didn't take a long time. There was just some bandages, some more disinfectant, and the burning pain subsided. Before Holly knew it, she was ready to rejoin the others.

As she walked back to Anabel and Molly Hale, Holly was alerted to the sound of groaning.

Holly's eyes went wide as she registered it was coming from the bed.

She tried to rush over to Kris, but Anabel put a hand on her shoulder.

Let her take everything in first. She's probably more than a little confused."

Reluctance shown in Holly's eyes, but she did as she was told. Who knew what Anabel would do otherwise?

The disabled Trainer had now sat up, glancing around wildly. Her eyes widened when she saw the rest of the group, but she didn't seem to see them.

Instead, she was looking directly at Molly Hale.

The disabled Trainer's lips moved in a whisper, as she stated.

"You… You're here… Why…"

Molly took a step forward, eyes looking grave. Her Entei also focused on Kris, but the Pokémon did not move.

"You know why I'm here. I still have that question to ask you. As for why I am with your friends, you were injured very badly, and I decided to help."

"Thank you." Kris stated, although her voice was filled with uncertainty.

Holly blinked.

What type of relationship did Kris have with Molly to the point where she couldn't even thank her when she was healed?

But Holly focused on Kris again as the disabled Trainer once again had a look of confusion.

"Where am I, and how in the world did I get here?"

Anabel replied. "You're in Lavender Town. We were supposed to meet Azure here to pay respects to a Pokémon. After Molly healed you, she led you out of the cave. She's decided to come to the town to pay respects to her own Pokémon."

Holly thought this would calm the disabled Trainer, but instead her eyes were wide with fear.

"Lavender Town… We can't stay here! We have to get out of this place!"

Anabel shook her head.

"We promised Azure we'd pay respects to his Pokémon, remember? We still have to keep that promise. After that, we can leave."

Molly stepped towards Kris. "Besides, you have Pokémon you've lost. Don't you want to pay your respects to them too?"

Kris's face turned white, and she began trembling. She feverishly shook her head, and concern entered Molly's eyes.

"Oh dear… Perhaps I shouldn't have said that…"

Holly was about to say something when Anabel walked up.

"I know how you feel Kris, but we need to go. We promised Azure we would."

Holly clenched her fist.

This wasn't fair! They'd already dragged Kris into something she clearly didn't want to do, and no good had come of it! Besides, they could just say Kris wasn't feeling well! It was the truth, considering how badly injured she had been!

But Kris was nodding, and she shakily released her Delphox. The Pokémon's psychic power radiated around her, and within minutes, she stood at the ready.

Holly winced as she felt her tether going back on, and knew it would not be long before the group headed out.

However, as the group left the Center, Holly heard Kris whisper.

"That black dragon… It lied to me… Why?"

Holly's eyes went wide.

What was Kris talking about?

But she didn't have time to ask again as the group journey towards Pokémon Tower.

They headed past the receptionist into a room full of white. Graves lined the landscape, and Holly shuddered.

This was where dead Pokémon lay…

Could _people_ die here too? Maybe she would die of fright.

Or perhaps it would be Kris. The disabled Trainer's face was still pale as she shook, and she had not spoken a word. Instead, her eyes were still wide, and she seemed to be staring at something past everyone else's shoulders.

Holly blinked.

Was this really a good idea, when it distressed Kris so much?

But now Anabel was speaking. "I wonder where we would find Azure."

Molly replied. "Azure… He's the famous young Gym Leader of Viridian, yes? I think he would be near the top floor. Famous Trainers' Pokémon are often buried further up."

Annabel nodded.

"We will have to head upstairs and search for him, then."

With that, she began to run, and Holly was forced to follow.

The stairs seemed to go on forever, and Holly was grateful she didn't trip. The same could not be said for Kris, however. Despite her psychic Pokémon, the disabled Trainer nearly fell as she dragged herself up the stairs. Holly wondered what could make her so upset that she wasn't even paying attention, and was surprised that the others did not slow down for her. Somehow, Kris kept up.

Eventually, they reached one of the upper floors, and Holly thought they must've gone up at least five staircases.

However, she sighed with relief as she noticed something in front of her.

Right in the center, glancing at a grave, was Azure. He was bending down, but stood up and looked at the group as they approached.

"Oh hello. Glad to see you finally made it."

Anabel nodded. "Sorry we took so long. We got held up at the Rock Tunnel."

Azure waved his hand dismissively. "It happens to a lot of Trainers. I'm not surprised. I'm just glad you made it here."

Azure glanced at Molly.

"Is this a new friend of yours?"

Molly nodded. "I helped them out of a tight spot back in the Rock Tunnel. My name is Molly, Molly Hale."

Azure's eyes went wide.

"You're Molly Hale, the famous psychic? I'm so glad I finally got to meet you! To think such a powerful Trainer would cross paths with me… We should have a battle some time!"

Molly simply smiled, eyes twinkling.

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fists. Azure wanted to battle Molly, a powerful Trainer who traveled, yet he didn't think _Kris_ worthy? Well, perhaps Molly didn't do the Gym challenge a few times, but otherwise it made no sense!

But Holly was distracted from her fury as Azure began to speak again.

"Well, since you're all here, I might as well let you say hello."

He stepped out of the way of the grave, Holly and the other stepping forward.

Holly bent down to read the grave, noticing the engraved words. She read them carefully.

 _Rattata._

Holly shuddered. They were common Pokémon, caught at the beginning of journeys.

Did that mean Azure had lost a Pokémon _right at the beginning?_

Deep sorrow filled Azure's eyes.

"I was young and stupid. I tried to go to the route west of the Viridian, thinking I could catch a glimpse of the Pokémon League. I thought my special status would allow me to at least see a match. Well, I didn't get that far… Turns out, there are scary strong Pokémon near the League gates… I thought they wouldn't bother me, but I was wrong… I managed to escape, but this little guy paid the ultimate price…"

Azure sighed.

"Like father, like son, I guess…"

Holly cocked her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Years ago, my father lost a Raticate. Raticate is the evolution of Rattata. There was apparently some sort of accident on the SS Anne, and his Raticate got injured. His best friend Red was there, and he tried to help him save it. But it was too late, and now his Pokémon is buried here."

Before Holly could reply, Molly spoke up.

Sorrow was in her eyes as she stated. "I lost a Pokémon when I was younger too. I got a bit too rough in battle, and before I knew it, she was dead. It was ruled an accident, so I was free to continue training, but it took me a long time to forgive myself."

Holly couldn't help asking.

"Your Pokémon… Is it buried here?"

Molly shook her head.

"No, she is in Johto, in the Bell Tower. It's where the people of Johto bury dead Pokémon, and that region is where I'm from originally. She was a Flaffy."

Holly nodded, but she hoped the others would not see her shaking.

Azure and Molly had both lost Pokémon in battle accidents.

In that way they were like Kris, and her Pokémon…

In private, did they react like she did?

Did they move past the pain?

Did they hide it from others?

Holly turned and noticed Kris had wandered off. Her eyes searched restlessly, until she found another grave. The disabled Trainer's face was still white and shaking, even as she walked over to the grave.

Holly got Anabel's attention, gesturing to Kris.

Anabel rapidly walked over to the disabled Trainer, and the others quickly followed.

"Kris, are you all right?" Anabel asked.

However, Kris acted as though the woman didn't even speak. Instead, her eyes were transfixed on the grave.

Holly stepped closer, and could make out the words _Levi._

She wonder what that could mean, but then Kris let out a wail.

Holly resisted the urge cover her ears as Kris howled. "Levi, Shadow, Cheyenne, Bernice, Velvet, Fang... Where are you?"

Holly's eyes grew wide.

She couldn't stop her voice shaking as she asked.

"Who is Kris talking to?"

Anabel replied gravely. "The ghosts, I assume. Those in connection with ghosts can talk with Pokémon spirits, and they can often sense their presence."

"Kris can sense the presence of ghosts. It's something I've discovered when I talked with her previously." Molly affirmed.

Azure nodded. "I've heard that too. I don't know much of the details, but apparently, it's from using them to help her walk all the time. Or something."

Holly ignored how a ghost could help a person walk as she tried to control her shaking. She was aware that the blood drained from her face as she managed to stammer out. "So the ghost that Kris is talking to… Are they all Pokémon she's lost?"

Annabel's grave tone continued. "It seems that way."

Holly wanted to reply back, but instead she found herself shivering. She noticed that the room had grown cold, almost as if someone had covered in ice.

What had happened? Holly hadn't seen anything change…

All of a sudden, she was aware of several Pokémon. They filled all the areas of the room, and Holly felt like there were several pairs of eyes staring straight at the group. However, she still couldn't _see_ the Pokémon, or even _hear_ them.

Holly thought she was going to be sick.

Were these the ghosts Kris was talking about? If they had shown themselves to normal people, it couldn't be good…

Suddenly, Holly did hear something, and it was several cries. They were loud and high-pitched, and Holly resisted the urge to cover her ears. They also seemed distorted, becoming a dark howl. It was almost like a strangled scream or someone yelling at the top of their lungs. Holly thought she was going to vomit at the horrible noise. She assumed someone was playing a cruel joke, but there didn't seem to be any pranksters around. Holly tried to focus on the cries, but all she could get was a headache. She couldn't even figure out what species of Pokémon were making the noises, as they all melded into one.

But Holly _could_ figure out one thing.

In the cries there were emotions…

Accusations…

Sorrow…

Pain…

Rage…

And it was _all_ directed at Kris.

Why?

What had Kris done?

Wasn't losing these Pokémon enough? She hadn't killed any of them _deliberately…_

 _Had she?_

Was _that_ why Kris was trying to help Holly so much, so that she wouldn't kill a Pokémon like she had?

Regardless, Kris had now taken a step back, but her eyes still wide. It was as if she was trying to escape the voices, but they had her trapped. Holly waited for Kris's living Pokémon, _any_ living Pokémon, to help.

But there was nothing.

Kris let out an ear piercing scream, shouting words to a voice only she could hear. "Levi, everyone, why are you so angry?"

Holly didn't know what answer Kris was expecting, but it must not have been one she wanted, because her face continued to go pale. Holly felt the air thicken, and clutched her throat. It hurt to breathe, and she thought she would start gasping for air at any moment.

What was going on?

Despite all this, Kris continued to scream. "Levi, everyone, I'm sorry! I'll fix everything, I promise!"

Holly might not have understood the rest of the conversation, but she understood the two words that came next.

They rang through the air, a thundering, chilling, echo.

 _Too late._

Suddenly, Kris seemed to be looking at something far in the distance.

A few minutes later, she screamed her loudest yet.

The disabled Trainer fell to her knees, so many tears flowing from her eyes they resembled a waterfall.

Anabel's eyes grew wide, and she asked. "Kris, what…"

The disabled Trainer shook her head, and wiped her tears away.

She suddenly got to her feet, tears replaced by a blazing rage.

Holly shuddered.

She knew what Kris's anger could do, and if she unleashed it here, no one was safe.

Not even the dead.

Kris whipped her head around, looking for something. However, her eyes didn't zero in on a grave, and she didn't even begin to move.

Instead, she yelled again, seemingly talking to no one.

Kris's voice came out another scream, but Holly could hear the rage burning. "Why aren't _you_ here? This is all your fault! If you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't of…"

Her face suddenly twisted into a grimace, and she took a deep breath.

What she said next made Holly's blood run cold.

"I wish you were among the dead here, dad!"

Holly's eyes widened with shock.

Kris had never mentioned her parents, other than the fact that both were alive. Holly thought it was because that she had other matters to focus on.

But was it because she wanted them _dead?_

Was she keeping that buried _the entire time?_

Holly flashed back to Anabel had said.

" _The Kris I knew held grudges. I heard one of them was so bad that it was against her own family and it was almost a decade long."_

Was that grudge so great that she wanted them to _die?_

Before Holly could ask, Anabel stepped forward.

Holly could see the woman's face was pale, and that she was trembling.

"Kris, that's a horrible thing to say! You're not thinking clearly, and…"

Kris screeched. "No! You don't know anything about me!"

Anabel stopped dead and Molly clenched her fist. Azure looked like he was going to be sick, and Holly hoped he wouldn't vomit on the floor.

Before anyone could say anything, Holly noticed that there was a light radiating from Kris. A massive amount of energy filled room, as strong as the spirits had been before it. The energy nearly swept Holly off her feet, and she struggled to remain upright. However, she felt the psychic power of Molly Hale steadying her, and she was able to stand up.

However, the others weren't doing much better.

Molly had a grave look on her face, her eyes resembling ice. Azure had turned around, and Holly could hear him finally vomiting. She hoped that no one stepped in it, or that someone cleaned it up. Anabel was shaking, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

Holly continued to stare at Kris, the energy getting stronger. She could see that some sort of light surrounded her, and the disabled Trainer's face was twisted in rage. Holly wondered if she was in any pain, but didn't dare ask.

Instead, her mind filled with questions.

What _was_ this power, and how could it overpower a bunch of angry ghosts? Had Kris accidentally summoned a spirit into this world?

But then that _couldn't be_ , because what she was feeling now wasn't the same.

Holly suddenly flashed back, hit by a pair of memories about Kris.

" _Why didn't you learn psychic powers or magic? You clearly have a high mental capacity, so you'd be good at it."_

" _I was too focused on honing my skills with Pokémon."_

" _You could be the strongest psychic ever. Magic comes so easy for you. And you could be the toughest trainer this world has ever seen. You could be the Champion. No, you could even_ _surpass_ _the Champion. You have so much power. And yet you don't do anything. Why is that?"_

Holly tore herself away from Kris as she flashed back even further, remembering her mother's friend Sabrina. Sabrina she had tried to teach Holly psychic power, but she hadn't picked anything up. Holly recalled Sabrina had levitated two spoons in front of her, and her mother's friend easily demonstrated as she bent them with her mind.

And Sabrina had been surrounded by that energy…

The light, and the power to sweep others away with an instant…

All of what Kris was doing now matched Holly's memory _almost exactly…_

 _Which meant…_

Holly blinked, eyes wide.

 _Could this be…_

Holly was unable to finish her thought, as Molly Hale's voice snapped her out of it.

"I was afraid this would happen! This was _exactly_ why I wanted to talk to her!"

Anabel cried. "Then what do we…"

Molly cut her off. "Everyone, gather around me now!"

Anabel rapidly sprinted towards Molly, and Holly didn't waste any time following. The woman threw her hand around a green-faced Azure, dragging him next to Molly.

Energy surrounded Molly, but seemed different from the type that Kris was gathering. Instead of seeming angry and damaging, this energy seemed warm and protective. And instead of being blinding, Holly found herself under a soothing blue light. The light expanded at a pace more rapid than Holly thought possible. It grew more intense by the minute, but Holly thought she had no reason to feel fear. After a while, Holly realized the light covered the entire building.

And it was not a moment too soon.

Because now Kris was barely visible in her own light, and she screamed again.

Whether was from rage or pain, Holly did not know.

But what she _did_ know was that the energy from before exploded. Holly was sure her ears would bleed, but somehow, the barrier kept her safe.

The power crashed against Molly's shield, and Holly now realized the building was shaking. She could barely keep her feet, and was sure she would've fallen to the floor if the barrier hadn't steadied her. She thought she could hear something rumbling and banging, and finally stole a glance at the light.

It was taking shape now, something similar to an oval ball. Except the ball took up the entire area, and Holly wondered if Molly Hale's barrier would hold. Holly felt the energy again, and it was overwhelming now. A wave of nausea hit her, and she wondered if she would be in the next to vomit. Perhaps the barrier wouldn't let her. She hoped that was the case.

But she couldn't think of that anymore, as the energy grew nearer. All of a sudden, the energy flew towards the group. It didn't kick up anything in its path, but Holly knew this could only be an object of destruction. Holly wondered if Kris had hurled the energy, or if it soared towards the group on its own. Kris wasn't screaming anymore, so maybe it was the latter.

Regardless, she could not stop the terror from gripping her body.

Holly let out a scream.

The energy was flying towards them, and there was _nothing_ anyone could do to stop it.

They were all going to die.

However, Kris's energy slammed against Molly's barrier, producing a sickening shattering sound. However, there was nothing breaking. On the contrary, the barrier stood strong, taking all the brunt of Kris's attack. Holly kept hearing a slamming sound as the energy fought desperately to get through the barrier, and destroy the people Kris had known through her travels.

Yet there was nothing, the power rendered helpless by Molly's counter.

But it didn't seem to be letting up, having a one track mind in its furious fervor.

Holly glanced to Molly Hale.

Would she not be able to save them?

As though she had read Holly's thoughts, Molly replied. "We just have to wait until the attack passes! Eventually she will burn out!"

Holly's eyes widened.

Was that _all_ they could do? Wait for Kris to burn out? Would it take forever? And wouldn't it hurt her?

Now, it seemed as though there was more of a power clash than ever.

The light grew brighter and brighter, threatening to overwhelm the barrier. Every time, the barrier would continue to be sturdy, but Holly wondered with the constant smashing and shattering if that would remain the case.

And if the barrier went down, what would happen to the building?

 _What would happen to them?_

But she couldn't concentrate on that, as the light proceeded to get more intense. Kris was screaming again, and Holly wondered if she was going to go hoarse.

But the light continued to grow even more blinding, and Kris's screams seemed oddly distant. Holly covered her eyes, but it was no use. The light shone right through them, ready to devour everything.

Holly found another scream joining Kris's, and she immediately recognized it as her own.

She wondered if she would make everyone in the barrier go deaf, and yet realized she couldn't help it.

 _The light_ was too much!

 _The power_ was too much!

This would be her last step in her journey, as she and the others died in the town of graves!

Death was mere moments away! All she had to do was wait!

Holly shut her eyes, not wanting to see how her life ended.

 _But then…_

The blinding light suddenly stopped, slowly fading.

The building stop shaking, and Holly could no longer hear anyone screaming.

There was no rumbling and banging, instead replaced by a serene silence.

The coldness from the spirits dissipated, and with it, the energy.

Holly slowly opened her eyes, to see that Molly Hale's barrier had disappeared. The psychic now no longer radiated with energy, but instead, held a grave look in her eyes.

Holly was aware of someone sobbing, and at first thought it was Azure. However, the Viridian Gym Leader only stared into the distance with a dumbfounded look on his face.

Holly focused towards the center of the area, and her eyes widened when she realized the sobbing was coming from Kris.

The disabled Trainer had collapsed in a heap beside Levi's grave, hot tears staining her red face. She seemed to be wanting to say something, but each word she tried to speak only came out as sobs. She kept trying to stand, but she could only stagger and shakily fall back to the ground.

Holly's eyes went wide. She had to do something!

Yet, as she started to run, Anabel shook her head.

Instead, Molly walked up.

"Let me handle this."

Holly nodded, gulping. She hoped to the psychic knew what she was doing.

Molly slowly approached Kris, energy radiating from her once again. With that, Kris was helped to her feet.

Kris's eyes were wide as she looked into Molly's. Yet the psychic's were icy cold, and the disabled Trainer quickly flinched back.

Molly voice carried no emotion.

"Now do you believe me?"

Holly blinked.

She didn't know what Molly was talking about, but she suspected it had to do with what the psychic had wanted to tell Kris before.

And judging by her tone, it was nothing good.

Kris did not respond to Molly's question, instead staring right back with a mixture of fear and bewilderment on her face.

Yet Molly was not fazed.

"Well? Do you think this is normal? Are you all right with this?"

Still no answer, only a terrified stare.

Molly shook her head. "You can't tell me you are."

Holly's eyes went wide.

 _Of course_ Kris wasn't all right with this! _She couldn't be_ , after coming so close to hurting those that she had grown close to!

Why didn't she just say something?

Yet the disabled Trainer only continued to stare, as if she couldn't believe what Molly had just said.

Molly still continued in her icy tone, but Holly could hear a hint of desperation.

" _Please get help. Let me help you._ The only thing I want is for you not to suffer."

This seemed to snap the disabled Trainer out of her trance. Her tearstained eyes suddenly focused, but Holly also wondered if she was going to cry again.

Instead, Kris was surrounded by another glow of psychic power. Holly's eyes widened as she realized it was coming from her Delphox, miraculously uninjured in all the chaos.

Holly opened her mouth to say something as the psychic power grew stronger.

Perhaps she could comfort Kris…

But Holly's chance to help was lost as Kris let out another pained howl.

Without one look back, the disabled Trainer dashed out of the building.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, this chapter... Where to begin?**

 **-It was originally supposed look quite different, with Kris's psychic powers not even being used until sometime during Holly Rising's sequel. I decided to put them in this story instead, mainly because of the foreshadowing given before, and having said foreshadowing make a little more sense. I figured it would also be useful to audiences, so that one wouldn't have to go back an entire book to see something that was only foreshadowed with a few quotations (especially since a few more stories in the series are planned before Holly Rising's sequel starts). Not to mention it makes the foreshadowing from before more relevant. The earlier reveal of Kris's out-of-control psychic powers also has to do with something else in the next chapter.**

 **-Also worth noting that the grudge and Kris's bad past with her family were not meant to be part of her background originally. Instead, this trait was exclusive to the Kris Anabel knew, and the difference was something that helped her come to terms with the fact that these two were not the same person. However, I realized that the past I had in mind wouldn't work with the characters I was creating, so instead, I went for the darker route. I will say that a happier scenario does exist, but this particular story won't see it.**

 **-Finally, originally, Levi was going to be the only one Kris called out for in this scene. At the time I was writing the notes for it, not all the Pokémon Kris lost were confirmed. However, it was confirmed what Pokémon she lost around the time I actually was writing the scene. I also figured that if she has multiple dead Pokémon, it doesn't make sense for her to call for only one. So that scene underwent a minor change.**

 **-Azure losing a Rattata and his father losing a Raticate has to do with the games. In the games, Blue has a Rattata that eventually evolves into a Raticate. When the player fights him in Lavender Town, the Raticate is off his team with no explanation. The game never gives an explanation further on, either. However, the most common interpretation is that it died on the ship SS Anne. This is typically supported by the fact that the last time Raticate is seen is on the SS Anne, and there's really no reason to go to Lavender town except to mourn a dead Pokémon. The only reason the player is forced to go there is because Team Rocket is trying to take over the Tower, and almost all other possible paths are blocked.**

 **-The way Azure loses his Ratatta is also based on the games. When the player enters Viridian City, the game expects them to head north into the forest. However, the player can also head west, towards the Pokémon League. In the beginning of the game, the route** _ **outside the League**_ **can be safely traversed for an extra battle and some new Pokémon (although the game doesn't give any hints that this is possible). However, the game does not expect the player to go to the** _ **end**_ **of the route and into the League until near the game's finale. Therefore, guards will stop them when they reach the Pokémon League's doors. However, glitches and cheats make it possible to bypass the guards. With this, it is possible to head down to the path to the Pokémon League** _ **much**_ **earlier than the player is supposed to. Unfortunately, the enemies along the path are still expecting the player to be near the end of the game, so the results of skipping the guards can be... catastrophic.**

 **-Pokémon Tower itself is based off of its Kanto iteration. In the Kanto games, it is a five floor tower with ghosts roaming everywhere. However, in the Johto games, it has been replaced by a Radio Tower, and the player's only allowed to traverse one floor. There is still an area where dead Pokémon are honored, but the player can't really do anything there. Needless to say, most players were displeased with this, and a common theory is that the spirits are also angry.**

 **-So I made the small tower with the radios as a reference to the Kanto Radio Tower. The Kanto Radio Tower is still here, but it's been moved somewhere else. The town that it's been moved to his right next to Lavender, however. So it's not far-fetched to think that they would borrow some of the radios from it. As stated in this chapter, many rituals, ceremonies, or even family traditions surrounding the dead also involve music. So I'd like to think that the spirits enjoy having a bit of music in the town, regardless of whether the Tower itself still stands.**

 **-Holly's comment about the Name Rater has to do with what he does in the games. In the games, the Name Rater allows a player to change the name of any Pokémon they have caught. However, the Name Rater does not allow the player to change the names of Pokémon that have been received from other people. This also includes Pokémon transferred up from older games to newer ones, or Pokémon that have had their names changed back to default by the naming filter in later games. Some hacks will allow the player to change the names of other peoples' Pokémon, however.**

 **-Unfortunately, the Name Rater's abilities don't make much sense as they are in an RP, because anyone can name a Pokémon anything they want at any time. So I gave him some other abilities related to the concept of rating a name and helping people with them (which is what he claims to do in the games). The restriction of being unable to change the name of other peoples' Pokémon is also no longer in place.**

 **-Molly losing a Flaffy in battle has to do with her portrayal in canon. In the movie she appears in, Molly uses a Flaffy in battle, although it is simply a creation of the Unown. Molly is also shown to be a very competent but aggressive battler. Whether this personality is because of the Unown, or if she had battling knowledge before she met them and they were simply making it manifest is not stated. However, I like to use the latter interpretation, because Molly would've had to know a fair bit about Pokémon battling in order to dream up and easily use the powerful Pokémon she does. So, Molly aggressively fighting strong opponents and losing a Pokémon because of it is not unreasonable.**

 **-The Bell Tower being used as a burial place in Johto is my own interpretation. Johto is the only region without a burial place of its own, and I always thought that was odd. I chose the Bell Tower because it is associated with Ho-oh. Ho-oh is a Pokémon that symbolizes death, but also resurrection and life. So I thought this symbolism would work well for a burial place. Furthermore, there's not much in the Bell Tower, other than Ho-oh occasionally roosting at the top. So there's plenty of room to throw a burial ground without having to move anything else around.**


	49. Chance

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! There is another prompt down below, due to spoilers for the chapter.**

 **As usual, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

48\. Chance

Holly barely had time to register what happened as the group bolted down the stairs after Kris.

However, the disabled Trainer was nowhere to be found.

Anabel clenched her fist.

"Where is she?"

Molly shook her head. "She probably left the building, but since the town is so small, she most likely didn't get far.

Anabel gritted her teeth, throwing a Poké Ball. Instantly, her Espeon appeared.

Annabel responded. "Espeon, go find Kris! If you can't bring her back here, at least stay with her and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid!" The Pokémon nodded and dashed off.

Holly watched her leave, but then was alerted to the sound of a groan. She turned to see Azure, still green in the face and clutching his stomach. Holly thought Azure would vomit right there, but mercifully, he didn't.

Anabel's eyes went wide as she responded.

"Azure, are you all right?"

Azure shook his head.

"I can't believe what just happened. It seems so unreal…"

Concern flashed Molly's eyes as she asked. "Would you like to go to the Pokémon Center? You can recover there. Spencer can take you."

Azure nodded, and Holly realized she had almost forgotten about the powerful Entei in all the chaos.

But now the gentle giant was heading towards Azure, and he quickly climbed onto his back. The Pokémon made almost no noise as the two headed out of the building.

Molly faced the group, and let out a deep sigh.

"I was afraid this would happen. And I was hoping to get to her before it did."

Holly's eyes went wide.

"You _knew_ this would happen?"

Molly shook her head.

"No, but I had my suspicions."

"Explain." Anabel responded, and Holly was surprised by the lack of a sharp tone.

Molly shut her eyes, as if she didn't know quite where to begin.

Finally, she took a deep breath and responded.

"What you should know… is that Kris is very powerful. She's quite possibly stronger than any wielder of supernatural powers seen before, or since."

Holly's eyes went wide.

So Will and Karen had been telling the truth!

And what Azure knew wasn't a rumor!

 _But then…_

Why didn't Kris acknowledge the power? She said she wanted to focus on training Pokémon, but there were plenty of people that used other powers and _still_ trained Pokémon!

Did Kris not _know_ she had other powers?

No, she must have. Someone must've told her _something…_

Holly focused back on the conversation as Anabel asked another question.

"Supernatural powers? What do you mean?"

Molly rapidly responded. "Psychic powers… Talking to ghosts… Magic… Even the mysterious energy called Aura… There are all sorts of powers not of the physical world. Most people only focus on one of these powers, but there are others, like me, who can use more than one."

Annabel replied. "And I'm assuming Kris is one of those people?"

Molly nodded. "We psychics haven't run any tests on her yet, but the amount of mental power Kris has is _staggering_. The general consensus is that one could pick any supernatural power used for any purpose, and Kris could eventually master it. She could be far and away the strongest person in the world, in Pokémon battles _and_ out of them."

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

"Is this all because she is disabled, and gifted too?"

Molly responded calmly. "I don't know, but that's what many of us psychics believe. What you must understand is that someone who tests as gifted has high mental prowess. And supernatural abilities are based on said mental prowess. So if someone is extraordinarily gifted like Kris, the abilities can manifest very easily."

Holly could not blurting out. "So there must be lots of disabled power users! Kris shouldn't have any difficulty finding them, right?"

Now, Holly couldn't help staring at Molly Hale.

If Kris's psychic power was because of her giftedness, which in turn was because of her disability, then there must be lots of people like her!

Molly sadly shook her head.

"No, Kris is one of the first her kind, if not _the_ first. Many people who have physical disabilities similar to hers _also_ have issues with intellect. And since supernatural power relies on intellect, these people often can't use them even if they find out they have these powers."

Holly cringed as she remembered what Kris had said about her cerebral palsy.

" _Cerebral palsy itself cannot cause intellectual problems, but there are many other things that can come with it that can."_

Was there an _entire_ _world_ of other people like Kris, disabled but also having special powers? Except they could never use them, and these powers remained trapped within their minds?

Holly shuddered.

She didn't want to think about it.

Holly turned to Anabel she realized the woman was speaking.

"So, is this something that Kris's family has? I've heard supernatural abilities are often inherited."

Molly shook her head. "From what I know, none of Kris's family has any sort of supernatural abilities. There are those that _claim_ they do, but neither Kris nor the psychics have any proof of this. Most likely, the claims are false, or whatever powers the people _do_ have are too weak to detect. Besides, supernatural abilities are not always inherited, or even seen at birth. With enough training, _anyone_ can have them. But it's so difficult for someone that doesn't naturally have them that most people don't bother. And even if they do decide to learn, these people are _still_ not as powerful as those that are born with the abilities."

Holly blinked, remembering the brief training with her mother's friend Sabrina. She had gotten so frustrated that Sabrina had calmly told her to just focus on other things, and Holly had given up.

But what if she'd continued?

Would she have become as powerful as Molly, or Kris?

Would she have had reacted to her world the same way Kris had?

Holly once again turned to Anabel, who was asking yet another question.

"So, was _that_ what you were trying to tell Kris? That she had these powers?"

Molly nodded.

"Partially. I have the ability to visit others in dreams, so that's what I did with Kris. She was aware of the _possibility_ of her having supernatural powers, but not aware of the _extent._ A lot of times she even doubted that power was real, no matter what anyone told her. So I tried to let her know just how strong she was, and that she should start training as soon as possible. But of course, she refused to acknowledge her strength."

Molly closed her eyes, heaving another sigh.

"There was another thing I told her. I told her that she had issues and needed to get help, but she brushed that off. Kris stated she could handle those issues herself, but of course, that wasn't true…"

Annabel whispered softly. "You mean the anxiety."

Molly nodded. "Yes, I do."

Anabel was shaking, as if she couldn't believe what Molly had just said.

Her voice trembled even more. "Why… Why wouldn't she…"

Molly gravely responded. "I don't know, but I have a good guess. Supernatural powers and psychological problems both have a massive stigma attached. Understandably, she probably didn't want to get tangled up in that. She also likely didn't know how her family would react, and didn't want to get them involved. As far as I'm aware, they don't know she has anything abnormal other than her physical issues."

Molly took a deep breath, and her next words came out slowly.

"But… I think there is another reason…"

Both Holly and Anabel's eyes went wide, but neither said anything.

So Molly continued. "I don't know too much about anxiety, but I do know one of the symptoms can be intense fear. So I think Kris's anxiety is giving her this intense fear. The fear of what may happen if she pursues training, and what may happen if she goes into treatment."

Holly thought back.

Kris's reaction and remembering Cheyenne…

Her terror after the fight with the evolution stones…

Her absolute certainty that she had worked another Pokémon to death before Vermillion…

And her terror about rockfalls, however justified…

Her fear of Azure, and his father, Blue, so far left unexplained…

And now her fear of Lavender Town, and its devastating consequences…

Did this fear all lead back to her powers that were festering silently within her? And her refusal to get help for them?

Holly was snapped out of her thoughts by Anabel.

"What will happen to her, if she listens to you?"

Molly shook her head. "I don't know unless she does. And so far, she refuses to."

Anabel whispered. "So she's afraid of the unknown. And paralyzed by that fear."

Molly nodded. "Exactly."

Holly could resist blurting out.

"But Kris can't be a psychic or an Aura user, or whatever! They don't show any emotion, and she shows emotions a lot!"

Anabel glared. "Holly, that's not nice!"

Molly also flashed a severe look as she stated. "And not quite correct. People manage their supernatural powers in different ways. Some choose not to show emotion much, but it doesn't mean they _can't._ My teacher, Sabrina, is one of those. I know one psychic who chose to sleep a lot, but can still influence the world while asleep. And there is another who buries his face in books, to the point where he often goes into battle holding one."

Holly shouted back. "But Sabrina, she doesn't ever show _any_ emotion!"

Molly kept her severe gaze as she stated. "I'm guessing you haven't seen her outside of battle much. Outside of battle, my instructor is always calm, even in the worst situations. And she truly cares for her loved ones, and would give her life to protect them. She only makes it _seem_ like she's emotionless when she really has to concentrate, or when she is angry."

Another memory overtook Holly.

It had been shortly before she participated in the study…

Holly had wanted to prove to her mother that she could go on the journey, and resolved to head to the towns near Celadon by herself. Unfortunately, she had taken the Underground Path, and had got attacked by the vicious trainers there. Sabrina had rescued her, and Holly could now remember the woman's calm, soothing, voice as she cleaned her up and took her to safety.

And then she could remember the psychic's cold expressionless eyes and the burning pain that accompanied the several slaps Sabrina had given her afterward. It seem like they would never end, as Holly defiantly refused to say she was sorry. Eventually though, she broke, and choked out an apology.

 _And that_ led to the argument between Holly and her mother.

 _And then_ she ran away to participate in the study…

Holly shuddered.

Facing her mother was _bad enough…_

But how would _Sabrina_ react? Probably not well…

Despite all that, Sabrina had shown both positive and negative emotion the day she rescued her. And Holly bet that Sabrina showed emotions when she heard that she ran away…

So Molly was correct.

But still…

Holly found herself replying before she registered her lips moving.

"If psychics can have emotions…"

She gulped as she continued.

"So what _was_ all that before, and why is treating the anxiety is so important?"

A dark look entered Molly's eyes, and Holly shivered at the cold tone her voice took.

"Just like an athlete will have trouble playing sports with a physical detriment, any sort of mental issue will cause problems for wielders of supernatural powers. The problems are very wildly depending on what the specific issue is, and there are some I just rather wouldn't think about."

Holly shuddered, face going pale.

If this was so bad that the strongest psychic in the world didn't want to think about it, then Holly wasn't sure she wanted to hear what coming next.

But Molly spoke anyway.

"In the case of anxiety like Kris's, there are two common scenarios. The first is that the anxiety acts like a mental blockage, preventing the person from using much of their powers, if they can use any at all. If the person is treated, the mental blockage can slowly go away, and the patient can learn to harness their powers should they choose."

Nausea seized Holly, and she wondered if she would vomit in front of the others.

She had a feeling she knew with the second scenario was.

Molly's voice became even colder as she continued.

"And the other… is what you just saw."

Holly clutched her stomach, wishing she had a garbage can. Even Anabel looked shocked, but the woman did not move.

Instead, they were both transfixed by what Molly had to say.

"The power is still there, and the anxiety is still there. But in the second scenario, _they mix together._ Instead of being _stopped_ by the anxiety, the power is nurtured by the instability. It pushes against the terrified thoughts like someone rattling against a prison. And these uncontrolled thoughts build up more and more over time. The power grows along with it, until at last…

Anabel whispered. "It explodes. _That_ was what you wanted to see Kris for. You knew that time was coming soon, and you didn't want that to happen to her…"

Molly hung her head low.

"But I was too late, and she nearly hurt us all."

Holly blinked, the sickening feeling in her stomach only increasing.

"But why was Kris having the second scenario, and not the first?"

Molly shook her head. "I don't know. It could be how she handles the anxiety, and it could be related to her past, and what happened in it. But I don't know enough about that to comment on it."

Suddenly, Molly looked pensive, and slowly stated.

"In another world, perhaps…"

The psychic suddenly looked at them, eyes wide, as if she had suddenly forgotten they were there.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just thinking aloud."

Holly blinked.

What had Molly meant? Did she know more than she was letting on?

Holly couldn't keep her voice from trembling. "So, what happens to her now? Will she still be allowed to travel?"

Molly shut her eyes, then quickly opened them again.

"With restrictions. She can travel, but she will have to be supervised by the psychics and others that possess supernatural powers in every region she goes to. Some of these people include myself, Sabrina, and the new Elite Four member, Will.

Luckily, we can watch over her remotely using psychic monitors. And she can opt to learn how to use her powers while she is being monitored. Or she can still choose not to, despite the risk. But as long as she makes that choice and until her powers are controlled, she can never travel alone again."

Holly clenched her fist.

First, a psychic monitor, and then Pokémon digging through her mind… Then coercing her into a power she didn't even want…

And now, this!

Holly couldn't help screaming. "That's horrible! It sounds even worse than death!"

Molly shook her head.

"It's better than the alternative."

Holly snarled. "Which is?"

"She will be locked up, and forced to undergo the most severe training possible until her power is controlled. She'd most likely spend a lot of her time restrained, as the psychics and other power users figure out the best way to proceed with her. Sabrina would be responsible for that, seeing as she's far and away the best person at dealing with dangerous power users. Saffron itself is where the most hardened criminals go, and judging by what happened, Kris could very well be among them."

Holly shuddered.

She remembered Kris's conversation back in Cerulean.

She had been so afraid of going to jail…

And now it sounded as though she would…

What she do with that fear was realized?

Molly was continuing to speak, and Holly forced yourself to listen.

Of course, Kris's anxiety would forcibly undergo treatment too. But she would probably be treated as a severe case, seeing as she's already hurt herself and others with it. As it stands now, even if she chooses to simply remain monitored, the psychic higher-ups may choose to lock her up anyway if she has another episode. She's walking on thin ice, and I have a feeling she knows it."

Holly heard herself howling. "That's not fair! Treating her like a prisoner, just because she didn't want to use a power! She didn't mean to do what she did!"

Molly had a grave look in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter what she _meant_ to do. Someone with uncontrolled power cannot be allowed to roam free."

Holly gritted her teeth.

How dare they treat Kris like a monster! She already had enough things to beat herself up about!

Holly could feel the rage building, as another idea sparked in her mind.

She glared at Molly Hale, shouting at the top of her lungs.

"If you're so powerful, why don't you heal Kris's anxiety? You can do anything in that other world of yours!"

Molly's eyes blazed like fire as she continued. "Yes I can, but the power has a price. You saw what it did to me, even with something as simple as a few injured body parts. To heal something as complex as anxiety would be even _more_ taxing."

Molly shook her head.

"And it's not just me. It's the Pokémon too."

Holly's eyes went wide.

"What?" She managed to gasp out.

Surprise crossed Anabel's face as she stated.

"There are Pokémon in that strange world?"

Molly nodded.

"They're called Unown, and alone they aren't very powerful. However, when many of them get together they can grant people's wishes by tapping into their thoughts. Unown can even use their psychic powers to create new worlds. Unfortunately, this power puts a strain on their bodies. The greater the wish and its creations, the larger the strain. When Unown strain themselves too much, the results can be disastrous."

Holly blinked, eyes wide.

How could Unown have that kind of power? They were just bizarre little letters that were seen in ancient ruins! As far as Holly knew, they weren't even useful in battle!

She couldn't help shouting.

"What disasters are you talking about?"

Molly's eyes grew even harder.

"The type of disaster where death would be a kinder option."

Holly felt nausea seize her again.

What kind of fate could make death the better option?

Yet Molly Hale continued speaking.

"And to permanently alter something is _especially strenuous._ This is regardless of whether the alteration goes back into this world or not. I can help by using my own power, but it's still a huge risk."

Molly swept her gaze over the group as she finished.

"So that's why I can permanently heal something as simple as a few injured body parts, but I can't _safely and permanently_ cure a condition as complicated as anxiety. Even the most powerful supernatural abilities have their limits, no matter how much that _seems not_ to be the case."

Anger blazed in Holly's eyes as she still glared at Molly Hale.

The psychic was just making up excuses! She just _had_ to be! Someone as strong as her _couldn't_ be powerless to help solve Kris's problems!

Holly opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by the sound of doors opening.

Kris sprinted in, Espeon and Delphox at her heels. The disabled Trainer looked disheveled, and Holly could still see what appeared to be tearstains on her face.

"Oh, you're back." Anabel stated, but there was no emotion in her voice.

Molly had her hands on her hips as she issued a cold command.

"Sit down, Kris."

Surprisingly, Kris obeyed, head down.

Molly continued, voice holding no warmth.

"You know what I am about to talk about. You know what you did. And you know the consequences for your actions."

Kris said nothing, only shakily nodding.

Molly only continued. "So what will it be? A psychic monitor, or locked up and forced into training?"

A few tense minutes passed, and Kris quietly replied.

"Monitor."

Before anyone else could respond, she looked up with a resolute fire burning in her eyes.

"But I refuse to undergo any training, or head to a doctor at this time. I promised Anabel I would help her complete her mission, and Holly that she would become stronger through her study. I intend to honor my promises, and I don't want anything to slow me down."

Molly nodded.

"So you choose to undergo treatment afterward? Very well."

With that, intense psychic power surrounded Molly, and the same power surrounded Kris.

The disabled Trainer winced, and Holly couldn't help feeling sympathy for her.

Perhaps she was remembering the monitor from before, or perhaps she had fully realized what her punishment meant.

Whatever the case, the psychic power quickly faded, and Molly stared once again at Kris.

"It is done. You know the stakes. Do not break the rules again."

Kris simply nodded, although Holly could see the pain in her eyes.

Holly clenched her fist.

Kris _hadn't been trying_ to break any rules! And all this was going to do was cause her more pain!

She opened her mouth to jump to the disabled Trainer's defense, but then heard another person's footsteps.

"Excuse me?"

Holly whirled around, noticing an elderly man. His slow walking and stooped posture indicated he was past his prime, but Holly could still see strength in his eyes.

Holly shuddered.

After all this, what could someone like that want?

The elderly man stared straight at Holly.

"Are you Holly of Celadon?"

Holly simply nodded.

The man evenly responded.

"I am Mr. Fuji, the owner of the Tower. I heard you were visiting here, so I wanted to give you this."

The old man held out an outstretched palm, and Holly couldn't resist gasping.

In his hand was a grayish-white ring, with a slot in the shape of a circle in the middle.

The elderly man continued to look at Holly. "Do know what this is?"

Holly nodded, still feeling breathless.

"This is a Mega Bracelet, used to make Pokémon much stronger and evolve again when they normally can't. But why do you have this?"

The man replied.

"Because I want to give it to you."

Holly took the bracelet, feeling it smoothly shine in her hand. She quickly attached it to her left wrist.

Anabel walked up, a look of surprise on her face.

"You would really give Holly something so precious?"

Mr. Fuji nodded.

"Holly… I know who you are and what you've done… But I also know that despite what happened, you still wish to protect the region. Use this power to prove yourself to its people."

A grave look entered his eyes, and he stated.

"Prove that you _can_ change. Prove that you _have_ changed."

Holly couldn't hide her shock. This was one of the most powerful techniques a Trainer could use, given only the chosen few.

And now it was at her disposal.

Holly tried to stop herself from trembling. She could barely believe what was happening.

"Thank you for giving me this, and a chance."

Holly left off another set of words.

 _When almost no one else did._

Mr. Fuji nodded. "Use it to take care of Kris… She's been through so much…"

His eyes wandered over to the disabled Trainer, and she gave him a nod.

Holly cocked her head.

What did Mr. Fuji seen, and how well did he know Kris?

But now the elderly man was walking away, leaving Holly and the others alone.

Molly Hale suddenly had a stern look in her eyes, and there was no mistaking the grave tone in her voice.

"The spirits do not approve of this. I can tell they're angry, and not just at Kris's outburst."

Annabel gave a curt nod.

Holly found herself grimacing.

Mr. Fuji had given her a chance, and he had probably given Kris a chance too.

Why couldn't others do the same?

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _So here is the rest of the prompt!_

 _Mr. Fuji gives the player a Mega Bracelet, asking them to prove themselves to the region. This event occurs whether or not the player has any Pokémon capable of Mega Evolving at this time (or whether or not they have found any of the stones). It's actually supposed to be before paying respects to Azure's Pokémon, but I switched it around a bit here._

 **-So now the mechanics of supernatural abilities are explained, as well as what effect they can have on various people. Like the last chapter, this chapter underwent a few changes. In the original draft, I was originally going to have Kris have the second scenario, where her powers were not activating due to her anxiety. But when I was later writing out the notes for the mechanics of supernatural powers and anxiety, I thought that the first scenario was just as likely to happen. So I had Kris take that scenario instead. The second scenario will still be used, however, but it probably won't be seen in this book.**

 **-Also, Molly's conversation about why she can't just heal Kris's anxiety, and the details on the Unown was meant to be explained later on. However, I moved the conversation up because I figured it would help answer questions and explain the limits of Molly's power. It's also much more relevant at this time. This conversation was not also moved up in the original RP version of the chapter, so it will most likely be edited in. The powers of the Unown work almost exactly the same way as Molly describes them, minus Molly helping them out with her own powers.**

 **-Originally, Kris's family was supposed to have some supernatural abilities, but it was switched. The reason for this was that would've been very easy for someone to detect what was happening and train her, and also would've left Kris without a motivation for keeping her latent powers a secret. It also would've been difficult to figure out who got what, so I went with the simpler solution.**

 **-Sabrina rescuing someone is inspired by both the anime and the manga. In the anime, she rescues Ash and his friends after they are trapped by Team Rocket. However, she spends the rest of her appearances fighting** _ **against**_ **them (at least, until near the end). In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, she rescues Ash by grabbing and teleporting him into safety when he is about to be crushed by falling debris. In the same volume, she takes him to the safety of her Gym after he collapses from exhaustion in front of it. The second scenario is mainly what I was thinking of when I wrote about Holly.**

 **-Sabrina's demeanor comes from a variety of media. She is often portrayed as very stoic, and it's also often played up as creepy. However, in media where she's not intentionally written as creepy, she's shown to be calm and caring. Examples of this include the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, where she is depicted as having this personality throughout, and the games. In the games, she is states she doesn't like to fight, and is shown as a graceful loser. She even complements the player, stating that their love for the Pokémon is some sort of psychic power. A sidequest in the Unova games reveals she hates being cast in the villainous roles when she takes a job as an actress, implying that much of the Pokémon world still sees her as creepy, and that she really isn't.**

 **-It's implied that Sabrina is stoic because she is trying to control her immense psychic powers in the games. The anime confirms this, with her stoicism is a direct result of those powers. The sleeping psychic that Molly is talking about is Caitlin of the Unova Elite Four. It's unknown if she can influence the world while she is asleep, but the common interpretation is that she can. Molly talking about a psychic that enjoys reading is a reference to Lucian of the Sinnoh Elite Four. He actually does hold a book in battle when he is fighting the player in the games.**

 **-The reasons Sabrina is used for psychics and other power users that are dangerous is because of how she is treated in the anime. In the anime, Sabrina is one of these dangerous psychics, destroying a city and nearly killing many people. In contrast, the only mention of a dangerous psychic in the games is Caitlin. It is said that she loses control of her power when she loses, and finds a way around it by choosing not to fight. Eventually, she learns to control her power, and grows up, so it's implied the problems are because she is young. She's also never seen actually doing damage to anyone. In Sabrina's case, she gets back to normal by sheer chance, and it's implied the protagonists are risking their lives to bring her back to normal. On top of that, the damage she does is seen on screen.**

 **-In this universe, Sabrina's destruction doesn't happen, but it still makes sense that she would be good with those with destructive behavior. This is because she is shown as constantly in control of both her emotions and her powers, and is also seen training many others.**

 **-The idea of supernatural powers being inherited, but still being able to be learned anyway is from both the anime and the games. In the anime, it is stated that people are born with these powers, and that ordinary people can't learn them. However, this contradicts the games, where it is shown that Pokémon who typically would not be led to learn psychic and other supernatural powers can learn them through machines called TMs. The game itself doesn't explicitly say what the criteria for learning supernatural powers is, so I merged what was known with the anime.**

 **-The two punishments Kris is allowed to choose from was my idea of a realistic take on someone with a dangerous uncontrollable power. Realistically, someone who could hurt and had her others would need to be watched and could be considered a criminal in certain cases (e.g. negligence). However, this is not brought up in most works, including Pokémon. So I decided to do a different interpretation here. Note that this is different from Kris not knowing she had the power, or knowing but never hurting anyone. These interpretations will be shown in other books, for those interested.**


	50. Freedom

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! There is a prompt here, but it will be detailed after the chapter to avoid spoilers.**

 **As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

* * *

49\. Freedom

Holly did not have to speak to feel the tension in the air. Molly still cast her severe gaze over all of them, and Kris still had her reddened, tearstained, face. Anabel's expression was unreadable, but Holly had no doubt it was nothing good.

Holly clenched her fist.

She wanted so badly to punch someone! It was all Molly and Anabel's fault that things were like this!

But before she could do anything, Molly broke the silence.

"What do you want to do now?"

Holly grimaced.

She only wanted to _get rid of Molly and Anabel_ right now!

But Anabel had shut her eyes as she was speaking.

"I wanted to go to Route 11 in the west for training, but I think it may be better to go to the south for a while. The area to the south of Lavender has several fishing spots, and I feel a little relaxation would do us good. We can't get anything done now, not with the way we are."

Holly clenched her fist even more.

How dare Anabel suggest relaxation, when _she_ was the one that started everything that made the situation tense!

Holly glanced toward Kris and noticed the disabled Trainer was at attention.

Holly blinked.

Why would she listen to Anabel and Molly after all that happened?

But Anabel was speaking again.

"My Kris… She loved fishing… Do you like it too?"

Kris nodded slowly.

"Would you like go on a trip, to relax?"

Another nod.

Holly felt her fists loosen.

She didn't want to go anywhere with Anabel, but at least she could support Kris.

And fishing was an outdoor activity! That would be surely something Holly liked, too. Even though she'd never really tried…

Molly nodded.

"The fishing spots may as well be training. There's powerful Pokémon that Holly can use to get stronger. Maybe Kris can catch some as well."

Holly felt her eyes widen as she remembered Kris's goal.

The disabled Trainer had wanted her to get stronger! Of course she wouldn't object!

Holly nodded and glanced toward her, but now Kris's eyes were unreadable.

Holly cocked her head.

Even after all this time, she still couldn't tell what Kris was thinking.

But she could tell that Molly was speaking again.

As for me, I'm going to check on Azure and Spencer at the Pokémon Center. I'll meet you at the fishing spots afterward."

Despite the situation, Molly smiled.

"After all, water's one of my favorite things too."

Annabel nodded.

"It's settled, then."

She turned to leave, and Holly followed. Yet as they walked out of the building, Holly heard Kris whisper.

"That black dragon… He lied to me… And the white dragon… She was fading…"

The disabled Trainer clenched her fist.

"Why… I don't understand…"

Holly cocked her head.

What was Kris talking about?

She shook her head.

Perhaps she would ask her later.

For now, there was fishing to be done.

And fishing, Holly discovered, was rather passive.

She had hoped she would be able to run around, but instead, Anabel made them stop at a dock with calm, flowing, water.

The woman quickly handed her a rod with some bait and a lure attached.

"Here. You just throw the rod back and cast the line into the water."

Holly glanced down at the rod, noticing a button on the underside. She figured that was how the rod cast.

"And then what do I do?" She couldn't help asking.

Annabel responded. "Then you wait. When the lure goes under, you use the reel to bring your catch in."

Holly hoped Anabel wouldn't notice the way her face fell, or the giant sigh she let out.

That sounded so boring! How could Kris like that?

Holly turned toward the disabled Trainer, quietly sitting in a chair that she had brought with her.

Kris looked like she was about to say something, but Holly wasn't sure what.

Could it be advice on fishing (even though Holly wasn't entirely sure what advice there could be)?

Telling her to just enjoy it?

Before Kris could speak her mind, Holly heard the sound of giant footsteps.

In a flash, Spencer appeared, Molly riding on her Entei's back. She dismounted rapidly, walking over to the others.

"Looks like I made it just in time. This should be fun!"

Annabel nodded, smiling despite everything.

"How's Azure?"

Molly replied. "He's fine, despite being a little shaken. I saw him off, and he sends his thanks to all of you."

Holly could not help giving Molly a hard stare, but luckily the psychic didn't notice.

How much was Molly leaving out?

Did the Viridian Gym Leader know that Kris had an untamed power?

That she was one misstep away from being thrown in jail, or worse?

Holly frowned. She hoped he didn't know _anything._

Kris had more than enough to deal with!

But luckily no one saw Holly's discontent as Molly spoke again.

"Ready to go fishing?"

Holly nodded.

She was ready to get going to the next place!

But before she could even throw in her line, Kris stated. "Wait."

Holly's eyes were wide.

What now?

The disabled trainer took a deep breath, speaking slowly. "Could you please remove Holly's tether?"

Anabel looked shocked, as though she had forgotten something important. Confusion flashed in Molly's eyes, but the psychic didn't ask any questions. Holly figured with her status, she must've known what was going on.

Anabel spoke quickly.

"Oh, of course I should remove the tether while Holly goes fishing. It will make things easier."

Kris's eyes darkened. "No, I meant _permanently."_

Anabel's eyes went wide, and Molly had a look of skepticism on her face.

Holly couldn't resist her own eyes going wide.

Did Kris understand what she was saying?

Anabel snarled. "Who are you to say that? The punishment is mine to decide!"

Kris shook her head. "Not anymore. You put me in charge of all the decisions of the journey. And my decision is that Holly earns her freedom back."

Anabel's eyes continued to go wide.

"What?"

Meanwhile, Molly clenched her fist.

Holly wondered what the psychic was thinking, but Molly gave no indication.

Kris continued.

"Besides, I believe Holly has earned her freedom back, according to the criteria you set. You wanted her to feel others' pain, and care for them. She has proven to understand my pain, and has defended me several times. It's proof that she cares for others now. And that's not the only thing. She's cared about several Pokémon, even though they were not her own. Finally, you wanted her not to run away, and she hasn't, despite many opportunities. So it's reason enough to release her from the punishment, and give her Pokémon back."

Holly blinked, all the memories flooding back to her.

There was all the times she'd stood up for Kris when the disabled Trainer could not… And that was despite them hating each other in the beginning…

And then there was the time that she cared about the dead Poochyena… And Kris's own dead Pokémon… And then there was the multitude of times she'd praised her Pokémon and appreciated their victories…

Even Nidoqueen, the one that got her into the punishment begin with…

And Kris was right about her not running away. Admittedly, it was mostly because Holly was afraid of what Anabel would do, but at least it kept her in line…

Holly looked at Anabel, a silent plea written in her eyes.

Surely the woman would listen to reason.

But Anabel shook her head.

"No, Holly has not learned nearly enough. You've see how she can rebel."

Kris's gaze pierced Anabel, and she responded in a cold voice.

"Then what _will_ be enough, Anabel? You have to know when how to set limits. Besides, do you really want her mother to see her like this?"

Holly felt her blood run cold, and Anabel stepped back. Molly gritted her teeth, but did not say anything.

Kris seized the advantage, speaking again in her cold voice.

"That's right. You know where we are going next. And you know who will be there. How would she react? Nothing good, I imagine."

Anabel yelled. "What Erika feels doesn't matter!"

Kris kept her voice even as she stated. "Oh, does it now? I think the feelings of other people matter plenty. Otherwise you two wouldn't have reacted to Mr. Fuji back there."

Anabel stepped back even further, face going pale, and Molly's eyes blazed with rage.

Before either could say anything, Kris continued.

"He was willing to give Holly a chance. He believed she could change. That she _had_ changed. Why can't you?"

Annabel simply sputtered out. "He doesn't know…"

Kris quickly cut her off. "He doesn't know Holly. That much is true. But he was willing to give her a chance anyway. And you know her. So there's no reason you shouldn't. Besides, Anabel, you want Holly to change, but there's _no way she can if you don't give her a chance to_. And she can't have that chance if she's chained up to you all the time. What better way to prove herself then to finally behave properly when she doesn't have people watching her constantly?"

Anabel gritted her teeth, eyes closed. Molly's eyes still blazed furiously. The psychic still looked like she wanted to say something, but her lips never moved.

Would Anabel finally listen?

And what did Molly want to say? Why didn't she speak?

But Holly could pay no attention as Anabel slowly opened her eyes, nodding.

"Very well."

In her hand she held a Poké Ball, tossing it to Holly.

Holly's eyes widened.

She had no doubt what Pokémon this was.

In another second, Holly could feel psychic energy surrounding her. Her tether melted away, never to come back.

Holly flashed a giant grin, pumping her fist in the air.

At last, she was free!

The journey was finally hers again!

Her Pokémon were by her side, and she could make whatever choices she wanted!

At last, she could enjoy the trip!

Anabel simply stated. "Don't let me down, Holly."

Holly nodded, smile still shining on her face.

She was still aware of Molly's burning glare, but paid it no mind.

Especially since Kris was smiling with her.

Right now, things could not be better.

The rest of the day passed by slowly. It seemed to take forever to Holly. For what seemed like hours, she focused on her lure, but nothing happened.

Holly sighed in annoyance and stole a glance at Kris.

The disabled Trainer sat contentedly, watching her own lure with an intense focus.

Holly sighed again.

How could Kris like this? There was nothing to do!

Suddenly, Kris pointed.

Holly's eyes darted to her own lure, and she saw it dip beneath the water.

Almost immediately, she felt something yanking on the rod.

Holly's eyes began to go wide as adrenaline surged through her.

What could this be? A fish? A powerful Pokémon? She had to find out!

Holly put her hand on her reel, newfound energy coursing through her body.

And that was when the yanking only grew stronger.

Before Holly could say anything, she found herself flying off the dock and through the air. She let out a screech as her body was drenched in cold water, fishing rod still in her right hand.

Holly let out a gasp as she spat out water, trying her hardest to keep her head from going under. Holly could feel her entire body shaking as she was drenched in the freezing water. No matter how hard she tried to dodge, the waves just kept coming.

She wanted to scream again, but was afraid water would enter her mouth and drown her. Holly could feel her clothes plastered to her body as she traversed the water at a speed she never thought possible. The roar of water filled her ears, blocking out almost every other sound.

Holly thought she could hear the others shouting something, but it sounded very far away.

So instead she clutched the rod in her right hand, focusing on the creature that dragged her through the water at lightning speed.

It was a Pokémon. That much she knew. The creature was green and looked a little like a frog, but Holly couldn't see much else. Whatever it was, it was strong and quick, and she was no match.

But she had to continue.

She might just land a strong Pokémon, and Anabel might be angry if she dropped the fishing rod!

Suddenly, the Pokémon jumped up, and Holly let out a cry as she jumped with it. She saw something else get dropped into the water, and registered that it was heading towards her. Holly flailed her left hand, feeling herself catching something hard.

Yet she saw the creature began to disappear below the water, and she felt the tug of the rod as it dipped down with the failed catch.

Holly gulped.

She knew she would be next.

Holly had just one thought on her mind.

Would she drown here?

Holly held her breath as she prepared to go underwater with the creature.

Only to feel another's scales.

Before she could register what was happening, Holly felt the rod get yanked out of her hands. Holly's now free hand slammed against the other creature's back, wincing as she hit the hard scales. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the green creature swimming away, captive fishing rod flying behind it.

And then, a voice crashed through her head.

"Reese, return to land!"

The other creature let out a deep rumbling cry as it took off with Holly on its back.

It swam leisurely through the water, and Holly let her surroundings come into focus. She looked at the creature that she now realized was a Pokémon. Its scales were blue, and its fins waved gently in the water. The Pokémon had long mouth that almost looked like a beak, and Holly could see something sticking straight up in the air. She thought it was antennae, but certainly knew this wasn't a bug. Red eyes met hers from the side, but they held no malice.

Even from the back, Holly knew the name of this Pokémon.

Kingdra.

A rare Pokémon to be sure, and one of the most powerful water Pokémon in existence.

Holly blinked. She wondered who would have this Pokémon.

But before she could wonder any further, her attention was drawn away from the Kingdra. Holly was then alerted to something pointy stabbing her palm, and slowly opened up her fist.

She could see a golden rock the shape of a crown in her hand.

She hadn't gotten a Pokémon, but she _had_ gotten something…

Holly's eyes went wide, but she couldn't fully notice what her catch was.

Because then the land came into view, and Holly could see the others. The Kingdra was heading towards Molly, so Holly assumed this was her Pokémon. Both the psychic and Anabel wore concerned looks on their faces as they stood at the front of the dock. Kris sat behind them, concern also showing on her face.

As Kingdra neared the dock, Molly and Anabel grabbed Holly and pulled her onto land. Holly was aware of psychic energy, as a blanket flew through the air and was wrapped around her. She glanced at Kris, seeing her Delphox, and figured it was the one that had moved the blanket.

Molly quickly gave the Kingdra another command.

"Reese, go check on the Politoed Holly tried to catch and see if it's all right. And do try to get the fishing rod back."

The Kingdra nodded and swam off, continuing its gentle sway in the water.

Holly watched it go, but then turned to Anabel.

Anabel's eyes were the size of dinner plates as she stared at Holly.

"Holly, you _could have drowned._ Why did you hang on to the rod?"

Despite everything, Holly couldn't help smiling.

"Because I got something!"

She held the strange rock in her hand, and noticed Kris's eyes glimmer with recognition.

"Ah, a King's Rock. Rare and useful, used to evolve Pokémon and sometimes prevent opponents from attacking in battle. Not a Pokémon, but a good catch nonetheless."

Holly continued smiling. Perhaps there was something worthwhile in fishing after all.

She didn't have much time to ponder it, as Anabel quickly cut their trip short. She got Holly some warm clothes, and tucked her into an even warmer bed. Holly tried to say she didn't need to sleep, but Anabel insisted she stay in the bed.

So Holly lay, wondering what to do, when Molly walked in. In her hands, the psychic held a drenched fishing rod, and Holly thought she could see a bit of blood on the lure.

"You certainly did not make it easy, but I got the rod back."

"Thank you." Holly quietly responded. She wondered _how_ Molly had gotten the rod back, but quickly decided she didn't want to know.

Holly heard Anabel's reply. "I'm glad you got it back, because that rod was expensive."

Holly suddenly heard Kris come up behind them, and wondered how the disabled Trainer could be so silent.

"I'm just glad Holly's okay."

Holly thought she could see a flash of regret in her eyes, and wondered if it was because she had been the one to agree to fishing.

But she quickly turned to Molly as the psychic spoke. "After Holly recovers, I'm leaving. For now, my business with Kris is over, and I have other things to attend to."

Anabel nodded. "Safe travels. And thank you for the help."

Holly cocked her head, wondering why Anabel didn't ask Molly to stay, but figured no one wanted her around.

Anabel had a bit of a stern look in her eyes as she stated. "Speaking of Holly, we should leave her to rest."

Holly shook her head, eyes wide.

"What? But I'm not tired!"

The look on Anabel's face didn't change. "You've been through a lot, so _you will be."_

She gestured to the others, and Molly started leaving. Kris looked like she wanted to say something, but quickly followed.

Anabel simply whispered. "Sweet dreams."

With that, the room was drenched in darkness as the woman shut off the lights. Holly heard the sound of a door closing and buried her face in the pillow.

If the others wanted her to sleep, at least she could pretend to.

But a few minutes later, she was aware of psychic energy.

Her eyes went wide. There was no one in the room! Could it be one of the restless ghosts from before?

Yet Holly relaxed when heard Kris's familiar voice.

" _No need to panic. It's just me."_

Holly's eyes went wide again. Of course she had forgotten the telepathic connection! Kris hadn't used it in a while.

" _But if you do this, won't you get caught?"_

Kris evenly replied. _"Only if I'm the one doing something. And I'm not. Besides, it's not like I'm hurting anyone with this."_ Holly winced at the way Kris said the words, and wondered if she was thinking about what happened at the Tower.

She resisted the urge to clench her fists.

This truly wasn't fair! Treating Kris like a criminal over a bunch of things she truly had no control over!

But if Kris could free her, then maybe she could free Kris…

Now Holly had another question in the back of her mind.

" _How did you know I wasn't asleep?"_

Kris dryly responded. _"I know when someone's pretending to sleep. Trust me. I'm notorious for doing that."_

She let out a laugh, and Holly wondered what type of conversations the disabled Trainer had eavesdropped on.

But she didn't get a chance to ask, as Kris continued speaking.

" _Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. The fishing… It was my idea… And the Tower… I don't know what came over me, but it clearly wasn't good…"_

Holly shook her head. _"You didn't want to go to the Tower anyway. Anabel should never have forced you. She knew you had dead Pokémon there… You never meant to hurt us anyway… And the fishing… That was just an accident... And it turned out well in the end. I got a nice item out of it."_

The disabled Trainer didn't respond, and Holly could only imagine the guilt flowing from her.

So she decided to quash the guilt.

" _Well, I just want to say thanks. For getting rid of the tether, and standing up to Anabel."_

Kris evenly responded.

" _It was the right thing to do. The punishment had gone on long enough, and it wasn't something even wanted to start in the first place."_

Holly's next words came out slowly, but she felt her confidence growing as she continued to say them.

" _I know you can't control the journey anymore but… could you still guide me, though? You've been so helpful, and I've learned a lot."_

Surprise was evident in the older Trainer's voice, but she immediately responded.

"Of course."

All of a sudden, Holly could detect a small cry of pain, and her eyes widened.

It had most certainly been coming from Kris, but what was wrong?

"Is everything all right?"

Kris rapidly responded, but Holly could still hear the pain in her voice.

" _I'm fine. It's just… This reminds me of one of the ghosts in Lavender… When we were there, he was missing…"_

Holly's eyes widened again.

" _But then, where is he?"_

Kris's voice took on a dark tone. _"I don't know, but this can't mean anything good."_

Kris was silent for a while, before she replied.

" _I'd better go, so I don't actually get caught. And you probably do need to sleep some."_

Holly reluctantly nodded.

" _See you later, and thanks again."_

The disabled Trainer's voice faded from Holly's head, and with it, the psychic power.

Holly clenched her fist. She still needed someone to talk to!

She rummaged around until she saw a light flashing. She nodded approvingly, picking the source of the light up.

It was something that looked like a cell phone, but it also had a wristband.

Holly never used the wristband, because she found communication with it awkward. But she still kept the device with her.

It was something issued to all Trainers who got their Trainer Cards, and it had been given to her as soon as she started the study.

And now she knew _exactly_ who to call.

Holly quickly dialed a number, and Professor Pine answered on the other line.

Words poured out faster than Holly could register, as she told Professor Pine of everything that happened.

Holly was relieved to hear that the professor at least showed some concern… Perhaps Holly's own from before had been for nothing…

At least until she asked about the name Julia.

The professor refused to answer the question, instead redirecting Holly to other subjects. Holly noticed that the professor acted confused, but if Kris knew the name, it must've been familiar…

Holly shook her head.

There could be more than one Pine, and Kris _had_ met the professor years ago. Perhaps the disabled Trainer had just gotten two people mixed up.

And the professor probably found the whole name issue absurd, just like Anabel did.

She put the phone down, relieved that she had not been caught. Fatigue finally mixed with the relief, and she drifted off to sleep.

The next day in Route 11 was a blur, and other than Molly riding her majestic Entei as she left, Holly could not remember much.

Because her mind was on a single track, as she could only focus on one newfound concept.

The thing she had wanted for so long, and had finally gotten back.

Freedom.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 _First, the prompt!_

 _Route 11 is a small area west of Lavender, although one must first go south. No Pokémon are mentioned in the RP, although they do exist. There also some items here. They are the Itemfinder (if one has not gotten it already), two Revives, an Escape Rope, an Awakening, and a Great Ball. The route leads to Vermillion._

 **Authors notes:**

 **-So Route 11. I wasn't originally planning to do it, because I typically traverse it much earlier on, and the player can't access this road from Lavender at this point in the games. However, this route appeared as a required area in the RP. I already had the fishing scene planned out, and knew there was water to the south of Lavender, near Route 11. So I just decided to use the pools of water instead, with Route 11 getting a mention. The actual route that the water is on will get a proper appearance when it comes up in the RP. Route 11 will also get a proper appearance in some of the other books.**

 **-Molly liking water comes from the movie where she is originally from. In this movie, she battles Misty underwater with her Pokémon, and seems to be enjoying it. It's also worth noting this type of battling would not show up in the games proper until a long time later. Even with that, the player would be unable to battle Trainers underwater until the remakes of the games that introduced battling underwater originally. Molly owning a Kingdra is also based on the movie she is from, where she uses one in battle.**

 **-Holly's encounter with the Politoed comes from the games. In Kanto, the only way to get a King's Rock without trading with someone who has it is by stealing from or capturing a wild Pokémon holding the item. One of the Pokémon that can hold the item is Politoed. However, the chance of them holding the item is very rare.**

 **-The King's Rock works exactly as Kris describes, evolving certain Pokémon. A secondary effect is that in battle, a Pokémon can hold the item, and all attacks have a chance of causing the opponent to flinch and miss their turn. This happens even if the moves have no chance of making an appointment flinch normally, and if the move does have a chance, that effect is stacked.**

 **-Lastly, I was planning on Holly getting her tether off before Celadon for a long time. However, I also initially planned for her character development to be complete by this time, but then I realized it would be rushed. Instead, her character is going in a complete different direction, but the tether still remains off. Also, Anabel was originally the one to declare that the tether be taken off, but instead that was changed to Kris suggesting and eventually forcing her to do it. This also is because of Kris's character taking a different direction than what was initially planned, although those who have been paying close attention to her character may be able to pick up the change from early on.**


	51. New Heights

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! It's been a while, mainly because the RP itself had to update.**

 **However, I have been busy in the meantime. There are two new companion stories, Homecoming and Daughter. Homecoming is a one-shot, with Daughter being a short multi-chapter story. Anyone who is currently enjoying the Traveler series should check this both out.**

 **Supplementary materials for the Traveler series have begun to appear. They shed a bit more light on the lore, and are particularly useful for an upcoming chapter. Anyone interested should look at the Deviantart account "wordwheels" for more information.**

 **Since this is a new area, there is a prompt. However, it contains spoilers for the chapter, so it will be included after it. As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

* * *

50: New Heights

Once the group had cleared Route 11, Holly found herself abruptly turning around.

She blinked confusedly.

Why were they retracing their steps? Wasn't the purpose of her being free was so that they could keep moving forward?

Holly cleared her throat, alerting Kris and Anabel.

"What is it, Holly?" Anabel asked.

Kris said nothing, her expression holding something unreadable.

Holly guessed the disabled Trainer already knew what she was going to ask. Holly decided to state her question anyway.

"Why are we going backwards and returning to Lavender? There's not much there…"

Anabel rapidly responded. "We have to return to Lavender in order to get to the place with the next Badge. Celadon is to the west of Lavender, so that's where we need to go next."

She shook her head.

"We're not going backwards; this is the only way forward."

Holly gulped, and hoped the others would not see her shivering.

She didn't want to face her mother! What would she think of her?

And how would the others react when they discovered that she had run away from home?

Holly somehow found her lips moving, but also found it difficult to register what she was saying.

"Could we go south instead?"

Confusion was once again present in Anabel's eyes.

But before the woman could reply, Kris stepped up.

The disabled Trainer's eyes had a knowing gaze as she responded.

"You're not ready to face your mother, are you?"

Holly shook her head miserably.

She wondered if she was _ever_ going to be ready.

But Holly suddenly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

She had done nothing wrong! It was all her mother's fault that she had to run away! What was her mother thinking, not letting her participate in that study when she was clearly old enough to train on her own?

But still…

Even if Holly believed she was in the right, the encounter with her mother was going to lead to a huge confrontation…

And Holly knew she wasn't ready for that.

After all, she still had to find a way to free Kris from those horrible psychics, and her mother probably wouldn't let her do that!

Holly focused on the present as Kris began speaking again.

"Fuchsia is one of the later Gyms. The path there is longer and can be treacherous. Overall, the journey and battles will be more difficult."

Holly's face fall. Would her request be denied?

Yet Kris spoke up again.

"Although Fuchsia is a harder path to take, it is not unreasonable to go there now. Some Trainers choose to travel there before Celadon. So if you feel you can handle the difficulty, there's no reason not to go."

Holly nodded.

 _Of course_ she could take on a harder path and some more difficult trainers! It would only make her stronger! And she had to get strong for the Pokémon League, and to complete the study!

Besides, her mother could wait. She was always patient.

Holly turned to Anabel, noticing the woman was eyeing her curiously.

Would Anabel refuse the request? Was she still wondering why Holly had wanted to go in the first place?

Yet Anabel simply nodded.

"Fair enough. If you're ready, Holly, we can head out."

Holly resisted the urge to punch the air with glee.

Annabel was _finally_ listening to what she wanted! The journey _really was_ hers again!

Holly had a spring in her step as she walked towards the next area.

However, she quickly stopped dead.

Something coming from one of her Poké Balls.

Holly's eyes went wide as she picked up the object.

She realized the Ball was Mawile's and studied it closely. Holly had held the the capsule many times, but today something felt… different.

Like she was holding another Pokémon. One she knew nothing about.

But why would she be doing that?

Mawile hadn't changed, she was not going to stop the others just let it out for nothing…

Holly shuddered.

She couldn't really tell what the difference was, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

After all, what if it was something bad?

And why would a Poké Ball radiate light if the Pokémon wasn't being called out?

As far as Holly knew, the only other time Pokémon were filled with light was during evolution, and they couldn't evolve inside their Poké Balls.

So what was happening?

Holly was snapped out of her thoughts as Kris walked up.

The disabled Trainer had a huge smile on her face, and Holly could hear Kris's voice in her head as telepathy began.

" _Don't worry. This isn't anything bad. Just try using Mawile in your next battle."_

Kris let out a laugh.

" _It's something you've known about beforehand."_

Holly blinked.

What could Kris be talking about?

Holly didn't know about anything like this…

Suddenly, Holly heard Anabel's voice.

"Hey, are you two coming or not?"

Kris's voice came again, although strangely, she seemed to lack any sense of urgency.

" _Oh, we'd better not keep Anabel waiting."_

"Right." Holly rapidly responded, and Kris's voice disappeared from her head.

With that, she and Kris walked to where Anabel was waiting. The woman only gave a nod before the group continued.

Holly knew that the next area on the way to Fuchsia was called Silence Bridge, but she had no idea why was called that.

After all, there seemed to be people everywhere, including ones that wanted to battle.

And it wasn't long before Holly was stopped by a sharp voice.

"Hey, you guys are Pokémon Trainers! I challenge one of you!"

Holly realized that the person had come up from behind her, but she didn't have to turn around.

Instead, the person walked in front of the group, eyes filled with fire as he stopped in the center.

The other Trainer was a male, and he appeared to be around Holly's age. The Trainer had piercing green eyes and black hair. A red cape flew proudly in the wind, and purple clothing contrasted against the otherwise dull scenery. Holly noticed that some of the clothing was gold, mainly his gloves and boots.

Holly had a feeling she knew what type of Trainer this was, but she couldn't put her finger on it…

Yet she couldn't think more about that as she felt Kris's hand on her shoulder. Holly didn't need to glance at the disabled Trainer to know she wanted her to battle.

After her behavior before, Kris had hinted something would happen if Holly went into battle.

And now Holly felt a mixture of eagerness and dread as she wondered what the disabled Trainer had meant.

Holly swallowed hard.

May as well find out.

Holly stepped up.

"I will battle!"

Kris nodded approvingly.

"May as well let Holly fight. She needs the practice."

Anabel also nodded, although Holly didn't think she could sense approval.

Instead, Holly heard Anabel whisper.

"That's a Dragon Tamer. They can be very strong. Be careful, Holly."

Kris simply stated a nonchalant tone.

"She'll be fine."

Holly blinked, wondering what the disabled Trainer knew. She had talked about the light from before like it would help Holly in battle.

So maybe that's what she was referring to.

Regardless, a Trainer as skilled as Kris said she would be fine. Holly believed it.

Holly nodded, fixing her opponent with a sharp gaze.

The Dragon Tamer did not flinch.

"You sure seem confident. Do you think you can beat my friends over there?"

Holly glanced further down the bridge, and could see there were more people waiting. They all looked to be dressed the same, so Holly guessed they were Dragon Tamers too.

Holly responded confidently, a smile forming on her face. If that light gave her new power, she could beat anyone!

"Of course I can!"

Her opponent wasted no time, grabbing a Poké Ball.

"The let us begin! Go, Altaria!"

He tossed the capsule into the air, and everything was briefly covered in a bright white light.

When it cleared, a dragon stood before them.

Except Holly didn't think it looked much like a dragon.

Instead, it looked like a bird.

The bird's neck was blue, with white cheeks and a white beak. It had something on its head that looked like blue ribbons, along with blue feet and a blue tail. Holly couldn't see the rest of the bird however, because its body was covered up by a fluffy white cloud. The Pokémon's black eyes glanced observantly over the battlefield, and it waited patiently for its Trainer's next command.

Holly resisted the urge to snicker.

This wasn't a dragon! This was a weakling!

Well, dragon or not, she knew exactly what Pokémon to choose.

Holly tossed her own Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Mawile!"

Holly's familiar Pokémon appeared in the flash of white light. However, as it snarled at the opponent, Holly's eyes went wide.

Mawile was wearing a silver necklace…

And in the necklace was a shimmering stone…

Holly cocked her head in confusion.

How had Mawile gotten this? She hadn't given it anything before…

Holly glanced at Kris, silently asking the disabled Trainer for an explanation.

She was instead aware of Anabel's blazing fury, as her eyes bore into Kris.

Holly blinked.

Why was Anabel angry? Didn't she want Holly to get stronger?

Holly shook her head.

Anabel was _always_ angry. It wasn't worth trying to figure things out.

Holly focused on Kris again, noticing the older Trainer had a giant grin on her face. She did not seem to be paying attention to Anabel, instead focusing on Holly.

However, the disabled Trainer did not speak, pointing to her left wrist.

Holly glanced down at the silver bracelet shining on her own.

She felt a smile creep onto her face, and nodded.

Rapidly, Holly pressed a button on the bracelet, holding it up.

Her voice rang through the air as light began to surround Mawile.

"Mawile, Mega Evolve!"

A massive amount of white light enveloped the entire battlefield, and Holly quickly found herself blinded. She looked away, but did not cringe.

Instead, she continued wearing a smile.

This was a power available only to a chosen few.

A power only the strongest could wield.

Something unlike anything else Trainers had at their disposal.

And now it was hers.

After what seemed like forever, the bright light dissipated. Holly glanced back to the battlefield, and Mawile was still there.

However, her Pokémon had changed.

Instead of its giant jaw, Mawile now had two of the same. White teeth gleamed ferociously as the sun shone off of the black appendages. A yellow circle was in the center, and Holly could see it as Mawile swung its head around. Its red eyes were now purple, glaring fiercely at its opponent. Mawile's yellow body had become a deep pink, almost matching the color of its eyes.

Holly beamed.

 _This_ was the time to prove her chance! _This_ was what Mr. Fuji had talked about!

 _This_ was called Mega Evolution.

Kris's voice pierced through her head as she stated. _"Like it? I gave it to your Pokémon last night. I figured that you could use more strength, and Mega Evolution doesn't do much without a stone for the Pokémon to hold."_

Holly nodded. _"Yes, I love it! Thank you so much!"_

Holly could hear joyfulness in Kris's voice as she responded. _"I knew you would."_

Kris's voice took on a newfound sharpness, and Holly listened intently.

"Don't get overconfident. _Whether it looks like one or not, a dragon stands before you. And they are some of the world's toughest Pokémon. But you have a secret weapon. Mawile knows a move that is effective against them, and you can use it to win the battle."_

Holly nodded.

" _Okay, what do I need to do?"_

"Tell Mawile to use Play Rough. Repeat that against all the Dragon tamers and you should easily be victorious."

" _All right."_ Holly replied, and Kris's voice left her head.

She faced her opponent. The Dragon Tamer's eyes were wide and his jaw open. His Pokémon was similarly stunned, staggering back fearfully.

Holly wasn't about to give them time to recover.

She yelled. "Mawile, Play Rough!"

Mawile let out a deafening scream. Before even its opponent could even move, it dashed towards the other Pokémon. Mawile's twin jaws opened wide, and suddenly, the battlefield went up in a cloud of smoke. Holly couldn't see what was happening, but she thought she could see stars. Holly wondered why a cloud of smoke would have stars, but she couldn't focus too much on it.

Instead, Holly could hear the opponent's screams of pain. She winced as she could feel the same pain all over her body, and imagined a thousand tiny scratches and bites.

Holly wasn't sure what Mawile was actually doing to Altaria, but it couldn't be anything good.

And if things were _this_ bad, maybe Holly was better off not knowing.

Regardless, the smoke cleared, and Mawile stood triumphantly over its opponent's fallen form.

The Dragon Tamer recalled his Pokémon, stammering.

"How… How could you…"

Holly smugly responded. "Pretty good, huh? Send the next Pokémon in."

The Dragon Tamer looked at his hands. "I don't have any…"

Holly snorted. What kind of Trainer went around with only one Pokémon that could be defeated so easily? She was beginning to wonder if the power of dragons was a myth people used to frighten others.

Regardless, another Dragon Tamer stepped up.

He looked similar to his comrade, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You defeated my companion, and now you must face me!"

Holly smirked. "Bring it on!"

Mawile let out a roar, and Holly realized it was still in its Mega evolved form. She had heard Pokémon stayed like that for one full battle before transforming back, but perhaps the battles were coming two quickly now for Mawile to revert.

Holly couldn't ponder it any more, as her opponent threw his Poké Ball.

"Go, Deino!"

In a flash of white light, another Pokémon appeared. There was no doubt this one was a dragon, and had a darker blue body. As the Pokémon growled menacingly, Holly could see its black spiky body. She thought she could also see many scars. Holly wondered how the Pokémon sustained injuries that their Trainer couldn't heal.

Despite that, Holly still smirked.

She would just have to beat _this_ dragon too!

Holly pointed at her opponent. "Mawile, Play Rough!"

Again, Mawile tore after its opponent before it could even move. For a second time, the cloud of smoke and stars filled the battlefield. Again, Holly heard the opposing Pokémon's screams and envisioned the scratches and bites.

In a few minutes, the smoke cleared, and Mawile proudly stood over its opponent.

The other Pokémon did not move, and its Trainer rapidly recalled it.

Holly smirked again. "Any more challengers?"

The opposing Trainer simply slammed his hand against his fist, and moved out of the way.

Holly was alerted to another white light, and quickly realized Mawile had changed back.

She supposed there were no other challengers. Or at least, none coming right away.

But before Holly could do anything else, she heard Anabel running up to her. The woman had Kris by the arm, and her eyes burned with unspeakable rage.

Holly glared straight back.

If all Anabel was going to do was get in her way and be angry, then maybe it was time to teach her a lesson, just like those Dragon Tamers! Someone needed to tell her that she couldn't control everything all the time!

But before anyone could speak, Holly saw a shadow in the distance.

She blinked.

What else could be out there?

* * *

 **Author's notes**

 **-So before the prompt, a little bit of an explanation. Typically, the games have the player going through Celadon City before Fuchsia. However, the RP has Fuchsia being done before Celadon. This is actually a mistake. Celadon was meant to be done before Fuchsia, but the prompts for Fuchsia were accidentally posted first.**

 **-However, I decided to respond to the normally, and work the change into the story. The reason was it actually worked out better for plot speed reasons, and it is entirely possible for the player to go through and complete the events in Fuchsia before Celadon.**

 **-For the curious, there are three possible routes player can take after arriving at Lavender Town. One is to do what the game expects and go to Celadon. Another is to have a drink in the player's inventory, use the item to completely skip Celadon, and head into Saffron instead. This could be done at any time, because the game doesn't check to see where the drink was obtained. Normally, drinks only are found at Celadon, but it's possible to have one before then if the player uses Pokémon Stadium 2 to transfer items between a pair of Kanto games. The final path is to first complete the events in Lavender Town, then head south to Fuchsia. And since the original Kanto games weren't very good at telling the player where they needed to go, it was not uncommon to visit cities completely out of order.**

 **-The remakes were bit better at letting the player know where they needed to go, and making sure things were done in the correct order. In these games, players had to at least visit Celadon and obtain an item before they could proceed to Saffron. This item was needed regardless of whether the player had a drink in their inventory or not. Also, in the original games, it was possible to complete the events in Lavender Town immediately by exploiting a glitch. Normally, players had to complete some events in Celadon before they could complete the events in Lavender. The glitch allowed players to bypass the events in Celadon so that they could complete the ones in Lavender first. The remakes fixed that glitch, so players had to at least start the events and Celadon if they wanted to complete those in Lavender.**

 **With that out of the way, here is the prompt. It's actually split into two parts, because the second part will be covered next chapter:**

 _Route 12 is also known as the Silence Bridge. There are six Dragon Tamers here, and they're itching for a battle. Continuing along the Bridge eventually leads to Fuchsia._

 **Now for the rest of the author's notes…**

 **-While it is not shown in this chapter, Holly has undergone an appearance change. Originally, she was completely identical to the unused female character in the Kanto games. This character was eventually made into the female character in the remakes, Leaf. Leaf looks similar to her unused counterpart, which originally was not a problem. This was because Leaf was originally planned not to feature in the series.**

 **However, my plans changed, and I decided I wanted Leaf to play a major role in some of the books. That's when the similar appearances became an issue, because I knew already that Holly was also going to play a major role in many of the books. So, I decided to switch Holly's appearance around to make things less confusing.**

 **-Holly's updated appearance has her with long blond hair and green eyes. She wears red, yellow, and orange (sometimes all at once). Holly enjoys wearing these colors because they are the colors of fire.**

 **-So Holly finally uses Mega Evolution! Interestingly, in the original draft of the story with Celadon being first, Mega Evolution was supposed to come much later, and probably not by Holly's hand. More details about this change will be explained when Celadon actually is visited. Also, the way Mega Evolution works in this story is exactly the same way it works in the games. The one exception is that Pokémon will transform back to their original forms regardless of how quickly a battle ends and starts. I only added the bit for this story because I didn't want to describe Mawile transforming and reverting several times when the battles were short. It's also worth noting that a Pokémon that can Mega Evolve do not have a glowing Poké Ball. I added that here for some foreshadowing.**

 **-Mawile knowing Play Rough, but Holly not realizing it comes from the games. In the games, Play Rough is usually the last move Mawile can learn. However, it is possible for it to learn the move earlier if it is forced to learn via a Move Reminder. Since implementing a Move Reminder into the story is difficult, I simply had it know the move immediately. This is also similar to the cases of other Pokémon with Move Reminder only moves (such as Raichu and Nidoqueen from previous chapters). Play Rough's appearance is based off of the games and the anime.**

 **-Dragon Tamers can be found in several games, but their appearance is based off of their looks and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. This was the appearance that was posted to the RP (in the form of a link), so that's what I went with. Dragon Tamers and their Pokémon being strong comes from the games, because they're often fought late into the game, and usually have higher-level Pokémon than what is typically seen.**


	52. Falling Hard

**Welcome to the next chapter of Holly Rising! There is the remainder of a prompt this chapter, but it will be explained afterward because it contains spoilers. All prompts of the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

51\. Falling Hard

The shadow moved closer, but Holly did not flinch.

She had just taken on a bunch of Dragon Tamers, so she could handle whatever was coming next!

As the figure drew near, Holly could finally make out what it was.

It was another Pokémon, and clearly a dragon. It looked like a serpent, with a light blue body and white underside. It had white ears and a white nose, the former swiveling madly. It had black eyes with a bit of brown in them. However, Holly could detect no friendliness in them, as they burned with rage.

Despite the intimidating glare, Holly grinned.

A Dratini! Holly might not have known much about dragons, but she knew this was one of the weakest ones.

There would be nothing to fear!

She heard Kris whisper ominously.

"A wild Dratini. Pretty rare in this area, but they can be aggressive. From the way this one is acting, I imagine it thinks the people here have invaded its territory. It will stop at nothing to drive us off."

Holly yelled. "If it wants a fight, then we will fight back!"

She pointed at the Dratini.

"Mawile, Mega Evolve!"

Holly could see the now familiar light again as she pressed the button on her bracelet. Mawile roared again, and Holly could also hear the sounds of people stepping back. She guessed the people were the Dragon Tamers, deciding to give her some more space. It would make sense, but it wasn't like the fight would last long.

After a few minutes the light cleared, and Mawile stood in its new form.

However, the Dratini was not fazed. Instead, it only seemed to grow angrier, snorting as fire burned in its eyes.

Holly only smirked.

Anger wouldn't save it!

She pointed towards the Dratini.

"Mawile, Play Rough!"

Mawile rushed forward, confidence brimming on its face.

Yet the confidence was misplaced, as the Dratini slithered to the side.

Holly let out a gasp as Mawile nearly crashed into the bridge.

Luckily, Holly's Pokémon turned around, but it was too late to do anything.

The Dratini let out a howl and opened its mouth.

A stream of flame exited from it, and Mawile screamed as the flames enveloped it.

Holly could feel the blood draining from her face. She had heard of Dratini learning Fire Type moves, but only when they were owned by a Trainer.

So how did a wild one know the move?

Kris's voice gravely sounded through her head.

" _Flamethrower… A move only taught to Dratini by Trainers… So this wild Dratini was probably abandoned by its Trainer, or is the offspring of a Pokémon that was abandoned. That would certainly explain its hostility."_

Holly clenched her fist.

Who would just abandon a Pokémon? That was so cruel!

But abandoned or not, Holly had to drive the Dratini back!

Mawile was covered in burn scars, and it winced as it staggered to its feet.

However, Holly could still see a resolute look on its face.

After its recent victories, Mawile wanted to win the battle as badly as she did.

Holly smiled. She wasn't about to let her Pokémon down.

"Mawile, Play Rough!"

Mawile dashed forward again, but Dratini was ready.

It jumped, and Mawile missed completely.

The Dratini angled its head down, directly above Mawile. Before the other Pokémon could react, Dratini shot a stream of flame at its opponent. Mawile let out another scream as the flames crashed into it. The entire battlefield was enveloped in fire and smoke, and Holly couldn't see a thing. She coughed, her throat burning as she struggled to breathe.

But she realized that whatever pain she was feeling was nothing compared to what Mawile must've been experiencing.

She could hear her own Pokémon's terrified cries…

And then they slowly died down.

Holly shook, fearing the worst.

And it turned out the worst was what happened.

As the flames cleared, Mawile lay on the ground. Its eyes were closed, and its body wasn't moving. Holly could see that its face was contorted in pain, and she couldn't bear to imagine its final moments before losing consciousness.

She quickly recalled her Pokémon and faced the Dratini. It still glared at her, across from where Mawile had been.

Yet this time, Holly stepped back.

She clenched her fist, coming to a grim relation.

None of her other Pokémon had attacks that were even _remotely_ effective against dragons! And even if she revived Mawile, it could not use Mega Evolution again!

What was she going to do now?

Before Holly could answer that question, she saw Kris running up.

The disabled Trainer had a Poké Ball in her hand, and in her eyes was a glare as fierce as the Dratini's.

Her words were icy cold as she threw the ball.

"Go, Mallory."

Holly's eyes widened.

Mallory was the name of that crazy Mimikyu!

What was Kris planning to do?

Holly could say no more as Mallory appeared in a bright white light. The Mimikyu still held a devilish grin, and Holly realized she couldn't stop herself from shaking.

She wondered if the other Trainers felt the same, as not a one made a move to stop Kris.

The Dratini still glared right back, seemingly unaware of how the tables had turned.

Perhaps it expected another easy opponent.

But Kris would make sure that wasn't the case.

The disabled Trainer's eyes narrowed as she spoke with her command.

"Mallory, Play Rough."

The Mimikyu rushed toward the Dratini. The wild Pokémon tried to dodge to the side, but Mallory was too fast. Within minutes, she collided with her opponent, letting out a high-pitched laugh.

Holly could see the familiar smoke and stars.

However, everything else was unfamiliar.

Mallory's cackling was mixed in with her opponent's screaming. Holly felt more pain all over her body, but she knew these weren't little scratches and bites. She thought she could see the blood in the cloud of smoke, but only briefly.

Holly felt a wave of nausea, and wondered if she would be sick.

What was Mallory doing?

This was just a wild Pokémon, not a Team Rocket member!

And why didn't Kris call her back?

Was the disabled Trainer _unable to?_

Regardless, the smoke cleared. Holly let out another gasp.

Mallory was standing on top of the wild Dratini, glaring straight down at it. She let out another laugh, and Holly felt chills run down her spine. It wasn't long before the laugh morphed into words. There were high-pitched and distorted, but Holly could still make out what they were.

"Play with me! I want to play more!"

Holly gulped, and the nausea almost became too much.

Mallory thought battles _were a game?_

And not just any battle, but battles where Pokémon were _hurt,_ or even _killed?_

 _What had made Mallory like that?_

Did _Kris?_

Holly shook her head.

No, Kris _couldn't_ have done this. She was a little aggressive as a battler, sure, but no other Pokémon she was with acted like Mallory…

So if Mallory was like that from the start…

Why did Kris keep her around?

Holly's eyes fell to Mallory's unfortunate opponent, and she could now see that the Dratini had bright red cuts and bites all over it. Liquid oozed out of them, and a wave of nausea hit Holly when she realized it was blood. The Dratini no longer had its defiant gaze. Instead, its eyes were wide with fear.

Kris approached Mallory, but that brought little comfort.

Because then Mallory spoke more words, turning to Kris with a wide grin that seemed like something out of nightmares.

"More blood? More fights? Can we fight more, please?"

Kris somehow remain unperturbed, calmly shaking her head.

"No, Mallory, not now."

Mallory's ears drooped and her face fell. However, it was only briefly before she was glaring back down at her opponent.

Holly wondered why Mallory didn't just turn to attack Kris right there. Perhaps she knew Kris would punish her. Given Kris's ruthlessness, Holly wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

Now Kris was glaring at the fallen Pokémon, eyes holding no emotion.

Her voice pierced the air, cold as ice.

"Surrender."

The Dratini let out a whimper, but no one bothered to translate it.

It was perfectly clear what the sound meant.

Kris was quick to add another sentence.

"Leave, now."

Mallory got off the Dratini and the wild Pokémon stared, stunned. After a few minutes, it painfully slithered away, leaving a bit of blood behind.

For a while, silence hung in the air, save for the sound of Kris recalling Mallory.

Then, Anabel broke the silence.

Her eyes still burned with rage, and Holly thought she could destroy someone with it.

Anabel made no effort to conceal her anger as she screamed.

"What were you _doing,_ Kris?"

Kris again responded without much emotion.

"Helping you out."

"That was unnecessary force! A vicious Pokémon like Mallory should be put down!"

Holly's eyes widened.

 _Put down?_

 _Destroyed?_

Anabel couldn't be suggesting that!

No matter how bloodthirsty Mallory was, it was clear from Kris's behavior at the Pokémon Fan Club that she truly cared for her.

If Kris lost such a beloved Pokémon, after losing so many others…

What would happen to her?

Holly gritted her teeth, her own anger showing on her face.

She couldn't let Anabel push Kris around!

She quickly yelled.

"Anabel, Kris didn't do anything wrong! It's not unnecessary force, because Kris didn't kill the Pokémon! Sure, she got a little rough with her, but she's usually like that!"

Anabel's voice was dangerously low.

"She's usually like that? Do you mean to say she usually fights to the point of drawing blood and of hurting others without remorse? I don't think so."

Anabel glared straight at the spot where Mallory was.

"That Pokémon is nothing but trouble."

Holly screamed.

"How would you know that, Anabel? It isn't yours! Besides, some Pokémon species are naturally violent! Maybe that Pokémon is one!"

Anabel shook her head furiously.

"I know that species, Holly, and it's not naturally vicious."

She turned her scorching gaze on Kris.

"If you continue to allow a Pokémon to be vicious, whether you've trained it to be that way or not, then you are guilty of a crime."

Kris glared daggers, and was no mistaking the venomous words coming out of her mouth.

"There you go again. A crime and a punishment. Clearly, you've learned nothing so far. Well, I can teach you something now."

Kris locked eyes with Anabel, her voice taking on a chilling tone.

"What I do with my Pokémon is none of your business."

Anabel gritted her teeth, but didn't dare say anything more.

Holly had a similar fire in her eyes, but realized she was directing her glare towards Anabel.

She clenched her fist.

Holly might not know why Kris had Mallory, or why Mallory was so ruthless.

However, she did know two things.

One was that freeing Kris meant getting her away from Anabel.

And the second was that Holly had to punish Anabel somehow.

The woman needed to learn how much pain she was causing.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, this chapter. This chapter is a bit different from its original incarnation, but first, the prompt.**

 _Before proceeding to the third Dragon Tamer, the party gets held up by a wild Larvitar or Dratini. The party must then battle the wild Pokémon. This wild Pokémon can be either captured or defeated, but only one of the two can be encountered._

 **Author's notes:**

 **-May as well start with the elephant in the room, Mallory. When I originally created Mallory's character, I didn't plan on her being vicious and bloodthirsty. Instead, her trait was her undying loyalty to Kris. This is why she is ruthless with Team Rocket, but kinder at the Fan Club.**

 **However, a few things changed.**

 **One is looking into the information about Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, as well as the Pokémon anime. In the original Sun and Moon, Mimikyu is a lonely Pokémon, if a bit of a prankster. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, it is shown to have a vicious streak. The anime takes this full-blown, with a particular Mimikyu out to** _ **kill Pikachu just because it can.**_ **Keep in mind that this is** _ **anime,**_ **usually known for being more lighthearted than any other Pokémon media.**

 **-A second reason for the change was what I'd already written. I was looking back through the previous chapters and realized Mallory was the only Pokémon that was ever seen drawing blood in battle during the story** _ **at all.**_ **Originally, I'd attributed this to Kris's history and her tendency to be harsh on criminals.**

 **However, upon examining the scene more closely, I realized Kris had never asked Mallory to hurt an opponent until they bled. She'd ordered her to attack two Pokémon normally, and then a person, but she never specified how badly she wanted them hurt. Furthermore, Kris doesn't act the way a person normally might if there Pokémon unintentionally hurt someone, or hurt someone by going out of control. Usually, people are horrified, but Kris has no reaction, almost as if she's expecting it.**

 **At the time, I decided this was because Kris's emotions were overpowering her logic. However, there are plenty of times where a Pokémon gets too rough in battle and Kris** _ **does**_ **react (such as the training scene with Holly's Pokémon a few chapters before Mallory's first appearance, Anabel's battle with Azure, or the scene with the wild Mightyena). And after Mallory first appears and does damage, Kris goes back to being logical and calm** _ **the very next chapter.**_ **If what Mallory did was entirely because of Kris's orders, then I feel like this wouldn't be the case.**

 **This change also has to do with something I planned in the future, as I was writing Daughter while I was writing this. I won't say much because of spoilers, but this was a large part of the reason why Mallory's vicious personality makes more sense.**

 **The final reason was because of novelty. There's very few vicious Pokémon in any media, and most of them have justifications. A lot of the Pokémon that seem vicious are actually under the command of morally questionable Trainers, and these Pokémon often state that they only do what they do out of loyalty. The biggest example of outright vicious Pokémon in the games is Shadow Pokémon. These Pokémon have been turned into fighting machines, but can slowly be brought out of the brought out of that state through battling. People also react with pity, knowing that these Pokémon are forced to become Shadow Pokémon, and that none of it is their fault.**

 **Another huge example from the games is Necrozma from Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. It is destructive and seemingly ruthless in these games. However, it's implied the only reason its like that is because it is in pain, and trying to find a way to ease that pain. It's also implied that it is not responsible for how it behaves, and when the player finds a way to get rid of Necrozma's agony, it behaves normally. It's also worth noting that while the player can make their Pokémon dislike them, they cannot make their Pokémon vicious.**

 **-The anime has many examples of Pokémon acting vicious with justifications, even though some of these justifications are rather flimsy. However, it also closest thing to a Pokémon like Mallory. In the anime, there is a wild Malamar that decides to hurt others just for the fun of it. However, this Malamar is based on a myth, so it's unknown how much that viciousness says about the Pokémon world itself.**

 **With all this, I decided that it would be interesting to create a Pokémon like Mallory, because this is something usually not seen. And with all the different types of situations Pokémon can be ended, someone deciding to fight only for themselves and to hurt others would not seem unreasonable.**

 **-The Dratini being abandoned by its Trainer and only knowing a move taught by them is based off of the anime. In the anime, there is a wild female Snivy that knows Attract. This move can only be used if it is taught to Snivy by a Trainer. Therefore, it is quickly deduced that Snivy's Trainer abandoned her and she became distrustful. This turned out to be the case, although she eventually regains enough trust to join Ash's team.**

 **-Play Rough missing and Mawile being defeated by flames is based off of a scenario that can happen in the games. Play Rough is a powerful move, but it only has a 90% chance of hitting the opponent. Therefore, Play Rough missing and the user eventually getting defeated is not impossible.**

 **-Anabel suggesting that Mallory get put down actually comes from similar situations in real life. Pokémon are never seen being put down for any reason in any of the media, even if they are vicious. However, in real life, if animal is deemed too aggressive, they can be euthanized. It's unknown what the Pokémon world standards are for overly aggressive Pokémon, but I did not think it unreasonable that euthanasia could be considered for Pokémon that are too dangerous to handle.**


	53. Evening Chat

**Welcome to the next chapter of Holly Rising! This one has no prompt, but it's still quite important. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

52\. Evening Chat

Kris eventually stepped back, holding a Max Revive in her hands.

Holly's eyes widened.

This golden, star shaped, item could take Pokémon, no matter how badly they were injured, and restore them to full strength as though nothing had happened.

Holly continued staring.

It was clear what Kris wanted her to do.

Anabel's eyes went wide, and she screeched.

"No, you-"

Kris gazed at Anabel darkly, and abruptly cut her off.

"Want this to be over quickly, right? Mawile is Holly's best hope against Dragon types, so reviving it is the easiest way to win."

Holly glared at Anabel.

She wasn't about listen to another angry lecture from the woman!

"Anabel, this is my journey now! And I want to continue fighting with Mawile!"

Anabel winced, but did not say anything.

So, Holly quickly released Mawile from its Poke Ball and tossed the Max Revive at her Pokémon.

She heard Trainers usually made their Pokémon swallow medicine, but for an unconscious Pokémon, that could be dangerous. Apparently, throwing it was just as good.

The Max Revive exploded in the air, pouring its medicine down on Mawile. The Pokémon twitched, then slowly opened its eyes. It looked around a bit, before cautiously getting to its feet.

Holly beamed as she glanced at her Pokémon.

"Come on, Mawile, let's go fight some more Dragon Tamers!"

Mawile let out a roar, and Holly interpreted it as a challenge.

The Dragon Tamers did too, as they hesitantly headed back to where Holly was waiting.

Holly grinned. "All right, let's battle!"

Luckily, it didn't take long to defeat the Dragon Tamers. After Mawile Mega Evolved and used Play Rough a few times, even the fiercest looking ones fell.

Before Holly knew it, the group had crossed the bridge, night had fallen, and Anabel indicated they should rest for the day.

Yet almost as soon as Holly fell asleep, a familiar voice sounded in her head.

" _Holly, wake up."_

Holly's eyes flew open, but she did not have to look at the person to know who was.

Mentally, she responded.

" _Kris? What are you doing up?"_

" _Apologies for waking you, but I have one more thing to show you."_

Holly clearly opened her eyes, and saw Kris staring back at her. The disabled Trainer was calmly sitting on the grass, her Delphox standing beside her.

Holly could see a shadow, and realized Anabel was in the distance.

She frowned, remembering that she had fallen asleep with Anabel close by.

Holly could hear Kris's voice in her head again.

" _Don't worry. I teleported us away from Anabel. This is something I don't want her knowing about."_

Holly let out a sigh of relief, smiling and nodding.

No matter what situation they were in, it felt good to get away from the woman.

Kris smiled back, and held a Poké Ball in her hands.

Holly flinched back, expecting crazy Mallory.

However, when Kris tossed the ball, a familiar Pokémon stood before Holly.

Poliwag.

Holly blinked. How was this Pokémon here? She hadn't taken it out of the box…

Holly opened her mouth to ask what was happening, but quickly shut it.

A bright white light surrounded Poliwag, and Holly looked away.

In a few minutes, the light cleared, and Poliwag was no longer familiar.

Instead, there was a blue Pokémon, with huge white gloves. The creature had black eyes, with a black swirl on its white stomach.

Poliwhirl.

Holly blinked.

How did this happen? She had not trained Poliwhirl since she put in the box!

Holly looked at Kris and realize she was grinning.

But before she could as the disabled Trainer was going on, Kris replied.

"Not done yet. Where is your King's Rock?"

Holly's eyes brightened. She may not have understood what was happening, but she understood what this meant.

"Right here!" She responded, tossing Kris the rock.

Kris quickly held up out rock to Poliwhirl, and the Pokémon delicately took in its gloved hands.

Rapidly, Kris recalled Poliwhirl, then sent it out again.

Holly wanted to ask why she had done that, but then the bright white light came a second time.

In another moment, there was a different Pokémon.

This Pokémon was green, with a green swirl on its stomach. It had a yellow stomach with yellow toes and hands. The creature also had a yellow mouth and pink cheeks. Its eyes were still black, but Holly thought she could see a tinge of brown in them.

Holly smiled again.

This was Poliwag's final evolution, Politoed.

But one question lingered in the back of her mind.

She turned to Kris, asking through thought.

" _How did this happen? I never took Poliwag out of the box…"_

Kris stated in a matter-of-fact voice.

" _You didn't, but I did."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

" _You have access to my boxes, then?"_

Kris nodded.

Holly clenched her fist. She had a feeling she knew who had done this, and she knew it wasn't Kris's idea.

" _Is this because of Anabel's punishment?"_

Kris replied in an even tone. _"Partially."_

Holly gritted her teeth.

How dare Anabel invade her privacy like that! She would make her pay!

Kris only continued in a steady voice.

" _Even though I couldn't take over your journey, Anabel and the others gave me access to your PC."_

The disabled Trainer's voice hardened.

" _It was in case you wouldn't listen to me, or in the event that I wanted to handle things a bit more… directly. Needless to say, effectively hacking someone's PC left a bad taste in my mouth. So I decided to do something a little different."_

Holly's eyes widened.

" _Something different. You mean…"_

Kris nodded.

" _How else were all those Pokémon supposed to get stronger, even when you weren't battling with them?"_

Holly found herself with a huge grin.

To think that Kris had been helping her all this time, and she didn't even know it!

Kris continued, her voice softening. _"Even if my physical abilities are limited, I have my ways in other areas. Training all those Pokémon with no one noticing has become almost habit to me."_

Holly cocked her head, wondering what Kris meant.

She suspected it had to do with all those psychics and ghosts she had. Maybe she talked to Pokémon in dreams in order to train them there. Holly heard that skilled trainers could do that, and Kris was _definitely_ skilled… Holly had even heard someone ran an island that was a Pokémon paradise, and that the Pokémon could also become stronger there… It was unlikely Kris was using that, though, because Anabel would definitely notice if all of Holly's Pokémon suddenly disappeared onto an island…

Holly smiled again.

If Kris could train so many Pokémon without anyone noticing and even if a regular team was full…

Then _maybe_ they actually stood a chance against Anabel!

Holly was glad that when speaking normally, because she shouted gleefully.

" _You're such a powerful Trainer! And you can connect to others PCs! We can easily teach Anabel a lesson!"_

Kris shook her head, and sadness entered her voice.

" _As much as I would like to, I can't actually hack into someone's PC. I used to be able to, but not anymore."_

Holly's face fell, and Kris must've noticed.

She tried to make her voice cheerier, but her efforts were halfhearted, as sadness crept in again.

" _To be fair, I would like to teach Anabel lesson myself. I've been wanting to give her a piece of my mind for a while now. However, with what's happening recently, I doubt I'll be able to."_

Holly clenched her fist.

Anabel had been doing more and more harm to them. Now she had suggested _killing_ one of Kris's Pokémon!

 _Someone_ needed to put the woman in her place, before she hurt anyone else!

Holly's attentions were drawn away from Anabel as Kris spoke in a grave tone.

" _There's something else I want to tell you."_

Holly's eyes went wide, surprised by the disabled Trainer's seriousness.

" _What's that?"_

Kris simply replied.

" _Look at your cell phone."_

Holly's eyes continued to go wide as she fished around for the device. She finally found it, noticing the light was flashing.

There was something on the device that had been not there before.

Holly let out a gasp.

This was a bunch of numbers. A code.

And Holly had a feeling she knew what it was for.

Kris explained anyway.

" _It's for my PC. If something happens, I want you to take care of my Pokémon. All of them. Even those who don't fight."_

Holly could barely keep herself from shaking as she stated.

" _Those powerful Pokémon… They won't listen to what I say… I'm just a rookie trainer…"_

Kris gravely responded.

" _They will if I'm not around. I asked them to, and they will follow my commands to the bitter end."_

Holly couldn't help showing her shock.

She had heard stories of Pokémon like that, but this was the first time she'd actually met some.

That meant _every_ Pokémon Kris had was completely loyal to her.

Even crazy Mallory.

Holly shut her eyes.

Did _her_ Pokémon have the same type of loyalty? Would _they follow Kris_ if Holly was the one in this situation?

Was the relationship between Holly and Kris like that of Kris and her Pokémon? Built on absolute loyalty to each other?

After all they'd been through, Holly wondered if it was.

Holly heard the sound of Kris's voice, and it carried a desperate air to it.

" _Please, for their sake as well as mine."_

Holly opened her eyes, giving a resolute nod.

" _I'll do it."_

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So I wrote this chapter to foreshadow a future event, and also explain something in the RP. The RP uses something commonly called leaked experience. This means that whenever there is a battle scene, all party members get experience. This happens even if Pokémon are stored in boxes. Furthermore, if there is not a battle scene for a while, it's assumed that the party trains off-screen and Pokémon are leveled up anyway. This is how Poliwag is able to evolve, despite not being in Holly's party for a while.**

 **There's not many equivalents in the games for this, and it's not given an opportunity to be mentioned in story. However, I thought I would create a chapter for it anyway, because it's important and explains a few things. What exactly Kris does to train the Pokémon will be revealed in later chapters, although there have been subtle hints to it before.**

 **-As for the equivalents in the games, Holly refers to them in this chapter. In the Unova games, there was an online service called Dream World. Players could send up their Pokémon play mini games, but also to gain experience. Pokémon in the Dream World would gain experience even if a player wasn't playing. However, only one Pokémon could be sent to the Dream World at a time, and the service no longer functional.**

 **-The other method of leaked experience is more recent and from the Alola games. In these games, after the player progressed to a certain point, there was an island called Poké Pelago. The player could build more and more facilities on the island, including an area for training their Pokémon. Pokémon trained in the island would continue to gain experience even if the player wasn't playing or did other things in the games. This is because the experience gained is in real-time. However, the player can only do up to 48 hours (real time) of training before they have to visit the island again in order to collect their Pokémon.**

 **-Poliwag's evolution is portrayed the way it is because of several things. One is that it got to the level required for evolution offscreen. Another is to use the King's Rock that was gotten a few chapters earlier. Poliwag evolving twice right away has to do with the fact that Poliwhirl doesn't learn very many good moves before evolving. So I didn't see the need to keep it unevolved. The way Kris evolves Poliwhirl has to do with the criteria in the games. In the games, Poliwhirl has to be traded while holding the King's Rock. However, I thought the trade would be difficult to portray. So, since Kris is not the original Trainer, I just had giving Poliwhirl to her count as the trade.**

 **-The Max Revive works exactly the same in the games as it does here. Holly throwing the maximum five comes from my interpretation of the games. In the games, it's never specified how the Trainer uses healing items on their Pokémon. However, in later games, it looks like they're dropping or throwing the item at the Pokémon. So I chose to use this interpretation for Mawile's healing.**


	54. Fiery Encounter

**Welcome back to yet another chapter of Holly Rising! This one's a bit of a long one, but it's not any longer than a chapter I would write normally. This is a new area, so there is a prompt. However, the prompt contains slight spoilers, so it is after the chapter.**

 **As always, see the author's notes for details, and I do not own Pokémon. All forms are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

* * *

53\. Fiery Encounter

Despite being up later that night, Holly couldn't help feeling refreshed and restored.

She _had_ to continue, to find a way to free Kris from Anabel! And it meant even more now that Kris had asked her to look after her Pokémon!

Holly couldn't resist smiling, but she quickly realized she had to keep things a secret from Anabel.

If the woman found out, everything would be over!

Her feet pounded on the bridge, and Holly was on the lookout for more Trainers. Yet none appeared. Perhaps they had all been frightened away.

Holly let out a sigh.

There was nothing to do on this route! Hopefully, they'd reach the next one soon…

Yet just when Holly was about to voice her displeasure to her companions, a loud splash filled her ears.

Holly's eyes grew wide. She had forgotten there was water on this route!

Holly glanced sharply to her left, where Kris and Anabel also were looking.

The splashing grew louder and louder, and Holly could see water constantly being disturbed.

Holly cocked her head, trying to find the source.

But there didn't seem to be anything.

Holly was about to ask Kris and Anabel if they had seen something when a creature finally leapt out of the water.

Holly let out a gasp.

The source of the splashing was a _Pokémon,_ and not just _any one_.

The Pokémon had a brown body that looked like kelp, aside from its glaring red eyes. It had something red on its head, and that red thing had a bit of dark green. Holly noticed that underneath the kelp-like substance was a purple scaly body. That was all she could see before the creature dove back into the water.

Yet, she grinned.

And her smile didn't fade even as Anabel spoke.

"A Dragalge. I never thought I would see one in the wild…"

Kris replied. "It's rare to see them. There are even shyer than most other dragons… I'm surprised a Pokémon like that made its way here…"

Holly could hardly contain her glee as she responded.

"Which is why I can't wait to catch it!"

She continued dreamily.

"Ah, I can just imagine having such a rare and powerful Pokémon…"

Yet Anabel shook her head, an icy glare in her eyes.

"And probably all it will be is part of your imagination. Dragalge is a _dragon,_ Holly. Dragons are hard to catch and even harder to use in battle. They are strong and sacred, more so than any other type of Pokémon. You may think you know about them from what happened with the Tamers, but almost every other dragon's power is far beyond that. A normal Trainer cannot hope to use them."

Holly clenched her fist.

Leave it to Anabel to ruin her fun!

She glanced towards Kris, hoping the disabled Trainer would back her up.

However, Kris had a grave look in her eyes as she spoke.

"Some people believe that in order to truly train a dragon, one must pass a grueling test. The test is so difficult that even _I_ couldn't pass it."

Holly's eyes went wide.

What test would be so hard that a powerful Trainer like Kris couldn't pass it?

Before Holly could ask what Kris meant, the disabled Trainer continued.

"Don't fantasize over the wild Pokémon you saw. That species isn't the only poisonous dragon Pokémon out there."

Holly couldn't help showing confusion.

What did Kris mean? She hadn't heard of any other dragon that was poisonous…

She glanced to Anabel, but the woman was similarly bewildered.

Kris began. "There is also…"

However, as soon as she started her sentence she cut herself off. The disabled Trainer closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

Holly couldn't resist asking. "Kris, what's wrong?"

Kris simply shook her head. "Never mind. Perhaps you will find the wild Pokémon later."

At first, Holly blinked.

What exactly did the disabled Trainer know, and why couldn't she tell them?

Holly quickly shook her head.

Whatever it was, it didn't matter now, and she was sure Kris would reveal everything in time.

Holly quickly regained her composure, eyes gleaming.

"Later won't be a problem, because I will still catch that wild Dragale!"

Before Kris or Anabel could answer, another voice drawled.

"You think you're going to catch a Pokémon like that, brat? Don't make me laugh!"

Holly quickly spun around, finding another person standing behind her.

This person was a woman with long pink hair and light red eyes. The light red eyes were partially hidden behind a pair of shades, but Holly could still see they matched a pair of long red pants the woman wore. She also had on a short black shirt, and high heels that were jet black. Holly could see the woman had a slender frame, but strength could still be seen in her eyes.

Those eyes looked mockingly down at Holly, but she glared right back.

How dare this woman mock her!

"Who are you to call me a brat?"

The woman let out a laugh, as if she was enjoying Holly's frustration. Regardless, she answered. "I'm Malva, member of the Kalos Elite Four. If you're wondering what I'm doing here, I'm also the leader of a group that fights against the evil prowling the regions. So far, Kanto is in pretty bad shape."

Anabel nodded, a warm smile on her face. "I've heard of you, Malva. Your heroics are well known among the International Police, especially since you saved one of our top officers years ago. I'm glad to finally meet you."

Malva flashed a grin back.

"You're Anabel, right? Looker told me about you. He says you're the best they've got."

Malva's smile suddenly turned into a playful smirk.

"And I _also_ heard you're his favorite coworker. Thinking of getting a little closer?"

At this, Anabel's face paled, and she looked horrified.

She shook her head furiously.

"N-no! It's not like that! Looker and I just work together sometimes, and beyond that, we're just friends!"

Malva simply scoffed, as if she couldn't quite believe what Anabel was saying.

However, Holly thought she caught a flicker of pain in Anabel's eyes.

But she returned no sympathy, relieved that _someone_ put the woman in her place.

At the same time, she couldn't help feeling a hint of confusion.

Malva… That name sounded so familiar, and Holly knew it wasn't just because she was an Elite Four member of another region…

Holly frowned.

For some reason, the name Malva reminded her of something sinister…

Something dark… Something violent…

Something… Evil…

Evil…

Holly's eyes narrowed she came to a grim realization.

At the same time, anger boiled inside of her.

 _How_ could Anabel not know about this?

 _Well, she_ would make it known!

Holly took a step forward, eyes blazing.

"I know you! You used to be part of the horrible Team Flare, and they wanted to destroy everything!"

Holly could hear her voice rising as she snarled.

"Hypocrite! What right do you have to claim you fight against evil, when you were a part of it and got off Scott free?

Holly waited for a response, hoping she had hit a nerve in the former Team Flare member.

However, she was not expecting Malva's answer.

Quick as lightning, the Elite Four member's hand shot out.

Holly screeched as the hand struck her face. She recovered and tried to retaliate, but Malva wasn't finished.

Holly was aware of burning pain coming from her arms and shoulders. She registered that Malva had struck her there as well. Instead of crying and flinching back, Holly still felt rage blazing within her.

"What are you doing?" She screamed.

"I'm doing what your parents should have done years ago! You obviously have no respect for authority whatsoever!" Malva retorted.

Holly snarled back. "Neither do you, if you used to fight against them!"

Malva's eyes blazed with silent fury. "Listen to me, brat. I have long since been separated from Team Flare. And it didn't take me long to turn against their leader. Hardly anyone _even knew_ I was a part of Team Flare. When the truth came out, the League agreed not to press charges against me, as long as I worked for them for a while. So I did, clawed my way up to the Elite Four, and here I am. I founded the resistance group not long after, because I know how a lot of villains work.

Holly clenched her fist. _Of course_ Malva would know when she was one!

Holly opened her mouth to say something else, but Malva spoke first.

"Enough talk."

She swept her gaze over all of them.

Suddenly, she focused on Kris, and the disabled Trainer shrunk back at her narrowed eyes.

But Malva did not give ground.

 _"You_ especially know why I'm here."

Holly gritted her teeth.

What could make Kris so frightened, especially since she had worked with the League? Maybe Malva really _was_ a villain…

Kris shakily nodded, and Malva turned back to Holly and Anabel.

"As for the rest, I'm going to speak to Kris in private."

Anabel's eyes widened in surprise.

"But Kris is…"

Malva cut her off. "I know. News travels fast. But she has that monitor on, right? There shouldn't be any problems. And if there are, I'll be more than enough to take care of them."

Anabel nodded, and Malva gestured to Kris.

"There should be plenty of privacy in the grove to the north. Let's head there."

Kris nodded again, and the two walked off.

Holly clenched her fist.

She couldn't let Kris go anywhere with that villain, especially not alone!

But Anabel would never let her go if she told the truth…

Well, what harm was a little white lie?

Holly purposely made her eyes go wide and forced her voice to become high-pitched.

"Oh, shoot! I forgot something in the town! It was one of my items! My King's Rock! I have to go back! It was so important!"

Holly hoped Anabel would take the bait, and knew the lie had a bit of truth to it. After all, she didn't have her King's Rock anymore, and as far as she knew, Anabel had no idea where it went.

Luckily, Anabel seemed fooled.

She let out a long sigh.

"Holly, why didn't you go get your item _before_ we crossed the long routes? Fine, head back and get it, but please be quick."

Holly nodded and dashed off.

Her feet pounded against the bridge, but Holly didn't listen.

Instead, she looked for the grove Malva had mentioned.

Holly could see a bunch of large thick trees leading into uninviting darkness. She swallowed hard and sprinted inside.

The trees were so thick, Holly swore she was going to get lost. More than once she heard the cries of wild Pokémon, and hoped Malva and Kris wouldn't be attacked. The foliage was so dense she hoped she wouldn't get stuck.

How embarrassing it would be need rescuing when she was trying to rescue someone else!

Luckily, that was not the case, and Holly could now see a bunch of bushes. There was just enough space to peer through them, and Holly glimpsed Kris and Malva standing in the middle of a field. Both had serious expressions on their faces, although Kris looked almost resigned.

Malva began. "You know my offer. Have you considered it?"

Holy cocked her head.

What sort of offer did Malva mean? Nothing good, she supposed.

Indeed, Kris's eyes flashed with anger.

She responded icily.

"Why would I? You already know my answer."

Malva shook her head. "As stubborn as ever, I see."

Kris's voice rose with fury. "Of course. How do you think I survived this long?"

Malva ignored the veiled insult as Kris continued.

"And why ask me _now,_ after everything that's happened?"

Malva's voice seemed a bit crestfallen as she spoke.

"Because the resistance is having trouble."

Kris snorted.

"Trouble against Team Rocket and a bunch of Silver's rebels? I'm surprised at you."

Holly held her breath to keep from laughing out loud.

Team Rocket was just a bunch of stupid thieves! Their leaders suffered crushing defeats long ago by a bunch of kids near her age, or so she'd heard. Oh, Holly had also heard they had resurfaced, and her mother always said to be wary of them, but she was sure the whole thing was just to scare people! If Trainers had already taken down Team Rocket once, it wouldn't be hard to take them down again!

And the rebels were apparently led by a young man named Silver. There were rumors that he had connections to Team Rocket, but Holly wasn't sure how true those rumors were. The rebels fought against both the evil teams and the League for reasons unknown. They recruited whatever Trainer seemed even remotely interested in their goals, but often targeted ones around Holly's age. Holly was grateful the group had not come to her, but considering what the world was like now, she couldn't blame them for being angry.

Of course, Holly didn't entirely know what the rebels were _rebelling against,_ but considering that both the Pokémon League and the evil teams were still standing, they must've not have gotten very far.

People whispered that Silver and his group were some of the most successful criminals ever, and that they operated covertly under the guise of normal people.

But as far as Holly was concerned, they were just a bunch of losers.

If Malva's resistance movement couldn't take either those groups out, then they were even more pathetic than Holly thought!

Holly turned towards the Elite Four member.

Malva shook her head as she spoke to Kris again.

"It's not Team Rocket or Silver's rebels. It's an entirely different enemy that even we cannot identify. Something that could easily pose a threat to all regions."

Malva lowered her glasses, red eyes staring straight at Kris.

"In order to defeat this enemy, we need someone strong. Someone like you."

Her next words made Holly shudder. "Join us, Kris."

Malva held out her hand and Kris closed her eyes.

Holly gritted her teeth.

Kris couldn't join someone with a past like Malva's! She just couldn't!

But if she did, Holly would stop her!

Within minutes, the disabled Trainer opened her eyes, giving a firm answer.

"I won't."

Malva didn't even waver.

"Why not? It could be a chance to redeem yourself."

Kris's eyes blazed with fury, and she spat her words back at Malva.

"Redeem myself? By working with a bunch of people from those destructive teams?"

Malva shook her head.

"You know N and I were on those teams once, but no longer. Well, depending on how you look at it, N was never on a team to begin with. And that other woman, Lorelei… She has no connection to the teams at all."

Kris still burned with rage as she spoke. "Lorelei has close connections to the rebels."

Malva narrowed her eyes as she replied.

"Only because her daughter joined and her son's their leader. And I have to say, allying with us to stop her own children was rather brave of her."

Kris shook her head. "No, she's a coward. Fleeing to Sevii rather than deal with reality here. You should be ashamed that she joined you."

There was no mistaking the venomous tone in Kris's voice, and Holly stifled a gasp.

She knew of N and Lorelei, but she didn't know they had a connection to Malva. They were both powerful trainers, ones that instantly commanded respect. Holly had heard N once had ties to a villainous group called Plasma, but he had severed them to become the Champion somewhere. He was so powerful that even legendary Pokémon obeyed his orders, and few dared to challenge him.

As for Lorelei, Holly knew she was an expert with Water and Ice Types. There were rumors that she had some connection to the legendary Pokémon Articuno, but she neither confirmed nor denied them. She was one of the few that got the esteemed title of Pokémon Master, but Holly didn't know how she got it. Lorelei hadn't been one to flaunt that title.

Instead, she enjoyed teaching students, and Holly remembered her mother had taken her to some of her lessons once. She had thought that Holly might be interested in the same types of Pokémon as Lorelei, but Holly only found the lessons boring. Apparently, Lorelei was one of the Elite Four once, but she gave up the title to return to the islands where she was born.

Holly gritted her teeth. To think that such esteemed Trainers would join with a rouge like Malva! Well, they all had ties to evil teams, so Holly supposed rouges stuck with each other.

Still, she couldn't respect any of those Trainers anymore!

Now, Malva had begun to speak again.

"I expected better from you, Kris. What would your companions say, seeing you on the verge of a temper tantrum?"

Kris could not conceal her rage.

"My companions are _gone,_ Malva!"

Malva's voice was stern but even as she replied.

"Only _one_ of your companions is gone. The other two are still living. There is that boy from Pallet who is also the son of Volkner... Ash, I believe. And the other… The dragon girl, the one named Zinnia… She disgraced herself by refusing to accept her defeat against Hoenn's Champion, and then on top of that, turned traitor."

Malva's voice became dangerously low as she spoke.

"You should know better than anyone else would happened to Lorelei. You knew her children, Silver and Leaf before they fell. Such a shame…"

Holly blinked. She didn't understand what was going on!

She was unaware Kris even _had_ any former traveling companions, _let alone_ who any of the people were. And how did Kris know Silver and Leaf? She never spoke of them!

Holly might not have known what the two were talking about, but she did understand what was happening when Kris angrily slapped Malva's hand away.

"Enough! This discussion is over!"

Kris turned to leave, but Malva grabbed her and pulled her back.

"No, I don't think it is. Why are you so angry about your friends? Are you still trying to protect them? It's been many years since you've traveled together."

Kris still scowled at Malva.

"As if I'd tell you!"

Malva shook her head disapprovingly.

"I think I know. This is about that petty grudge you have… It's been many years, Kris. You need to move on."

Holly's eyes widened at the word _grudge._ If Malva knew Kris, then she would know it was useless to tell her to let go of one!

Apparently, she didn't, or she just wanted to get hurt.

Holly guessed it was the former.

It had to be, considering what happened next.

Instead of responding, Kris's hand balled into a fist. The disabled Trainer swung at Malva's face, but the Elite Four member easily avoided the blow.

Malva put her hands on her hips as Kris snarled.

"Get on my nerves one more time, and you'll have hell to pay!"

Malva didn't seem fazed, and her voice took on a warning tone.

"And you're threatening me now? Don't you dare try anything. You know what I am, and what I can do. Back off."

Yet, Kris simply stated. "That doesn't matter."

Despite Malva's warning, she walked forward.

Holly nodded.

Kris would take care of Malva easily!

Yet the disabled Trainer never laid a finger on her.

Malva's eyes suddenly turned bright blue, and her gaze was one of cold concentration. A mixture of red-hot flames and radiating psychic power surrounded her. Somehow, Malva didn't burn anything.

Kris flinched and stepped back, but Malva advanced.

There was an echo in her voice as it rang through the air.

"Such a childish demeanor is hardly befitting of one who is as powerful as the Champions. I thought you knew better, but I guess I was wrong."

Holly's eyes went wide. What sort of spell was this? Was Malva like a Pokémon, and if not, what _was_ she?

Holly couldn't resist gasping and shifting as Malva continued stepping forward.

She couldn't let the Elite Four member hurt Kris! But with power like that, did Holly even stand chance?

Holly never got that answer, as Malva looked straight towards her hiding place.

She spoke in the same cold voice.

"I know you're here, brat. Come on out."

Yet Holly refused, a glare in her eyes.

Power or not, Malva was still a rouge! And she would not obey the commands of a rouge! Besides, there was no way Malva was _that_ strong.

Malva's stern voice never wavered.

"If you don't come out now, I'm going to drag you."

Holly shook her head, and hoped Malva would see the gesture.

She must've, for her face hardened.

"Suit yourself."

With that, she walked over to where Holly was hiding. Kris didn't even move, perhaps not wanting to anger Malva further. Holly tried to move back, but Malva was too quick. She seized Holly's wrists, and heaved without a hint of strain. Holly screeched as spines on the bush pricked her, and leaves were everywhere. Yet, Malva didn't have a hint of sympathy as she moved backwards. As soon as Holly was out of the bushes, Malva effortlessly dropped her onto the ground.

The Elite Four member's chilling voice pierced her ears.

"Get up. Now."

Holly shook her head. No matter how strong Malva was, she wouldn't obey!

Yet the Elite Four member left no room for negotiation.

Instead, her hands grabbed Holly and stood her to her feet without a touch of gentleness. Holly wasn't sure where that strength came from, but Malva was certainly tougher than she looked.

But now, the Elite Four member was glaring at both them.

"Shame on you, brat, for eavesdropping! You call me a hypocrite, but you're the real one! Everyone has heard of your shindig about defeating bullies! But if you ask me, you're just a big one yourself!"

Holly narrowed her eyes. Malva didn't even know her! How dare she talk like that!

But before she could say anything, Malva had turned her angry gaze on Kris.

"And you! You claim to be an honest Trainer, but you're really not! You manipulate and deceive without remorse, then wonder what happens when others are angry! You only care about yourself, and using others to further your own goals!"

Holly clenched her fist. Malva was being crazy! Kris _was_ an honest Trainer! Lots of people said so! And what was this about manipulating and deceiving? Kris never did either to anyone! Malva was just angry because Kris would not join her stupid resistance!

But before Holly could fire another retort, Malva fixed her gaze on both them. She said something that made Holly's blood run cold.

"I have no choice but to tell your friend Anabel everything that happened here!"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **Pretty intense chapter, so a lot of ground to cover.**

 **But first, the prompt.**

 _This prompt is an interesting one where it is different depending on a player's party. One of the prompt was that there was a Poliwhirl who wanted to join the player's team. However, since I already had a Poliwhirl, I instead got a different prompt. The prompt was that the party would see a wild Dragalge, and the main character (in this case, Holly), would fantasize about catching it. After that, the encounter would be discussed among the party._

 _Other than that, Route 13 doesn't have much. It is long, and is one of the last places before Fuchsia. Not many people are here, however._

 **Now for the chapter itself…**

 **-The way Anabel and Kris talk about dragons has to do with how they're treated in the games. In the games, they are considered stronger than any other Pokémon Type, and are outright called sacred in the games (mainly, Clair's Dragon Type gym in Johto). Being hard to catch and raise also comes from the games, with Lance stating this outright. Normal Trainers not hoping to use them comes from a lot of what happens in the games. In the games, it is stated that a run-of-the-mill Trainer cannot hope to win against Clair and her Dragon Type Trainers. In order to even find dragons, the player often has to go to remote areas late in the game, with most of them not giving any hints that dragons appear there. Many dragons are also hidden as encounters with legendary Pokémon, and the player must be incredibly strong in order to challenge them.**

 **-Dragons being tough to catch and raise despite being powerful comes mainly from the games. On top of being difficult to find, most dragons are slow to learn moves and level up. Furthermore, a lot of their base forms are very weak, and those that can evolve to a long time to reach their more powerful forms. However, the payoff is worth it, with some of the best Pokémon in the games being dragons. Furthermore, the Dragon Type was so powerful that the Pokémon creators eventually introduced another Type, Fairy, to counteract it. Unfortunately, dragons were still so strong that this didn't help with many of them, and to this day, it is still considered the strongest Type. To add insult to injury, this Type has two of the most powerful Pokémon _ever seen in the series history._**

 **-The grueling test that Kris refers to comes from the Johto games. It's called the dragon user challenge. Clair tells the player to take the test after they have defeated her in battle. Once the test is passed, Clair will give the player the Rising Badge and allow them to enter the Pokémon League. There are two variants of the Dragon user challenge. The original variant is to find the Dragon Fang in the Dragon's Den. The updated and more well-known version is to go to the shrine in the center of the Dragon's Den. Once there, the player must answer a series of questions about Pokémon raising. It is impossible to fail either test, but if the player answers the correct questions during the second variation, they will get a Dratini with Extremespeed. Up until recently, this was the only way to get a Dratini with that move.**

 **-In this story, the test is much more complex, and possible to fail (although one character that isn't the player is still seen failing the test in the games). More details about the test and how exactly Kris failed will be explained in some of the other books. Oddly enough, some Trainers state that in the games, one must pass the test in order to use dragons. However, several Trainers are seen using dragons without passing the test, and the player can also still use them. Therefore, I changed it to simply believing Trainers can't truly train dragons without passing the test.**

 **-And the next thing is Malva. Her existence in the story is based on several things. Her history is actually based on a misinterpretation of her history in the games. Malva is an interesting case because she is the first Elite Four member in the games to be related to an evil team (although there were cases in other media before she came along). To further put this in perspective, the only other example of _anyone_ in a position of authority (Gym Leaders, Trial Captains, Island Kahunas, Champions, or Elite Four) while also being part of an evil team in _any_ of main games is Giovanni. Giovanni first appeared in the Kanto games, while Malva didn't appear until five generations of games later. This is all part of the reason why I decided to make her a major part of this series' plot.**

 **-The misinterpretation came from how connected she is to Team Flare. I figured that she was a former member, defected, and became part of the Elite Four. I thought this was the case because I didn't think it was possible that she could be a part of a group as famous as the Elite Four without people finding out that she was a part of Team Flare. This idea was further supported by the fact that in all the appearances that she makes before she fights the player, she's shown making an honest living as a reporter (although she never reveals her name). However, when she's finally fought in the Pokémon League, it's revealed that she is still a member of Team Flare. In the missions after the main game is cleared, it's also revealed she hates the player for taking them down. It's unknown if the Elite Four doesn't know she is part of Team Flare, or they do know and just don't care as long as she remains loyal.**

 **-The different Pokémon media offer various interpretations of Malva's situation. The anime is the closest to the interpretation used in this story. In the anime, Malva actually _does_ defect. She is unaware of Lysandre's true plans. He tries to put those plans into action, but she finds out and is disgusted. As a result, she quickly sides with the heroes. Since Malva is otherwise an honest Trainer and helps stop the Team Flare remnants, it's implied that she will suffer no consequences for originally being a part of them.**

 **-The Pokémon Special gives her a completely villainous interpretation. In that story, Malva is always loyal to Team Flare and remains so even after everyone else finds out. She wreaks havoc on the group, particularly targeting Diantha. Eventually, Diantha is able to defeat Malva, and she is badly wounded in the final battle. It is unknown if she survives or dies for her injuries, and if it is the former, what consequences she will face.**

 **-Malva being the leader of a resistance group comes from the fact that she would know villains due to formerly a part of them. The whole idea of her teaming up with other people that do this actually comes from a Pokémon hack. The hack a set of two games called Pokémon Zeta and Omicron, and appears to be set in an alternate universe of the canon Pokémon world. In this universe, N and Cyrus have either reformed or never joined their teams (the games never specify what happened). The two team up and try to work together to take down the story's main villain. At the same time, they also support the player and their allies. Unfortunately, their efforts ultimately fail. However, the last thing they do is ensure that the player is strong enough to stop the main villain by challenging him or her to a double battle. I thought the whole concept of former villains working together to stop other ones was interesting, so I decided to include something like that here.**

 **-Malva helping to save a top officer comes from a mission that can be accessed in Pokémon**

 **X and Y after the main game is completed. In this mission, a top member of the International Police, Looker, befriends a young girl named Emma. However, Emma is tricked into working for the remnants of Team Flare against her will. So, Looker and the player set out to rescue her. Looker gets into danger because he does not own a Pokémon, but the player manages to help him and finish the job. Per Looker's request, Malva opens the doors to the area where Emma is being kept. However, she does not join the mission to rescue her. In this story, the player character in X and Y does not appear in the mission to save Emma. So, Malva comes instead, rescuing Looker herself.**

 **-More information on Silver's rebels and Team Rocket's resurgence will be seen in later chapters and other books. I can't say much for spoiler reasons (unless someone wants those privately), but I will say that this is one interpretation of how Silver's character arc could have gone. Furthermore, Team Rocket's resurgence actually has to do with a character that has been met already, but I won't say who unless someone wants spoilers. However, I will say that this will be revealed in a later chapter, and most certainly in other books.**

 **-Lorelei's character comes in both a fan interpretation and what is known about her in canon media. In all media, she uses Water and Ice Types. She is often associated with Articuno, because that was the only Ice Type legendary Pokémon available. It was also revealed that she used to train in Seafoam Islands, but that was before Sevii Islands existed (where it was revealed she trained that there instead). In the anime, she is known as a Pokémon Master, but it is never stated what she did to earn the title.**

 **-Lorelei teaching students comes from the anime, where she is shown doing just that to large groups. She also sells recordings of her lectures, but they are expensive to get. She allows Ash and his friends to attend her classes. Team Rocket also wants some of the recordings, and get angry when they cannot pay Lorelei's price. A lesser example of Lorelei teaching is in the games. In Pokémon Puzzle League, Lorelei is seen in a library, and gladly teaches the player some of the mechanics of the game. She also gives them challenges to pass. It is worth noting that this game is based on the anime, and since it is a spinoff, it is unknown if it is part of the Pokémon canon or not.**

 **-Lorelei choosing to give up her Elite Four position in order to head to Sevii is part of the setting in the RP. However, it's implied that this also happens in the games. In Ursuping, this setting is a bit different, but I won't say how unless someone wants spoilers.**

 **-Lorelei being the mother of Silver is based on a fan theory. This fan theory will be revealed later on, so I won't say it now due it spoilers. However, Leaf also being her child and the sister of Silver is my own personal interpretation, and a spin on that theory.**

 **-For the curious, Ash and Zinnia are in fact the same characters as their canon counterparts. Zinnia being Kris's former traveling companion is because of me enjoying her character and wanting her to do more. On the other hand, Ash and Kris that she did travel together in her original incarnation. They had first disliked each other, but after Kris saved Pikachu and revealed her useful ability to talk to all Pokémon, invited her along because her skills could help them. Kris accepted the offer, not really having anywhere else to go, or even in mind. In this story, the relationship is similar, but it's much more gradual, and ends on a happier note (think something similar to the way Ash and Misty interact in canon, but without any romantic implications and a much larger age gap). It's also worth noting in the original, Kris also meant Ash's other traveling companions, Misty and Brock. She still meets them here, but they are no longer traveling with Ash. Volkner being Ash's father is my own interpretation, because there's no hints on who Ash's father is in canon.**

 **-More details about Malva's condition will be revealed that chapter. However, for those who would like a little more information now, look up the supplementary material on the Deviantart account "wordwheels". The documents are labeled "Vessels and Pokémon" and "Immortality in the Traveler Series".**


	55. Deserving

**Welcome back to another chapter of holly rising, after a bit of a wait! The Traveler series has also received two new stories. They are Diary, a work in progress, and A Christmas Puppy, which is complete. Anyone interested in learning more about the lore of Traveler should check them out! This is also a new area, so there is a prompt. As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Rod 14 is a place with upper and lower paths. These paths eventually merge into one, before separating again near the end of the route. There also a lot of trees here, and those with the Cut technique can use it to explore new areas. Many Trainers are also on this route, making a good area for battles._

* * *

54\. Deserving

Holly's eyes still blazed with defiance as she walked back with Malva.

No matter who she or how strong Malva was, Holly _couldn't_ let the Elite Four member have her way!

And she _couldn't_ let her know that she desperately hoped Anabel wouldn't figure out the truth of her little white lie!

Holly _couldn't_ give Malva even more power!

Holly clenched her fist.

She _couldn't_ let her win, no matter what!

Those from evil teams deserved no mercy!

Holly gritted her teeth.

No mercy, just like what Anabel deserved!

Holly quickly stole a glance at Kris, walking alongside Malva.

She expected the disabled Trainer would feel the same way, with all the venom and hatred she had spewed before.

But instead of Kris's eyes were downcast. Holly had difficulty reading her expression as she glanced toward the ground.

Holly blinked, stifling surprise.

Was Kris blaming herself for losing her temper? It seemed likely, considering she had done so before.

But Holly didn't think Kris would be _that_ dejected. She wasn't like that previously.

Perhaps she was just afraid of whatever punishment Anabel might give her?

Yet Kris had never been afraid of the woman before, and didn't seem to care what she did.

So why would she care now?

Did Kris regret not joining the resistance movement, after all that happened?

Holly resisted clenching her fist.

No, Kris _couldn't_ want to join an evil team!

And if she did, Holly would stop her!

Besides, if Kris truly had second thoughts about joining Malva, she would turn right around and offer her strength.

Yet Kris didn't show even the faintest hint of doing that.

So what did the disabled Trainer have in mind?

Clearly, she was crestfallen over something else.

But what?

Holly didn't have the chance to ask, as the group neared where Anabel was waiting.

Malva strode up, sternness clearly present on her face.

Shock could be seen in Anabel's own, but she somehow managed to keep her voice even.

"You're back. Did something go wrong?"

Before anyone else could reply, Malva snarled.

"Yes, something went _very_ wrong!"

Malva slapped a hand on Holly's back, and Holly flinched as she was pushed forward.

The Elite Four member continued. "I was hoping to talk to Kris in private, but this little brat eavesdropped on our conversation!"

Anabel's eyes went wide, and she looked straight at Holly.

Holly only glared back, retorting before Anabel could speak.

"I _couldn't_ allow Kris to join someone from an evil team! I wasn't about to let them do who knows what to her while she was enslaved by their stupid resistance movement! I _had_ to listen in on the conversation! I _had_ to rescue her!" Holly could hear the conviction rising in her tone.

Surely _this_ would lift Kris's spirits!

Yet the disabled Trainer still did not look up.

It was as if Holly had not even spoken on her behalf.

What was really going on?

Holly's thoughts turned away from Kris as Malva shook her head.

"It wouldn't have mattered what the brat did. I wanted Kris to join the resistance, but she refused my offer immediately."

Anabel suddenly glared at Kris. Her voice no longer kept its even tone, coming out shrill. "Why, Kris? It's a perfectly valid chance at redemption! Don't you want to turn your life around?"

This finally provoked a response, as Kris growled without looking up.

"It's not like you know what I want. And what I want is no business of yours."

Anabel's eyes blazed with fury, and she looked like she was about to speak again.

However, Malva continued instead. "I'd say it is, considering the three of you are traveling together. But I see your ability to keep secrets hasn't changed. Nor has your temper."

Annabel's eyes went wide again, but Malva's fierce gaze remained.

"Not only did Kris reject my offer, but she also threatened me. She even tried to hit me, although thankfully she missed. And even after I was forced to use my Vessel form, Kris still didn't stop throwing a temper tantrum. Were it not for me finding the brat, _who knows_ what she would've done."

Holly's eyes hardened.

Malva had _no right_ to mention that to Anabel! It wasn't like she was Kris's mother!

And what exactly was a Vessel anyway? It sounded like something important, but no one acted as though it mattered now!

Because no matter what title Malva had, she was still a treacherous evil team member who didn't deserve her Elite Four position!

Holly opened her mouth to speak, only to be met by Anabel's burning rage. The woman first rounded on Kris.

"Kris, how dare you lose your temper with someone who is trying to help you! You're far too old to be acting that way!"

Before Kris could respond, Anabel rapidly turned to Holly.

"And _you_ , Holly! What made you think it was acceptable to eavesdrop on someone's private conversation! Especially one that is so important! You ought to know better, especially after so quickly after gaining your freedom back!"

Anabel's voice boomed across the area as she shouted. "I can't believe the two of you would treat a sacred Vessel that way!"

Holly's eyes blazed back.

When would Anabel understand?

Probably never, but she could force her to try!

"How dare _you_ , Anabel, side with an evil team when you try to fight against them! And I don't care how talented Malva is; she's still part of them! Malva attacked me and Kris, and we could have been hurt! That's proof enough that she's not to be trusted!"

Emboldened, Holly took a step forward, throwing up her hands.

"And you act like Vessels are all high and mighty, but I don't even know what one is!"

Malva shook her head again, but her eyes flashed with their own silent anger.

She looked toward Kris expectantly, then spoke in a cold tone of voice. "You should know. Why don't you tell us?"

However, Kris simply shrank back, still looking at the ground.

Instead, it was Anabel who shot a sharp glance at Holly. Her voice came out icy cold as she explained.

"Vessels are people who have bonded with legendary Pokémon, the gods of the world. Through that bond, the Vessels are able to use the legendary Pokémon's power. In exchange, these people become their protectors, and perform the duties related to those Pokémon."

Anabel narrowed her eyes as she continued. "Vessels are the earthly eyes of legendary Pokémon, and are to be treated with the utmost respect."

Holly clenched her fists.

Utmost respect?

She wouldn't give Malva utmost respect!

Besides, _any_ powerful Trainer could bond with a legendary Pokémon!

Kris did it all the time, and she wasn't a Vessel!

But before Holly could reply that someone was probably making a big deal out of nothing, Malva fixed her gaze on Kris.

"That poor girl who died, Emma… You don't want something like that to happen again, right?"

Kris's head suddenly snapped up. Her eyes burned with rage as she snarled.

"Don't speak Emma's name!"

Holly blinked. Who was Emma, and how was she important to Kris?

Holly quickly glanced to Anabel, but the woman showed no emotion.

A resolute tone entered Malva's voice and she continued to speak.

"Now's your chance to fix things. If you join us, something like what happened to Emma may never happen again…"

Kris looked like she was about to burn Malva alive. The disabled Trainer shouted. "Shut up!"

Another sound echoed through the air as Anabel rapidly slapped Kris across the face. However, the disabled Trainer didn't seem to care, not even wincing at the strike. Holly wondered if Kris could even feel the pain, or if she was too consumed in her infamous rage.

Malva put her hands on her hips, continuing to shake her head. "It seems your defiance will never change. But my offer is still there regardless of what you think. And you had best act on it Kris, before it's too late."

Holly still clenched her fists.

After Kris had refused so empathetically, Malva should know words like that wouldn't do anything!

But now the Elite Four member had now closed her eyes in thought. "You know, Kris, I have no idea how you have a clean record, with all that you've done."

Holly resisted the urge to fire back a retort.

Everyone said Kris had a clean record! What did it matter how she got it?

Holly looked to the disabled Trainer, noticing she was flinching.

Could Kris truly be intimidated by someone as despicable as Malva?

Clearly, she wasn't, as her voice came out steady.

"The laws that protect vigilantes also protect me."

Malva opened her eyes, and her face hardened. Her words came out colder than ice. "I don't think so."

At this, Kris backed away, and would have slammed straight into Anabel had the woman not quickly moved out of the way. Malva took no notice of the reaction, as her voice became dangerously low.

Holly didn't miss seeing Kris shiver at the next words. "You know, she's here, and she is still after you. They're still after you. Those two won't forgive you for what you did in Geosenge… And for what you did to that poor Pokémon… They will show no mercy to you, or to the thing inside of you."

Holly's eyes went wide, and she could see Anabel tense.

What was going on?

Who was Malva referring to when she talked about someone going after Kris? And what did all this have to do with a town called Geosenge? As far as Holly knew, that was just a faraway place with a bunch of strange rocks!

Most importantly, how would Malva know about Tulip?

Malva suddenly swept her intense gaze over all of them, and she spoke as though she could read the group's minds. "I'm a high-ranking member of the League. Of course I would know. And it's pretty hard to miss a Pokémon who is nothing more than an object."

Holly could feel herself trembling with rage.

They had met several other high-ranking members of the League, and they didn't know anything about Tulip! There _had_ to be something else at play!

But Holly couldn't contain her rage any longer with Malva's other comment. She stepped up, yelling at the top of her lungs.

"How dare you call Tulip an object!"

Yet Malva only calmly replied in a matter-of fact-voice. "What else is it? Kris isn't doing anything with it, and that Pokémon is useless in anything even remotely related to combat. It's nothing more than a decoration. There is no bond, no future, no nothing…"

Holly's face grew red and she clenched her fists. She couldn't believe Malva was saying things like this!

Tulip's powers had helped the group out many times, and Kris considered Tulip her best friend! _Of course_ they had a bond, even if it was unusual!

And how could Kris battle with Tulip anyway? It's not like she could just run out into battle with her Pokémon attached! Even if she could do something like that, Kris was keeping Tulip a secret, so she probably wouldn't!

Holly turned to Anabel, hoping she would defend Kris. However, the woman shut her eyes with her hand on her chin.

Holly could her muttering the words. "No future…"

Holly could not fixing Anabel with a glare, although she was sure the woman could not see it.

What was Anabel babbling about now? Holly was sure it didn't matter.

But what _did_ matter was stopping Malva.

Holly took a step forward, about to ask Malva to leave.

However, the Elite Four member was already moving away, but took one last glance at Kris and Holly.

A simple set of words left her lips. "Think about your choices, you two. I'm no psychic, but I think you're heading down a dark path."

With that, Malva rapidly turned and walked away.

For several tense minutes, no one spoke, and Holly desperately wished she could break the silence.

She did not need to, however, as Anabel did.

The woman glanced at Holly, speaking in an exasperated tone. "I hope you found your King's Rock, because we are not going back."

Holly resisted the urge to stare.

How was Anabel not angry with her? It was so odd…

But she couldn't wonder long. She had to keep up her façade.

So Holly simply replied. "I found it near the grove where the Kris and Malva were talking. I was going to leave, but then I overheard the conversation, and had to listen."

Anabel only nodded. Holly quickly found herself wondering about the reason behind Anabel's strange behavior.

However, Holly's question was answered as Anabel focused a sharp gaze on Kris.

The woman's voice took on a chilling tone. _"What_ are you? _Who_ are you?"

Kris simply threw up her hands, although she responded calmly. "I'm a human fused with a Pokémon. Isn't that easy to see?"

Annabel rapidly shook her head, icy gaze boring into Kris. "You can't just be that."

Holly blinked.

What did Anabel mean? Maybe the woman really _was_ going crazy.

But now Anabel was continuing. "You've been fused with Tulip for more than a decade, and yet hardly anyone has ever seen her active."

Kris rapidly retorted. "I'm keeping her a secret. Why would I let anyone see her?"

Anabel's eyes became even sharper, and her tone firm.

But surely you must've encountered a situation where you would be required to have her be active, like what happened with those Mightyena near Vermillion. Yet as far as I know, there's been nothing like that."

Kris kept her tone even as she replied. "It's because my powers of persuasion worked so well."

Anabel rapidly readied another retort. "But they don't work all the time. You mentioned that yourself."

Annabel's eyes suddenly narrowed. "What do you do then, Kris? What _would_ you do?"

Kris did not respond, only stepping back.

Holly clenched her fist.

Anabel should know the answers to those questions!

Holly had to stop her! The woman really was crazy!

But before she could interject, Anabel continued. The woman's eyes never left Kris as she spoke.

"It would make sense if you were keeping Tulip a secret before, but now you're among people who you know. And you trust at least one of us. Why haven't you been more active with Tulip, then? Why haven't I seen her since Vermillion?"

Holly gritted her teeth.

What Kris did with Tulip was _her_ decision. And what did it matter how often she fought? Tulip was still a valuable member of the group regardless.

Holly tried to speak again, but Anabel stole the chance away.

"And it's not just Tulip that's the issue. You've been making reckless decisions, without regard for yourself or others. Don't you think that's a little inappropriate for someone who has experience like you do?"

Kris still did not respond, closing her eyes.

Anabel did not give Kris time to recover as she stated. "Have you ever thought about what you're going to do after this? Have you ever thought about your future, like what Malva said? As far as I know, it's almost like you have no future."

Kris once again remained silent, but she flinched and turned white.

At the same moment, Holly found her voice.

"What does it matter?" She screeched.

Anabel did not give way as she responded. "It matters for everything, Holly. Without a future, is a person truly living?"

Holly blinked confusedly.

What was Anabel talking about? It didn't make any sense!

But this was nothing compared to what Anabel said next. "It's not just your future, Kris, but your present as well."

Kris rapidly responded, and Holly thought she could hear dread permeating the older Trainer's voice. "What do you mean?"

Annabel's voice became dangerously low, and Holly could not help shivering. "No matter _what_ relationship you have with Tulip, it doesn't change the fact that Nihilego is a _parasite._ And parasites feed off their hosts, depriving them of nutrients. So you should be malnourished, but you look completely healthy."

Holly resisted the urge to groan.

Was Anabel _ever_ going to accept Tulip?

Yet the woman rapidly replied. "If Tulip is not receiving nutrients from you, then that would imply you are not feeding her at all. She should be the one starving. But I've never seen Tulip eat anything, ever, and I feel like one of us would know if you were using regular food in private."

Anabel took a step closer, staring straight at Kris.

"So what exactly is going on? How can you still survive?"

Holly stepped forward. Enough was enough!

She screamed at the top of her lungs. "It doesn't matter, Annabel! What matters is that you have part of your Kris back, and that she is surviving. Isn't that enough for you? Isn't _anything_ enough for you?"

Annabel suddenly gritted her teeth, but did not say anything. However, Holly could still see trepidation in Kris's eyes.

Holly wasted no time using the silence to her advantage.

"We have to get to Fuchsia! We will only know more if we keep going!"

Anabel responded with a reluctant nod. Kris shot Holly a glance, but her expression was unreadable. The disabled Trainer gestured to keep going, and the others quickly followed.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, some new information here.**

 **-First things first, Emma. Emma is a character from Pokémon X and Y, but only appears as part of a side quest when the main game is completed. In the games, Emma is brainwashed into working for Team Flare and stealing other people's Pokémon. She also becomes incredibly powerful physically, as well as a competent battler, and gets the ability to change into various disguises. However, the player character and Looker eventually figure out where Emma is. As a result, they manage to save her.**

 **In this story, Emma is never saved, and dies instead.**

 **The idea of Emma dying instead of being saved comes from a line in the original quest. Right before the player heads off to rescue Emma, Malva tells them to prepare to face death. However, since the player character is required to complete the quest to proceed, they are never in any real danger.**

 **Therefore, I decided it would be interesting if someone** _ **was.**_

 **Malva's an Elite Four member who is more than capable of defending herself. Therefore, having her in danger of dying wouldn't make sense. Looker already puts himself in nonfatal danger during the quest in the games. Furthermore, his presence affects almost all the games and Anabel's backstory. So in order for Traveler to make any sense, he had to survive the encounter and fully recover. The player character from X and Y isn't present in this version of the encounter. So that just left Emma herself.**

 **-Malva's comments about Tulip have to do with what I was observing when I was going over the chapters of the story. Tulip's ultimately a very passive character, despite being a major part of Kris's backstory and receiving a one-shot of her own (Safety, although she goes unnamed there).**

 **Originally, I chalked that up to Kris wanting to keep her a secret, and not having the story from her point of view. However, I realized the whole thing didn't make sense, mainly because the reasons Anabel mentions. Furthermore, I was writing the notes for some of future stories in the series, and Tulip has an** _ **entirely different role.**_ **It didn't make sense for Tulip's role to differ so much simply because Kris isn't narrating. So I had the passiveness brought up directly in this story.**

 **-While not relevant to the area itself, I want to correct a slight error that I made earlier on. I mentioned early on that Sable City is a place exclusive to the RP. That is incorrect, as Sable City is actually exclusive to the anime. It's a small place in Kanto, and where Ash goes before challenging the Battle Frontier there. This information will most likely not be used in Holly Rising, but it is relevant for some of the other books in the Traveler series.**


	56. Oddities

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is another new area, so there is a prompt with this chapter. As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Now, for the prompt!**

 _A ledge separates Route 15 into two halves, with the northern half being on a hill. The southern half can be accessed by either walking normally or jumping down the ledge. The northern half can be accessed by using Cut on at tree._

* * *

55\. Oddities

Holly quietly trudged down Route 15. The road seemed to stretch on forever, and Holly swore she couldn't feel her legs.

She contemplated complaining, but didn't dare.

After what happened, who knew what would take place next?

Yet, she couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief when Anabel signaled to take a break. Holly wasted no time flopping to the grassy ground, slightly uncomfortable though it was. Anabel sat down more slowly, her expression unreadable.

Holly didn't ask what the woman was thinking, nor did she want to. She doubted she would get a straight answer.

Instead, she glanced at Kris.

Holly's eyes widened in shock as she realized the disabled Trainer did not show any signs of fatigue. Kris had walked confidently the entire time, her stride almost outpacing the other two. Gone was her crestfallen look, replaced a by fierce resolution. Kris held her head high, looking taller than Holly had her ever known to be.

Holly cocked her head.

Why had Kris's demeanor changed so suddenly?

Perhaps it was because Malva was gone, and Kris no longer had to be worried about being coerced into the Elite Four member's resistance.

Or perhaps she had decided to get back at Malva. Knowing Kris's history of grudges, it would make sense.

Or maybe she had decided that she was going to do something else about the offer. But if that was the case, the disabled Trainer gave no indication of her plans.

Perhaps Kris was just eager to get to Fuchsia. Holly had heard a lot of Trainers enjoyed themselves there.

But then again, Holly should have figured Kris could traverse the Route 15 easily. After all, the disabled Trainer'd probably been there many times in her travels.

Regardless, Kris's Delphox radiated with psychic power, and the older Trainer carefully sat down. Psychic power still surrounded Kris with a powerful glow, and Holly guessed the Delphox was trying to help her sit up. Perhaps the disabled Trainer was afraid she would fall over. Holly assumed Kris would use her wheeled machine, or call on the strange Pokémon, Hoopa.

But the older Trainer did neither, glancing at the other two. Her determined expression still gave nothing away, and Holly desperately wanted to ask her what she was thinking.

Yet Holly couldn't help but be in awe.

All this time, Kris never even _hinted_ that her disability slowed her down. As far as Holly was concerned, other than the limp, Kris may as well be a normal person!

Oh, there were a few times when Kris's health problems came into play. Such as the time when they first fought. Or the fact that Kris had to get a shot so she couldn't have children… Or even when she couldn't drink orange juice…

But it took Kris only a minute to brush those off and be on her way.

To have so many health problems, yet to keep going as though they were nothing…

Kris truly was an amazing trainer!

After all that happened, she deserved to know it!

But before Holly could even open her mouth, Anabel fixed Kris's Delphox with an icy glare.

The woman's next words came coldly.

"Your Pokémon. It shouldn't do that."

Kris held a look of surprise, and Holly threw up her hands.

Did Anabel want Kris to fall over?

Kris rapidly responded. "What do you mean?"

Anabel sharply replied. "You shouldn't be using it to hold you up like that, not after it has helped you walk such a long distance. Furthermore, you shouldn't be having one Pokémon force you to walk all the time. I don't think I've ever seen you use any other Psychic Pokémon to help, but with the reputation you have, you must have many."

Kris only nodded. "Yes, I do have other Psychic types. However, Google is the one best suited for service Pokémon duties. He's weaker than my other ones, so this fits him perfectly."

Anabel's eyes blazed with fury. "Weaker? Then that is even more of a reason that you shouldn't be doing this!"

Holly clenched her fists.

She'd had enough!

Holly yelled. "You shouldn't be telling Kris what to do, Anabel! She and her Pokémon are both fine!"

Anabel faced Holly with her furious glare, yet Holly did not flinch. There was no mistaking the rage in the woman's words as her voice boomed through the air.

"They may not be fine for much longer, Holly!"

Holly put her hands on her hips, shooting back a retort. "And how would you know that, Anabel?"

Anabel screeched back. "I know that because I've raised many Psychic Types. And what Kris is doing is dangerous, Holly! Psychic Types can overuse their power, and when that happens, they can end up in the emergency room. Or worse!"

Anabel glanced back towards Kris, the anger never leaving the woman's voice.

"As a skilled Psychic Type Trainer, you should know all that!"

Holly clenched her fists, eyes going wide with rage.

How dare Anabel criticize Kris like that! And if she knew Kris was a skilled Psychic Type Trainer, then she also knew that Kris probably had a plan for something like power overuse!

Kris didn't seem shaken up at all by Anabel's outburst. Instead, the disabled Trainer calmly replied.

"I do know. And the reason Google never runs out of power is because he is so well trained for the task."

Anabel clenched her fists. "No matter how well trained a Pokémon is, it's not immune to power overuse if it's forced to do heavy tasks alone!"

Holly threw up her hands again.

Kris gave her reason, and it was a good one. Those service Pokémon probably trained their entire lives for things like this, and Anabel surely knew that.

So why couldn't the woman accept Kris's answer?

Holly had to make her!

"What does it matter, Anabel? The point is that Kris and her Pokémon are currently in no danger. As soon as they are, either one would let us know!"

Before Anabel could reply, Holly let a smile return to her face.

"Besides, it's not the Pokémon alone that's responsible! Kris's disability doesn't even bother her because she's such an amazing Trainer!"

Holly flashed her grin at Kris, expecting the disabled Trainer to smile back. Instead, the older Trainer flinched, a look of shock written in her eyes.

Holly cocked her head.

Surely there was nothing wrong with that complement!

But Holly was unable to ask any questions as she noted the suspicion in Anabel's eyes.

The same suspicion filled the woman's tone as she spoke to Kris.

"Yes, your disability. If you are anything like my Kris, then you should have a lot of health problems. And clearly you do, from what little we've seen. But they seem to be affecting you hardly at all. And I don't believe it's because you're being treated. Other than that one time at Cerulean, I've never seen you take any medicine. So what is really going on?"

Holly blinked. Anabel _really_ _was_ losing her mind!

Kris just wanted to take her medicine in private! It was a sensible reason, especially because she had asked whether the others wanted to give her privacy in Cerulean!

Holly glanced at the disabled Trainer, who had inched backward with the same look of shock.

She thought Anabel would stop her verbal assault, but instead the woman continued.

"And when Holly complements you about being powerful despite your disability, you flinch back. Why is it that you flinch? Shouldn't you be happy?"

Before Kris could reply, Holly screamed. "Drop the subject, Anabel! We are supposed to relax, but we will never rest like this!"

Anabel suddenly looked defeated, and let out a sigh. Kris simply responded. "You're right."

Holly smiled again.

For once, someone listened to her!

But the group sat silently for only a few minutes, before Kris's frantic gasp broke the silence.

"Oh, I can't believe I forgot!"

Kris's eyes were wide, and Holly tried not to show her own shock at the other Trainer's distress.

"Forgot what, Kris?"

Holly swore she could hear Anabel mutter under her breath. "I hope it's nothing we have to return for."

Holly ignored the negative comment as Kris blurted out. "My birthday! I forgot it was my birthday a while back!" Kris slapped her forehead, eyes and erratic motions making no effort to hide her anguish.

Holly cocked her head.

Who would forget their own birthday? Kris didn't seem like the type of person that was forgetful…

Well, the group _had_ been doing a lot, so maybe Kris wasn't concentrating on it…

Still, Holly understood why Kris so agitated. If she forgot her own birthday, it would be horrible!

Holly glanced at Anabel, wondering if the woman would fire a retort. Instead, Anabel's eyes held a questioning look. Holly wondered if the woman secretly harbored the same question she did, but if that was the case, Anabel did not answer.

Still, Kris needed some cheering up.

So, Holly responded.

"Well, we will just have to celebrate when we get to Fuchsia! I'm sure they throw some giant parties there!"

A small smile played on Kris's lips.

"I suppose you're right. I'll look forward to it then."

The disabled Trainer's smile widened, and she suddenly let out a cheerful laugh.

Holly and Anabel exchanged confused looks, and Anabel stated. "What's so funny, Kris?"

Kris halted her laughter to respond. "Oh, nothing. It's just… Whenever I think of my birthday, I think of this."

The older Trainer's grin remained plastered to her face as she suddenly pulled out a fishing rod. She placed the rod in her lap, running her hand over the precious object. Holly moved a little closer to look at the rod, and Anabel did the same.

Kris's hand was resting on the blue handle of the rod. Holly could see a red and tan lure attached to the handle, and thought it fit well. The rest of the rod's handle was black, with something orange wrapped around it. Holly didn't know what that was, but she did notice a red bobber attached to a black line. Further down was something that looked like a Poké Ball, and Holly wondered if Kris already wanted to catch Pokémon with the device. She pondered the possibility that this was the same rod Kris had used to go fishing before. However, Holly didn't know because she hadn't been paying attention. She supposed it didn't matter now.

But she still couldn't help asking one question.

"What is that, and how is it related to your birthday?"

There was no mistaking the joy in Kris's voice as she replied. "This is a homemade fishing rod from my good friend Lana. She made it for me a few years ago around the time of my birthday, and I have cherished it ever since."

Holly couldn't help managing a grin herself. How special it was to have something homemade from a close friend!

Yet that grin dissipated with the Anabel's next words. "No, Kris, that can't be right."

Holly snorted. "Now what?"

Yet Anabel didn't even acknowledge Holly's comment. Instead, the woman focused on Kris.

"Lana didn't start making fishing rods until recently. The fishing rod must've been from Lauren."

At this, Kris flinched back again, and a look of shock reentered her eyes.

Holy cocked her head.

She'd never heard of Lauren, and it was obviously someone Kris didn't want to remember…

But she couldn't resist asking. "Anabel, who's Lauren?"

Anabel replied without hesitation. "A former Alolan Gym Leader. She's retired now, but still a powerful Trainer. And still sharp as a tack. Her daughter, Linda, now holds the Leader position. The Lana Kris is referring to is most likely Lauren's granddaughter. But Lana is just a Trainer traveling with a Poplio Lauren gave her. Lana's around your age, Holly."

Before Holly could reply, Anabel turned back to Kris.

"If you are close to the person that gave you the fishing rod, then you should remember who made it. Kris, can you not keep track of time?"

Kris opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a startled yelp. A shadow slammed into the disabled Trainer, knocking her forward. She would have fallen to the ground, had her Delphox not used its psychic powers to steady her.

The shadow pivoted around, facing the group. Holly could now see that it was a person.

Except she couldn't see much else.

The person's entire body was covered in a white cloak, and all Holly could view were two light blue eyes staring back at her.

Holly had no idea who this person was, but she couldn't resist the urge to yell.

"Hey, what was that for?"

The other person wasted no time replying. "Oh, sorry. I'm on my way to Fuchsia, and I'm in a bit of a rush. I didn't mean to bump into you like that."

Anabel quickly took over the conversation. "Shouldn't you be apologizing to Kris? She's the one you banged into…"

Holly glanced at the disabled Trainer, thinking she would come up with a sharp reply.

But instead, Kris simply stared at the newcomer, and Holly thought she could see a glimmer of recognition in the disabled Trainer's eyes. Holly guessed that Kris would shrink back again, but she remained where she was.

Holly blinked.

What did Kris know? What made her so uncomfortable?

Before Holly could ask, the stranger quickly responded. "Look, sorry again. I'm in a hurry, so I don't have time to chat. Perhaps I'll see you around."

Holly finally found the courage to open her mouth, shouting. "Wait! We are going to Fuchsia as well. Is it a good place for birthday parties? My friend had a birthday recently, and we want to celebrate."

Despite everything, the stranger smiled.

"Fuchsia is a great place for parties. There are many things to see and do there. I'm sure your friend will enjoy it. If you like, we can all meet up and celebrate."

Holly nodded with glee. She might not know this stranger, but the more people at a party, the better!

"Sure, that would be great!"

The stranger smiled from beneath her cloak. "I will be looking forward to it! But I really must move on to the city. See you soon!"

With that, the stranger dashed off, before Holly could even speak a word in response.

Instead, Anabel walked up, putting a hand on her shoulder. There was no mistaking the stern tone in her voice. "Holly, that was incredibly risky. What were you thinking, talking to a complete stranger so openly?"

Holly already knew her answer. "Well, she seemed like someone Kris knows, and any friend of hers can certainly be invited to a birthday party! Right, Kris?"

Holly glanced at the disabled Trainer, but she did not respond. Instead, Kris seemed to be staring into nothingness, at something past Holly's and Anabel's shoulders. She mouthed a word, but Holly couldn't tell what it was. Holly stole a glance at Anabel, but the woman didn't seem to have any idea either.

Instead, she asked. "Kris, are you all right?"

As if snapped out of a trance, Kris nodded. "Yes. Thanks for doing that for me, and let's get going to Fuchsia."

With that, the disabled Trainer took off in the direction the stranger had gone.

Holly and Anabel followed the best they could.

Yet Holly couldn't help having a few questions.

How did Kris know that stranger, and what did she see in her?

Regardless, the questions were drowned out by a single thought.

Kris was going to have a birthday party at Fuchsia, and it was going to be the best one ever!

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Kris's disability and other medical problems get the same treatment as Tulip. By that I mean that it wasn't mentioned much, and original reason was that Kris was not the point of view character. However, I realized that didn't make sense, mainly because people would see her health problems or at least comment on them. So Kris's health problems not even getting in her way is brought up in the story as something odd.**

 **-Lana making homemade fishing rods is based off of the games. In the games, she also does that, and gives them to people. She gives one to the player after they clear the Water Trial, and that allows them to fish for Pokémon. It's never explained how Lana learned to craft fishing rods, so did my own interpretation of it being a familial skill. Lana's mother is also never named or seen in the games. In the anime, she is shown, but still unnamed.**

 **-Lauren is actually an original character from an older story called A Christmas Puppy. Her being Lauren's grandmother and giving her a Popplio comes from that story.**

 **-In the canon Alola games, there are no Gym Leaders. Instead, the player must battle Trial Captains and Kahunas (eight of the former, four of the latter). Furthermore, while Kahunas are fought like a traditional Gym Leader battle, Trial Captains are bit more complicated. Each Trial Captain gives a test in the form of a puzzle. Once the player solves the puzzle, they must fight a powerful Totem Pokémon at the end. If they win the fight, they're rewarded with the captain's Z-Crystal. Things get a bit more confusing near the end of the Alola games, when the region finally gets a proper Pokémon League and Elite Four. It's not known what happens to the system that was in place before then, but it's implied that the region is working towards having a proper Gym system.**

 **-In the Traveler series, there are Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, and a Champion, just like other regions. The system of Kahunas and Trial Captains does still exist in a way, but it's much more subtle. Since Holly and the group will not be going to Alola, it will not be explained in this book. However, the system will be explained in some of the others. It's also worth noting that Trial Captains must be between ages 11 and 19 to hold their positions, according to the games. With the Alolan Gym Leaders in the Traveler series, no such age restriction exists.**


	57. Forgetfulness

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there is a new prompt. As a word of warning, starting with the chapter, the story consistently has darker chapters. These chapters are no darker than any of the other stories I write, but they are darker than what has been seen in this story so far.**

 **As usual, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes for details.**

 **On to the prompt!**

 _Fuchsia City has many attractions that are well known throughout Kanto. One of them is the Pokémon zoo, where people can see rare Pokémon. Another is the Safari Zone, where Trainers can try to catch them. There is also an eccentric old man named the Move Deleter, and the Pokémon Gym. Janine is the Leader of this Gym, and likes to set traps. Her Gym is full of invisible walls, and Trainers that look like her. Janine specializes in the Poison Type._

* * *

56\. Forgetfulness

The first thing Holly noticed when the group arrived at Fuchsia City was that she had never seen a place so pink.

Almost all the roofs of the houses were pink. The roads were pink (although they were also mixed with red). The front of the Gym was pink. All the flowers that were in the gardens were pink. Holly even heard the Gym Leader handed out pink Badges, although she'd never seen one.

She walked beside Kris, and could hear her growl. "Even though I've always enjoyed Fuchsia City, I hate the color pink…"

Holly nodded, and whispered back.

"Then the first thing we have to do for your birthday celebration is get you into a place that's not pink."

However, the disabled Trainer could not reply as Anabel began speaking.

"I have go to the center right away, alone, unfortunately."

Holly's eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Anabel? Are your Pokémon hurt?"

Anabel shook her head. "I have to make a report to the International Police Force about my progress, and it's especially important now that Malva's resistance movement is involved. The International Police Force often works closely with them, so they will want to know what's going on. Of course, all this is classified to members, so I can't make the report with you two around."

Holly clenched her fist and Kris held a grave expression. Holly guessed that they were both thinking the same thing.

When Anabel reveal what happened with Malva to the world? And could Holly and Kris not do a thing about it?

But Anabel wasn't giving them an option to complain. Emotionlessly, she stated.

"I don't exactly trust you two together, but you'll have to look after yourselves until I get back."

A grin returned to Holly's face, and her voice rose with glee.

"That's okay! We will just be visiting all of Kris's favorite places around the city! It's for her birthday, after all!"

Holly expected Anabel to smile back, but the woman only held a stern gaze. "All right. But can you two please stay in the city? It will make it easier for me to find you afterward."

"No problem! There's plenty to do here!" Holly chirped.

"Well, it wasn't like I was planning on leaving the city anyway." Kris replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Anabel nodded. "See you later, then."

With that, the woman headed off in the direction of the Pokémon Center.

Holly didn't even watch her leave, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad she's gone for a while. Anabel is so annoying…"

Kris nodded. "I have to admit she's not my favorite person either, but now is hardly the time to talk about that."

"Right! Today is a time of celebration, so we should concentrate on happy thoughts!"

She flashed a grin at Kris. "Where would you to go first?"

Kris responded without hesitation. "The Move Deleter. He is a lonely old man, but he does his job without complaint, so I like keeping him company once in a while. Besides, even if he is forgetful, he is otherwise in good health. It will be good for us to see each other again."

Holly nodded, remembering how Kris was so friendly and jolly with Bill's grandfather. Of course she would want to see someone similar.

Would they have the same experience with the Move Deleter? Holly supposed she would find out.

Kris rapidly took the lead towards a small house in the center of the city. The disabled Trainer wasted no time knocking on the door. "Hello, I'm a Trainer here for the Move Deleter. May I come in?"

After a while, a quiet voice answered, "Yes."

Kris pushed the door open, and it responded as soundlessly as its owner. There was barely any light, yet no one flipped a switch. Despite straining her eyes, Holly could hardly see anything.

Did anyone really live here?

Holly was about to ask Kris that question, yet she caught a flicker of movement. A shape limped in the shadows, towards one of the few sources of light. With this, Holly could finally see that it was the shape of an old man.

The man looked like he was crouching and decrepit. Holly wondered if even knew where he was, or what effects the scenery had on his visitors. She could hear the click of a cane on the floor, and now can easily make out the old man's limp. He had long since gone bald, and his clothing looked older than anything Holly had ever seen. She couldn't tell if he just didn't have the money to get new clothes, or didn't care. The man's face looked haggard and worn, with bags under his eyes. Eyes that seemed to remember nothing, yet at the same time held wisdom regarding everything.

Holly blinked, wondering why that was.

However, before she could get an answer, or even a proper greeting, the man stared straight at the two.

"Come to force your Pokémon to forget some moves?"

"Always straight to the point. Happy to see that hasn't changed." Kris muttered.

Holly thought it was odd that the man didn't even say hello, but considering how strange the rest of his house was, she supposed that wasn't unexpected. Perhaps it had something to do with his forgetfulness.

Or maybe it had something to do with his strange power.

Holly knew that the Move Deleter had the ability to make a Pokémon forget any move. He was so well known for this ability that he was only called by his title. Holly guessed he had to have some wisdom despite his forgetfulness if he was so famous that he was known only for his power. She had even heard that the Move Deleter had the ability to make Pokémon forget things called Hidden Moves, and they could not be forgotten any other way.

None of Holly's Pokémon knew any of those moves.

But she wouldn't be surprised if some of Kris's did.

So she boldly took a step forward.

"No, but I'm sure Kris has."

Holly beamed at the disabled Trainer, expecting her to send out one of her powerful Pokémon. Instead, both were drawn to the Move Deleter's gaze. It was as hard as rock, and reminded Holly of Anabel's icy glares.

That gaze certainly had not been there before, and Holly was not sure where it had come from.

Coupled with the darkness, she found herself shaking.

Had they made the Move Deleter angry, and how?

With his power, what would he do?

The Move Deleter's words came out in a chilling tone, but Holly realized it was also laced with confusion.

"Why would Kris need my services if she has no Pokémon?"

Holly couldn't resist her jaw dropping.

What did the Move Deleter mean?

Kris always had Pokémon, and one was standing right next to her!

Was the Move Deleter really just a crazy old man?

Holly screeched. "Are you nuts? Of course Kris has Pokémon! There's one right here!"

She gestured to Kris's Delphox, who was standing to her right. The fateful Pokémon was patiently unperturbed by the conflict, and seeing how it had acted during others, Holly wondered why.

However, the Move Deleter shook his head. "No matter what it looks like, there's still nothing there."

This time, Holly couldn't help screaming. "What?"

But before she could respond again, Kris placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's all right, Holly. I didn't need his services anyway. If he doesn't want to use them, I won't force him."

The older Trainer quickly turned towards the Move Deleter. "I only came to chat, but if you'd rather be alone, I'll leave you in peace."

Holly noticed Kris's voice had a calm aura to it, but she also seemed almost expectant.

If Kris was expecting this, then why did she come here?

But before Holly could ask the disabled Trainer any questions, Kris nodded to her. "Let us go."

Holly was quick to obey, taking a deep breath as soon as they were out of the stifling air of the house.

She could only ask. "What was that all about? It was so cryptic!"

Kris shook her head, muttering. "Perhaps he has just gotten senile over the years."

However, Holly couldn't help noticing hint of doubt in Kris's voice, as if the older Trainer did not believe her own words.

Holly only blinked in response.

What did Kris know that she didn't?

* * *

 **Author's notes**

 **-So, here is the Move Deleter. His function in the games is exactly as Holly describes. One thing Holly's description does not mention is that in some of the games, if the player only has one Pokémon in their possession that knows a Hidden Move, the Move Deleter will refuse to delete the move unless the player teaches said move to another Pokémon. The Hidden Moves Holly is referring to are attacks like Cut or Fly. These moves are used to travel around in the overworld, and thus, they can only be deleted by the Move Deleter.**


	58. Uninvited

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

57\. Uninvited

Holly shuddered, but knew she couldn't let the encounter with the Move Deleter unnerve her.

She couldn't let something like that spoil Kris's birthday, after all!

So she spoke up. "I know the encounter was creepy, Kris, so how about we do something a little more lighthearted? Can you think of any other place you'd like to go?"

Kris's eyes shone, and her voice filled with glee as she rapidly replied.

"The zoo! I've always loved going and seeing the Pokémon there, ever since I was young!"

A huge grin spread over Holly's face, relieved that Kris had gotten over the earlier incident.

"Then, let's not waste any time!"

With that, the two dashed over to Fuchsia's zoo. There were hardly any people here, and Holly supposed most Trainers did not want to waste their time visiting this place when they could be challenging the next Gym.

But Kris didn't seem to care.

Her face lit up even more as she eyed the enclosures, and Holly imagined the older Trainer was reliving her memories of when she first came to the zoo as a child. Kris's laughter rang through the air, and she pointed excitedly at one of the enclosures. Holly stepped forward, taking a closer look.

She could see from the pink body and huge white egg a carried in a pouch that the Pokémon was a Chansey. The Pokémon's eyes glowed with friendliness, and a smile crossed its face as it let out a greeting. Holly wasn't sure if she should reply, but Kris enthusiastically waved back. Holly guessed the older Trainer was reminded of her Blissey, Faith, or the caring Chansey at the Pokémon Center.

Regardless of what Kris remembered, the two continued on.

The next enclosure had a Pokémon with something in its pouch too. But it wasn't an egg. It appeared to be a young baby, eyes staring curiously at the world. The baby's small purple body contrasted with the tan pouch it sat in. And the pouch belonged to another creature, one with a brown rugged body. The creature looked at the world with watchful red eyes, ears twitching vigilantly for signs of danger.

Holly didn't need to read the signs to know what this Pokémon was.

Kangaskhan.

One of the most powerful Pokémon in existence, feared by even top Trainers. It was also one of the most difficult to catch. Holly wondered if she would ever see one outside of this place.

She wanted to observe every last detail, to absorb as much information she could about the rare Pokémon.

Yet before she could take one step closer, Kris spoke reverently.

"Kangaskhan. They can be dangerous if they feel something is threatening their young. And this one seems to be on high alert. We'd best not to disturb her, and move on."

Holly noted, following Kris.

Yet a question lingered in her mind.

What could make Kangaskhan so anxious? It was safe in an enclosure, and almost no one was here!

Yet Holly's thoughts were interrupted as Kris stopped dead. Her face turned white as a ghost. The disabled trainer could do nothing but stare straight at the Pokémon in front of her as though it was a devil.

But Holly could see there was nothing that resembled a devil.

Instead, it resembled a Poké Ball. It fixed the pair with sharp, black, eyes. Holly heard a robotic cry, and swore she could also hear electricity crackling.

Holly narrowed her eyes. Voltorb.

This deceitful Pokémon disguised itself as a regular Poké Ball. Holly had heard many tales of unfortunate Trainers picking them up and shocking themselves. Kris had every reason to be wary of Voltorb.

Yet when Holly turned to face Kris, the disabled Trainer seemed to be looking at something past her shoulders.

She uttered one word. "Levi…"

Holly's eyes went wide.

Levi was the name of one of the spirits at the Pokémon Tower!

And if a Voltorb reminded Kris of that spirit…

Had Levi been hurt by a Voltorb?

Had one been responsible for its death?

Holly didn't get an answer, as Kris quickly shuffled past the Pokémon.

Holly hung her head low, wondering if her attempt at a birthday present was making things worse.

Luckily, the thought immediately evaporated as Kris smiled and relaxed.

She pointed to another Pokémon, and Holly's gaze quickly followed.

However, her face fell when she took a closer look.

The Pokémon didn't even seem to notice they were there. Instead, it had a pink and white tail in a pool of water, and was staring at nothing. The rest of its body was pink too, aside from white toes and a tan mouth. Black eyes didn't even turn to meet the pair as they approached.

Holly let out a sigh.

Slowpoke.

True to its name, Slowpoke was one of the most dopey and stupidest Pokémon in existence! She heard that if something bit its tail, it wouldn't notice for an entire day!

And yet Kris was smiling like a child in a candy shop!

Why did she like this Pokémon again? There was nothing to like!

As if sensing Holly's thoughts, Kris responded. "Slowpoke may not be the most impressive Pokémon, but its evolutions, Slowbro and Slowking, are formidable. They have helped me in battle many times."

Holly nodded, now trying to find some respect for the seemingly oblivious Pokémon in front of them. With all the battles Kris had been through, what she said had to be true.

But Holly had no time to ask, as Kris was already moving on.

The disabled Trainer's smile grew wider.

Holly glanced into the next enclosure, finding two Pokémon that she instantly recognized.

One had a tan spiral shell with a blue body. The small Pokémon glanced up at the pair, black beady eyes studying them curiously. Holly glanced at another Pokémon standing right beside its companion. This one had a brown shell with what looked like two black eyes on it. That did not stop Holly from seeing the two gleaming red eyes on its black body. The Pokémon was held up by a pair of shining yellow claws. It wiggled back and forth of it as it conduted its own analysis of the pair.

Holly knew the names like her own.

Omanyte and Kabuto.

Her mother had read her many stories about the two species when she was younger. One was about an Omanyte and his friends. The other was about a man who had the magical ability transform into ancient Pokémon, just by putting on costumes. Holly remembered those were always her favorite stories when she was little, and she would beg her mother to read them again and again.

But seeing the two in person, there was nothing to brag about.

Instead, Holly stared wide-eyed.

Of all the things she expected to see, she never thought it would be something like this!

Kris chuckled with amusement.

"Fascinated by the Fossil Pokémon, are you? I was too, when I was your age. I still I am, so I suppose you could say I'm a history geek. What a wondrous idea, bringing the past into the present."

Holly agreed, but only nodded shakily.

Could she have a Pokémon like that? She had heard there were fossils in Mt. Moon, but she had only been searching for Moon Stones… Perhaps Kris could give her a fossil…

Unfortunately, the disabled Trainer shook her head.

"I don't have any fossils, and it's been a while since I've had one. I'm sure some could be found in other places, though…"

Holly looks crestfallen, but immediately snapped her head back up when Kris's face broke out into a grin again.

"In some places, these two are worshiped as gods."

Holly cocked her head.

"Gods? Like legendary Pokémon?"

Kris shook her head.

"No, not quite like that. The two are considered to represent order and chaos, and are constant war with each other. According to those who believe in their godhood, humanity is forced into this war, and must constantly choose a side. But this belief isn't something that's widely held, and some dismiss it as crazy. The two are nowhere near as strong as the legendary Pokémon, and there are no reports of any who have been. Besides, gods of order and chaos already exist, so there's no need for any more."

Holly stared again at the innocent Pokémon. She couldn't imagine them being gods of anything! But she supposed they could be, considering a god was a title humans gave Pokémon…

But she had no more time to ponder it, as she followed Kris to another enclosure.

Holly heard something that sounded like a song, and followed the voice to another Pokémon. This Pokémon was also swimming through water, but it was nothing like the Slowpoke. The Pokémon had gentle black eyes that contrasted with a spiky gray shell. It had four blue flippers and a tail that was the same color. Holly could see there was tan underneath, but was quickly drawn to a graceful long blue neck that almost peered over the enclosure. The creature continued singing its song, and Kris only smiled. Holly simply sat mesmerized, the creature's captive audience.

She knew this Pokémon. Almost all Trainers did.

Lapras.

One of the kindest Pokémon in existence, but because of that, few had ever seen one in the wild. Her mother told chilling stories of how more and more were being captured, and there were fears that there would soon be none left. Apparently, there was some operation in Saffron that was trying to increase their numbers, but Holly hadn't seen it. And since Sabrina wasn't part of that operation, she never told Holly anything. Holly heard there was an area in Alola where wild Lapras flourished, but Holly wasn't sure how true that was.

All she knew was that she could stay with the beautiful creature forever.

Kris's grin only grew wider as she stated. "Magnificent, isn't it? One of the many reasons why Lapras is one of my favorite Pokémon."

This seemed to snap Holly out of her trance, and she stared wide-eyed at Kris.

How odd that the gentle and serene Lapras could be one of Kris's favorite Pokémon, when the disabled Trainer was such an aggressive battler!

Kris must've loved all Pokémon! That was why she was such an amazing Trainer!

The Lapras finally finished its song, and Holly resisted the urge to clap. Instead, she followed Kris, smiles never leaving either of their faces.

Yet suddenly, a high-pitched cry pierced the air.

Holly covered her ears, but the grating wail came again.

Holly gritted her teeth.

What was that noise?

It sounded so _twisted._

So _distorted._

So _wrong._

Holly looked towards Kris, hoping the disabled Trainer would give some form of reassurance.

Yet she had simply stopped dead, face as white as white as a ghost.

Unlike with the Voltorb, Kris did not move. Instead, she looked as though she was going to be sick.

Holly wanted to ask if Kris is going to be all right, but thought the better of it.

Instead, it was Kris who spoke.

Her voice was trembling, coming out as a barely audible whisper.

"Go… Go on ahead without me… Please… I will wait right here until you get back…"

Holly nodded, but she couldn't stop herself from trembling.

What Pokémon could be so fearsome that it would terrify Kris like this?

Now Holly _knew_ something wasn't right, but she had no choice but to proceed.

With that, she ran than the direction the sound had come from.

It didn't take Holly long to find the source.

And then she understood why Kris had been so afraid.

The Pokémon was bizarre, but at the same time, terrifying. It lacked the mouth of any sort, yet continued making those earsplitting screeches. It was in the shape of an L, but didn't have any legs or arms. Instead it somehow floated in the air, body light blue with splotches of orange and white. The strangest thing was that the creature lacked skin, scales, or even fur. Holly wasn't sure what it was made out of, but it resembled a corruption of children's building blocks. The creature lacked any eyes, but floated around the enclosure, as though were studying her. Holly couldn't stop shaking, and wondered if she would vomit.

What was this Pokémon?

And why was something like this here?

Holly couldn't help letting out a cry, started to back away.

However, she heard someone else's voice.

"Oh, another person scared off by Missingno."

Holly didn't even hear the owner of the voice walk up beside her until a hand gestured to tear her gaze away. Holly stared at the other person, repeating, "Missingno?"

The other person nodded. "Yes, Missingno."

Holly took a deep breath, taking time to study the newcomer. She appeared to be about her age, with long brown hair. The girl had on a simple black dress and white gloves. Black eyes and shoes matched her dress, and Holly thought she could see a mischievous gleam in the girl's eyes.

Holly wanted to greet the new person, but instead she simply stammered. "You…"

As if she read Holly's mind, the other girl responded.

"June. If the rumors are correct, your name is Holly."

Holly simply nodded, and June continued.

"That Pokémon is called Missingno because the name stands for missing number. A lot of people claimed to have seen it before was officially registered as a Pokémon, but even then, scientists denied its existence for a long time."

Holly could feel her mouth go dry, and managed to choke out. "Where does it come from?"

June replied matter-of-factly. "Off the oceans of Cinnabar, or so the legend goes. Some people believe Missingno is one of the failed experiments there, and that people want it eradicated from the world. Most everyone thinks of Missingno as a glitch though, not meant to exist. But there are a few who think it's one of the gods."

Holly's face turned pale.

This Pokémon was a failed experiment?

People wanted it eradicated from the world?

It was a glitch not meant to exist?

How horrid that someone would treat a Pokémon like that!

But one thing didn't make sense.

Holly found her voice, and shouted. "If it's a god, then what's it doing here?"

June threw her hands up in the air. "Beats me. Perhaps people thought it would be cool to have a god in the zoo. Or maybe they just want to keep Missingno contained due to its history."

"Its history." Holly repeated.

June nodded. "There were many that have tried to become its Vessel. One in particular got very close, but failed. No one knows who this person is, but they say he or she still bears the scars."

It took all of Holly's courage not to gasp at the revelation.

Was the failed Vessel Kris? That would make sense, with her easiness in befriending legendary Pokémon, and her terror around Missingno…

Holly supposed she could ask, but she doubted she would receive an honest answer. With a start, Holly realized that she should get back to Kris. It probably wasn't safe to leave the disabled Trainer alone, especially in a vulnerable state. And since it was Kris's birthday celebration, Holly couldn't be transfixed by Missingno forever…

Luckily, June seem to understand.

"Does this answer your questions about Missingno?"

Holly nodded. "Yes." She hastily added. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have a friend who's waiting for me."

June rapidly replied. "Okay, I will be in the area, so perhaps we can talk some other time. See you later."

Holly responded. "See you."

With that, she dashed off towards where Kris had been without taking another look back.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this is the Pokémon Zoo. It existed in the original Kanto games, but not when Kanto could be visited in the Johto games. Players could head to the zoo to register Pokédex data for various Pokémon, but seeing them here would not count as obtaining them. All of the Pokémon in this story's zoo, apart from Missingno, are part of the zoo in the games. There is one difference, however. In the games, either Kabuto or Omanyte can be seen in the zoo, but not both. Which Pokémon is seen depends on whether the player picked up a Helix or a Dome Fossil from an unavoidable event near the beginning of the game. If the Dome Fossil is picked, Omanyte will appear. If the player picked the Helix Fossil, it's Kabuto. Since the RP made this event optional, Holly picked neither fossil. Therefore, both Kabuto and Omanyte are present.**

 **-Kangaskhan being rare and powerful comes in the games. In the games, it often has a low appearance rate. To make matters worse, it often appears in Safari Zones. For reasons that will be explained later, Pokémon appearing in Safari Zones are often much more difficult to catch than in other areas of the games. Kangaskhan being one of the most powerful Pokémon is because of something that happens from Pokémon X and Y onward. In Pokémon X and Y, Kangaskhan gained a Mega Evolution. This made it so powerful that I quickly eclipsed the many other Pokémon, and rapidly became one of the strongest Pokémon available in both competitive and regular gameplay. Even after the form received a power decrease in Pokémon Sun and Moon, Kangaskhan remains one of the best options available for a player's team.**

 **-Erika reading Holly stories is based off of the anime. In there, she reads stories to a bunch of Trainers and Pokémon inside her Gym. One of the stories she reads is about an Omanyte and his friends. The story about the Kabuto is based off of another scenario in the anime. When the main cast first meets Bill, he's trapped inside a Kabuto costume. Luckily, he escapes with their help, and explains that he has the ability to understand ancient Pokémon just by being inside a costume. The others are amazed by this, but they originally think he's transformed into one. Therefore, making that type of transformation actually happen, and the ability magical wasn't too far of a stretch.**

 **-The comments Kris makes about Kabuto and Omanyte are a reference to Twitch Plays Pokémon. Twitch Plays Pokémon is a series of games (mostly Pokémon, although not all are) that are played by thousands of people at the same time. This is done by using Twitch's online streaming service, a special controller and command system, and a chat room.**

 **Twitch Plays Pokémon has its own interpretation and lore surrounding the Pokémon world. The story changes as new entries in the series are added. One consistent interpretation is that Omanyte and Kabuto are gods of order and chaos, respectively. These two gods wage an endless war, although not everyone is aware of it. However, the player characters, their Pokémon, a few NPCs, and _even some of the players themselves_ are dragged into the struggle. Those involved are forced to take sides, sometimes going against each other. **

**However, the lore of Twitch Plays Pokémon is not accepted by all Pokémon fans. This is why the majority of Trainers in this story don't see the two original fossil Pokémon as gods, and also why some people believe those that do are crazy.**

 **-Lapras's description is based off of its Pokédex entries. In these entries, it's stated that the Pokémon is kindhearted, but is facing extinction. The idea of having a population in Saffron comes from the games. In the Kanto games, there is an NPC that will give the player Lapras when they near the end of the Silph Company building in Saffron. It's not explained where this Lapras came from, but I thought having a program in Saffron would make sense. In the Alola games, Lapras can be found fairly easily and in the wild.**

 **-Missingno is interesting in that it is not an official Pokémon, but is treated by many fans as such. Most of these fans also wanted to be a canon Pokémon eventually. Therefore, it is treated as a canon, but maligned, Pokémon in this series.**

 **The lore surrounding Missingno actually begins before the first games were created. The first generation of Pokémon games were originally supposed to contain 190 Pokémon. However, the final product only contained 151 Pokémon, with the rest making proper appearances in later games. However, the remaining Pokémon were still programmed in to the original games, but as placeholder data. This placeholder data became Missingno.**

 **While Missingno is not meant to be seen in normal gameplay, people found a way to encounter it anyway. If a player performs the Pokémon catching tutorial, then surfs up and down the shoreline east of Cinnabar, they have a chance of encountering Missingno. There is also a chance to encounter many other bizarre Pokémon, such as those that are over the normal level cap of 100.**

 **Run-ins with Missingno can do odd things the player's game. The most notable oddity is scrambling Hall of Fame entries (the Hall of Fame being the place where the player can view pictures of their Pokémon that they have beaten the game with). Interestingly, encountering Missingno causes the sixth item in the player's inventory to increase by 128. This can be repeated as often as the player wants, and a major use for it was to duplicate rare items or those that could only be found once. It is unknown whether Missingno will have this ability in the Traveler series.**

 **Missingno's appearance in the zoo is based off of its default appearance in the games. While the appearance of the story was the most common one, Missingno can take many forms. These forms include the ghosts in Lavender town, skeletons of ancient Pokémon, or even just a square with different colors. The ability to have different appearances will be carried over to the Traveler series.**

 **In battle, Missingno could have a variety of different glitch types. These types would be neutral against every other Type, and the most common was Bird. It would also most commonly be of the Normal type, other could have other types as well. As far as stats, Missingno had a very high Attack stat, but not much else. These stats will receive a massive increase in Traveler. Missingno also had an incredibly varied move set, second only to Mew. This trait will be kept in Traveler. Missingno could also learn a variety of bizarre glitch moves. This glitch moves do not exist in Traveler, other than one particular move that has been turned into an actual Pokémon move. Missingno also has a completely different set of types from its most common incarnation.**

 **Finally, Missingno's distorted cry is taken from a pair of hacks called Pokémon Zeta and Omicron. In these hacks, Missingno was made an official Pokémon with its own custom cry. It also had a custom ability where any Pokémon that made direct contact with it would faint immediately. On the flipside, Missingno had fairly bad stats other than Attack, and a poor moveset. It was also a Normal and Flying type. This Pokémon could only be accessed via a special event, although said event was later patched in so that it could be activated normally when a player reached a certain point in the hacks.**

 **-June is based off of the unused female character in the original Kanto games. The decision to use this character in the Traveler series was a major reason why Holly's character received a redesign. The unused female character would make a proper appearance in the manga Pokémon Special, although said character is completely different from her incarnation in the Traveler series. The unused female character later became Leaf, the female protagonist of the Kanto remakes. The female protagonist of Pokémon Special also used Leaf's design from then on. However, I thought the two females were different enough that they could be separate characters. So that is the case in Traveler.**

 **Another change from the unused female character's original incarnation is her name. Originally, this character had no name. In Pokémon Special, she was given the name Blue. Localizations changed her name to Green. I changed her name again to avoid confusion with the male character Blue. Her localized name is also the same as a possible last name for Leaf and Silver, so I decided not to use it. June is one of the default names the player can choose for the female protagonist in the Kanto remakes.**


	59. Excursion

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

58\. Excursion

Holly quickly hurried back to where Kris was, amazed that she somehow found her way through an area she only had gone through once. Kris was still waiting patiently, looking both expectant and sorrowful.

The disabled Trainer glanced straight at Holly as she spoke.

"You saw it, didn't you?"

Holly nodded, unable to keep from shuddering.

"I did. It's horrible…"

Kris nodded back, her voice suddenly growing cold. "That it is. It's an abomination, an insult to all Pokémon. Even if it is a god."

Holy found herself trembling again for entirely different reasons.

Was Kris one of the people June had talked about?

One of the ones that wanted Missingno eradicated?

That considered it a failure?

That considered just a glitch?

And was this… because she was an unsuccessful Vessel?

Holly blinked.

That _couldn't_ be!

Kris loved _all_ Pokémon!

And this was hardly the place to talk about it! This was Kris's birthday celebration!

Seemingly sensing Holly's distress, Kris quickly replied. "I'm sorry… I have certain… bad memories with that Pokémon…"

Holly tried to smile, but she knew it was probably forced. "Hey, you're okay. We don't have to talk about it anymore. It's your birthday celebration, after all!"

Holly thought that the smile might've been forced, but it must not have been, because Kris also managed a small smile.

"Yes, of course."

Holly's voice rose with glee as she stated. "All right. Where would you like to go next?"

Kris wasted no time replying. "The Safari Zone. It's another place to see Pokémon, and to catch some as well. Plus, the view is beautiful. It's a separate area, but it's still inside the city. So Anabel should still be able to find us."

Holly beamed. "Of course!"

A place to catch rare Pokémon… And a chance to explore the wilds with Kris…

No matter what happened, this was going to be the best birthday celebration ever!

Holly let Kris take the lead again, and the disabled Trainer walked towards a large building to the north.

The building had a bright orange roof, with a green Poké Ball symbol on it. There were stairs looked well-worn, and Holly thought she could see the footprints of the many people who had passed through here.

Yet that only made her more excited, ready to bounce up and down with glee.

If so many people had gone through here, then it must be worth entering!

Yet as soon as the pair stepped inside, Holly was stopped by a voice.

"Hang on, ladies! You've got to follow the rules of the Safari Zone!"

Holly spun around to see a middle-aged man with a severe expression on his face. He was quite a bit taller than her, and Holly could see he was muscular. Even with all her athleticism, she doubted she could take him on in a fight.

Holy found herself stepping back slowly, though she noticed Kris seemed unperturbed.

"Ah, the Warden. It's been a while. I still remember the rules, but I think this is Holly's first time. So she might need an explanation."

Before Holly could object, the Warden looked straight at her. "Listen up, little girl. You can choose to enter the Safari Zone as much as you want, but every time you'll have to pay a fee. Furthermore, the Safari Zone is a special place. You can bring your own Pokémon, but you can't use them in battle. You can't use your own Poké Balls. Instead, you get 30 of our Safari Balls, and that's it."

Holly nodded. She knew that already! Almost every Trainer knew about the Safari Zone! So almost every Trainer also knew about the restrictions!

However, Holly couldn't resist looking a bit confused when the Warden pointed to a bunch of rocks and bait.

"Of course, I won't send you out into the wilds with just Safari Balls alone. You will also be provided rocks and bait, and you can come back for as much of that as you like. A rock makes a Pokémon more likely to run away, but easier to catch. Bait does the opposite. Understand?"

Holly nodded. She had heard something about catching Pokémon with rocks and bait, but she couldn't remember that much off the top of her head. She supposed having the rules explained was a good idea after all.

Holly was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the warden speaking again. "One more thing. Your time in the Safari zone is not limitless."

The man gestured, and Holly followed his gaze to a box of black wristwatches. "Before you head into the Safari Zone, you're required to strap one of these little devices on. These watches will act as timers, and time decreases when you move through the Safari Zone. When you run out of time or Balls, you are done for that attempt. Time won't decrease if you choose to stay in one place, or if you decide to take a rest in one of our rest houses. You can also use them to call us in the event you decide to leave the Zone early."

Holly resisted the urge to scowl.

She had forgotten about this part.

She'd love to stay here forever, but she doubted she had the money to spend.

But a question lingered in the back of her mind.

"What if I need to stay there longer? Like in an emergency?"

The warden's stern gaze did not waver.

If there is an emergency, the wardens can deactivate the watches so that they won't go off or count time against you. However, our Gym Leader, Janine, patrols this area constantly. So it's completely safe."

Before Holly could object, the man held out his hand.

"Are you going to go into the Safari Zone, little lady?" Holly nodded resolutely.

She would, and she would catch only the strongest Pokémon!

The warden responded gruffly. "Then pay up. It's 500 Pokémon Dollars per visit."

Holly quickly produced the needed cash, noting the cheap price. With so many Pokémon to feed and care for, she wondered how the Safari Zone stayed in business. Nevertheless, she slapped the cash into the warden's hand, and almost headed over to the area with the materials.

However, the warden's voice stopped her again.

"What about your friend there? Normal people can enter the Safari Zone, but unless they abide the rules, they will not be able to catch any Pokémon."

Holly's eyes went wide.

She hadn't thought about that!

Kris had plenty of Pokémon, and they seemed very powerful. Therefore, it was unlikely that she would want any more… But if she didn't do as the warden said, then she couldn't get any more Pokémon. And she might not be able to help Holly with catching hers…

Yet, Kris quickly answered that question. "I will participate in the Safari Zone as well. I may be an experienced trainer, but that doesn't mean there won't be a Pokémon I want to catch."

Holly let out a sigh of relief. That made things simple.

However, she thought she heard Kris grumbling about hating dealing with foreign money.

Holly cocked her head.

Almost everything used Pokémon Dollars! Kris shouldn't have to worry about foreign money!

Then again, there were some parts of regions that used their own currency. Knowing Kris, she probably traveled to some of them… So, Holly supposed the comment would make sense.

Still, why would Kris have foreign money on her?

Holly didn't have a chance to answer that question as Kris finally produced the required amount of money and placed in the warden's hand.

She then followed Holly, and the two picked up their supplies.

With the warden nodding in approval, the two headed out the other side of the building.

Once there, Holly couldn't resist gasping.

A huge and clean house stood in front of them, people dashing in and out. Holly guessed this must be one of the rest houses the warden had talked about.

But she had no time to rest.

For there was dark green grass swaying in the wind, almost beckoning Holly to come to it. Holly could hear the cries of many Pokémon, and that only increased her desire to move forward. She registered the sound of running water, and realized that it was coming from a large roaring pond further north. Holly could barely see the tip, and wondered if she would get there before her time ended. But what she could see were areas of planes that seemed to stretch on forever. And some of these areas resembled a gate, so Holly guessed they led to other places in the Safari Zone.

But Holly wasn't concentrating on those other places.

Instead, she dashed towards the west, not even stopping to take a breath as she hit the green grass.

Kris followed, about to say something.

Holly turned towards the older Trainer, but she had closed her mouth. Instead, she simply pointed in front of Holly.

Holly's eyes widened, quickly realizing what Kris had been pointing out.

For there was a figure on the horizon, and it didn't take long for the figure to emerge from the shadows.

A wide grin spread on Holly's face.

For this was none other than a Pokémon.

It looked like a bunch of pink eggs, but the eggs all had eyes and faces. They glared at Holly, and Holly had no doubt they were prepared for battle. Many of the eggs had cracks in them, and one even was split open enough to see the bright yellow yolk. But Holly knew the cracks didn't make them any less powerful.

Instead, she smiled.

This was an Exeggcute. A formidable foe, as Holly had seen many times in Celadon's Gym. It could evolve into something even more formidable.

Holly's grin grew even wider.

To find a Pokémon she wanted so quickly! Things could not be better!

Despite everything, Holly felt her face fall.

Exeggcute had been one of the Pokémon that had been with her when…

She quickly shook her head. No, she couldn't think about that. She had to concentrate on the battle!

Suddenly, Kris's voice sounded in her head.

 _"What will you do, Holly? Even without Pokémon, you still have options."_

Holly narrowed her eyes. "Catch it, of course!"

Holly dug around in her supplies, searching restlessly for an item. Rocks were supposed to make Pokémon easier to catch, right? And she wanted this Exeggcute.

So her only choice was to throw a rock at it!

With that, Holly seized one of the rocks and tossed it at the Pokémon with all her might. The rock hit the front egg square in the head, and it let out a screech. All the eggs were focused on Holly, gazes burning like fire.

Holly hesitated for a moment. Had she made it too angry? Would the Pokémon run away?

But the Exeggcute didn't move.

Instead, blue light appeared in its eyes and surrounded its body. A prickle of dread raced down Holly's spine as she realized this was psychic power. She could do nothing but scream as the opposing Pokémon swept her off her feet.

Holly shut her eyes, trying to use all the will she had to break free of the attack. But she could do nothing, as the rest of her body was frozen in place. Holly opened her eyes, hoping that the Pokémon had lowered her to the ground. But instead, the only thing she could see were six pairs of eyes trapping her within their furious gaze.

Holly shuddered as nausea seized her. She desperately hoped she wouldn't vomit as she floated in the air.

But she couldn't stop her face from going pale.

What was the Pokémon planning to do with her?

Would it hurt her?

Would it kill her?

Yet Holly's morbid thoughts were interrupted as she heard a familiar voice.

 _"Google, nullify with your own power!"_

Holly felt another wave of psychic power grab onto her, and she swore she heard the sound of something breaking as the Exeggcute reeled back in surprise. This time, Holly was able to move her limbs as she was gently lowered to the ground. She quickly stole a glance at Kris's Delphox. Its own eyes still radiated with psychic power, and Holly thought she could see a protective gaze in them.

She blinked.

Holly had almost forgotten Kris still had her service Pokémon. And of course, with their status, the warden would have to let them through.

But what was the disabled Trainer doing?

Holly had been in trouble, but Kris should know that using any Pokémon here was against the rules of the Safari Zone! And seeing as Kris's service Pokémon hardly ever fought, Holly guessed there was some rule against them going into battle anyway.

But before Holly could ask disabled trainer any questions, Kris uttered a simple, cold, command.

 _"Go."_

At first, Holly thought she was referring to the Exeggcute, and the hostile Pokémon still didn't move.

But then she heard a familiar, high-pitched, laugh ring through the air.

Holly froze.

Tulip.

Kris was rapidly surrounded by the familiar strange light, and the disabled Trainer stared straight at Holly's opponent.

Within moments, Holly could see the outline of the Ultra Beast, but it was much clearer now.

And Holly had to admit it was one the most bizarre things she'd ever seen.

All of Tulip's body appeared to be a whitish blue. She lacked eyes, ears, and even a mouth. Yet she must've been able to see and hear in order to respond to Kris's command. Holly wasn't sure how that was possible, the judging the oddity of the creature, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Because there was more bizarreness than lacking facial features.

Tulip had a cap that had various stars on it. The cap also had a light blue rim. Holly thought this was a hat someone would wear on a sunny day, but given the circumstances, she knew it was anything but. Still, why would a creature have something like that as a part of its body?

She glanced further down, hoping to get some answers.

Yer there was nothing but more strangeness.

The upper half of Tulip's body was darkness, but everything else consisted of long tentacles. Two shorter ones waved lazily beside the cap. Another pair waved outward in both directions. The rest of the tentacles hung downward, yet their owner still stayed suspended in the air. Holly noticed there was a pair in the center that looked like legs. But clearly Tulip couldn't walk, as she remained floating in the air in front of Kris.

Holly gulped.

She had heard of Tulip many times, and had seen her silhouette…

But to view her up close and personal was something else entirely…

Holly knew she had not seen anything like this before.

But she did know one thing.

There was no doubt that Tulip wasn't of this world.

And now Holly realized why she kept Tulip a secret…

Why people wanted to run away…

But still, what was Kris doing?

Tulip couldn't fight, and Kris most certainly couldn't either.

Was she putting both of their lives in danger?

But Holly was torn from her thoughts as the Exeggcute screeched. Psychic power once again radiated around it, although this time the power was directed at Kris. The psychic aura surrounded the disabled trainer, but Kris merely closed her eyes.

Holly resisted the urge to scream.

Kris knew she was defenseless!

She knew this couldn't end well!

She was just going to get herself killed!

All of a sudden, Holly heard the familiar sound of something breaking. Instantly, the psychic power disappeared. Holly was once again drawn to the gaze of Kris's Delphox. The Pokémon radiated its own psychic power, a deadly focus in its eyes. In contrast, Kris did not open her own eyes, or even move.

It was almost as if she didn't register that she was free from her opponent's attacks.

Holly wondered if that was the case.

Was the disabled Trainer in deep thought, then?

But Holly was torn from her ponderings as her attention snapped back to the battle.

The Exeggcute had recoiled, but only briefly. It let out a cry as its body glowed green. Within a second, a brown seed appeared on top of the eggs' heads. Quick as lightning, the Pokémon fired it at the motionless Kris.

This time, Holly couldn't suppress a gasp.

This was Leech Seed, one of the deadliest Grass Type attacks!

And Kris was about to get hit with it!

Holly clenched her fist.

Why didn't Kris move?

 _Could_ she, even?

Yet that question was answered, as Kris calmly opened her eyes. Instantly, she was surrounded by psychic power. The disabled Trainer suddenly disappeared in a flash of white light, and the Leech Seed attack hit nothing but empty ground. Kris rapidly reappeared far from where her opponent had attacked. Her eyes were hard, but there was no hiding the smirk on her face.

Holly nodded. Service Pokémon or no, Kris's Delphox would protect her! It had gotten her out of danger before, when it saved her life in Rock Tunnel. There was no reason it wouldn't do something like that again!

But then, why was Kris putting everyone in danger in the first place?

She knew she couldn't attack back, unless she wanted to break the rules of the Safari Zone.

And why was Exeggcute suddenly attacking Kris, when Holly was the one that provoked it?

Before Holly could mull over these thoughts, Kris's voice sounded in her head.

 _"You've seen this before. You know what you must do."_

Holly's eyes went wide. _"What do you mean? I've never seen this before!"_

Kris responded with only a simple, harsh, command. _"Think back."_

Holly shut her eyes, trying her hardest to remember.

When she had last seen Tulip, it had been with those Mightyena near Vermillion…

The Mightyena…

There was something they had said to Kris when Tulip appeared…

 _"You… You're one of us... You have that look… Why are you traveling with humans? Why do you take human form?"_

Holly's eyes shot open, they widened, and she stifled a gasp.

One of them…

Having the look…

A Pokémon traveling with humans, in human form…

That's the same thing Exeggcute was thinking, and Kris was using that to her advantage!

Kris resembled a normal human when she was alone, sure.

But when Tulip was summoned, there was no doubt that she was part Pokémon.

And if an opposing Pokémon saw another that threatened its territory, it would feel like it would have no choice but to fight.

And since that's what the Exeggcute saw Kris as…

It would fight normally.

But then, why did Kris want the Pokémon to fight like they usually did? Surely keeping Holly safe was enough?

Yet Holly rapidly got her answer as she heard Kris's voice through her head again. _"Quick, Holly, throw the Safari Ball at it while it's distracted! The enemy can't dodge your strikes and fight Tulip at the same time!"_

Holly nodded, glancing straight towards the Exeggcute.

The Pokémon was glowing yellow, about to launch another attack. Kris stood with resolute eyes, but Holly thought she could detect a hurried look. Rapidly, Holly grabbed one of her Safari Balls, and launched it towards the Exeggcute.

The stunned Pokémon never even saw the Ball coming as it was sucked into the capture device. Holly waited, Safari Ball falling to the ground and shaking. She was aware that every part of her body was tense. Holly wondered if Kris felt the same. After all, if the Pokémon broke out of the Ball, the disabled Trainer would be on the front lines.

Yet Holly let out a huge sigh of relief as the center of the ball flashed red.

The Exeggcute was caught at last.

Holly flashed a grin, picking up her new Pokémon.

Kris copied the countenance, Tulip disappearing back into the disabled Trainer's body.

"Congratulations on the catch. And since I'm here, would you like to swap someone in your party with that new Pokémon?"

Holly's eyes went wide.

She knew Kris could train Pokémon in PC boxes, but she could switch them out, too? Did this mean she was going to hang onto whatever Pokémon Holly gave her until they got to the city? Somehow Holly doubted that.

As if she was reading her thoughts, Kris spoke. "Swapping new Pokémon immediately into a full party is a relatively recent feature of PCs. Since I have access to yours, I have access to that as well. So I can send whoever you choose to swap out to your PC right away. And remember that any Pokémon you give to me is trained while they are away, so you do not need to worry about them falling behind."

Holly nodded, and her smile widened further.

She knew _exactly_ who she would store.

Rapidly, she grabbed Growlithe's Ultra Ball and tossed it to Kris.

"With Torracat here, I have my fire back. So I don't need Growlithe right now."

Kris nodded, easily catching the Ball. "Well spoken."

At her words, Growlithe's Ultra Ball disappeared in a flash of light. Holly didn't know where it was going, but she knew it was headed to a place where it could become stronger.

And she already knew how to make her new catch become stronger.

With that, she dropped Exeggcute's Ball onto the ground. The Pokémon appeared in a white flash of light, but its eyes still glared at her. Yet the Pokémon didn't move. Holly figured it knew better than to try anything against the trainers that had subdued it.

Especially with what Holly was about to do next.

She dug around in her pocket, coming out with a long buried relic. The gray color was instantly recognizable against the scenery of the Safari Zone, and the leaf was still as green as the grass.

Holy dropped the stone into the center of the Exeggcute, and averted her gaze as bright white light surrounded her new Pokémon. She managed yet another smile.

Who knew that helping out someone with a wild Pokémon battle and receiving a Leaf Stone would come to this! Plus she had heard some Exeggcute could evolve into dragons. How fortunate she would be if she had something like that!

When the light cleared, Holly glanced at her new Pokémon. She couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed that this was not a dragon, but this was quickly replaced by glee.

The Pokémon before her was quite formidable, so not being a dragon didn't really matter. The new Pokémon almost looked like it was dancing as it moved its two feet back and forth. The six eggs that transform into yellow coconuts, and together they formed a wide grin. The Pokémon had grass sprouting on its head, and the rest of its body had turned into a brown trunk.

Holly pumped her fist in the air. This Pokémon would serve her well, because it was the powerful Kantoian Exeggcutor. With this, she could easily take on the next Gym Leader, her mother, or anyone else!

Kris nodded approvingly, and Holly beamed back.

Just as the pair turned to leave, they heard another voice from behind them. Holly cringed as she recognized who it was.

The sound of pounding footsteps was as unmistakable as Anabel yelling.

"What did you two think you were doing?" She screeched as she halted alongside them.

Holly shot a scowl at the woman.

Why did Anabel always have to ruin everything?

Holly put her hands on her hips. "What does it look like?"

Anabel simply threw up her hands. "I looked everywhere for you! Why did you go into the Safari Zone without telling anyone?"

Kris suddenly stepped up, the disabled Trainer's voice cold and emotionless. "The Safari Zone is within city limits. And we weren't very far into it. Besides, I'm an adult, I already have a monitor, and this is my birthday celebration. I don't need you telling me where I get to go."

A smirk appeared on Holly's face. That would show Anabel she couldn't control everything! And Kris was absolutely right!

But it only served to make the woman angrier.

She screamed back. "I've no idea how someone as heartless as you became a master Trainer!"

Holly's eyes blazed with rage.

Heartless?

How could Anabel say that?

But before she could open her mouth, the woman continued. "I may have been too far away to help with the battle, but I know what you did, Kris. What were you thinking? Using Tulip as bait for a wild Pokémon? She could've been _killed!_ You _both_ could have been _killed!_ Don't you care about Tulip at all?"

Kris's eyes grew hard as she replied. "Of course I care. But what else was I supposed to do? Holly was in danger…"

Anabel's eyes blazed with fury as she responded. "You could have had your service Pokémon help out and run away. That would have been more appropriate! And besides, what you did violates the rules of the Safari Zone!"

Holly scowled even more.

Who was Anabel to decide what was or was not appropriate. Besides, if Kris broke the rules, someone would tell her!

Yet the disabled Trainer remained calm as she responded. "I didn't break the rules of the Safari Zone, because Tulip did not truly fight. Furthermore, why would I waste a perfectly good catch?"

Anabel's eyes went wide.

"A perfectly good-" She then stopped herself, trembling with rage.

"Is that all Pokémon are to you? Prizes to be won? Catches to be made?"

Holly clenched her fists. That wasn't true! Anabel should know that by now!

Yet before Kris could respond, Anabel screeched. "Is Tulip nothing more than a tool to you, being sent into battle when you knew she couldn't fight? Are _all Pokémon_ nothing more than tools to you?"

Her own eyes blazing with fury, Holly stepped forward.

She had to end this, before Anabel's madness went any further!

But before Holly could say anything, she was alerted to something happening on her wrist. Kris was alerted as well. Upon looking at her own wrist, the disabled Trainer's eyes went wide with alarm.

She and Holly both glanced at each other, but neither needed to say anything.

The message was perfectly clear.

The watches had stopped.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this is the Kanto Safari Zone. It is the same in the games as it is in this story, with a few exceptions. In games the player gets 500 steps (600 in the remakes) to walk Safari Zone. If they run out of steps, they are automatically taken to the entrance. I changed it to wristwatches and actual time here because of that that would make more sense. Also, in the games, steps are still subtracted when a player goes into a rest house. I changed in the story so that the rest houses would be useful (as they don't serve a function in the games). I also thought it would make sense, because several NPCs are seen inside the houses, and it's implied it's not subtracting from their time. Janine patrolling the Safari Zone is based on a line about Koga from the games. One person mentions that Koga patrols the Safari Zone to make sure it's safe for anyone to enter. Since Janine is the Gym Leader in this story, she does the job instead.**

 **-The Safari Zone Warden is based off of an anime exclusive character called Kaiser. He's the warden of the Safari Zone in the anime, and looks exactly as Holly describes. Kaiser is known for being aggressive, and trigger-happy with his gun. Infamously, one of the things he does is point his gun at Ash. It was meant to be used for comedic effect, but unfortunately, localizers realized this could have some unfortunate implications. Therefore, Kaiser's anime episode was never released outside of Japan. Here, he doesn't have his gun, mainly because at the time I wrote this chapter, I wasn't sure what place guns had in the Pokémon world (e.g. how useful they would be versus using Pokémon). I have a better idea now, though, so Kaiser will most likely have his gun in future books.**

 **-Holly's confusion with for money comes from the games. In the main games, every transaction is made with Pokémon Dollars. This is regardless of the region the player travels to, hence Holly's comment that everyone uses it. Pokémon Dollars was originally yen in the Japanese releases of the games. However, it got switched for the international releases, and most players now associate Pokémon Dollars with the currency in the Pokémon world. However, many of the side games use a different type of currency, depending on the game. What currency Kris is referring to will be revealed in a later chapter.**

 **-So this is what I'd planned to use the Leaf Stone for that Holly received in the beginning of the RP. Exeggcute is a pretty powerful evolutionary line, but has bad stats and moves in base form. Therefore, Holly evolves it immediately. The comments about some Exeggcute evolving into dragons comes from the games. If an Exeggcute evolves in the Alola games, it will evolve into a Grass/Dragon Pokémon, rather than a Grass/Psychic one.**

 **-The idea of a Pokémon attacking someone that throws a rock at it comes from my own interpretation. In the games, Pokémon will never attack the player no matter how many times that the rocks of them. However, I thought that made little sense. It's especially confusing considering in other media, namely the anime, Pokémon have been shown attacking if rocks are thrown at them (although it's worth noting that this took place outside the Safari Zone). So I had a Pokémon attack here. And there is also chance to learn a little bit more about Tulip, as passive as she is.**

 **-New Pokémon being swapped into a full party comes from the games. Starting with Pokémon Sun and Moon, the games will give the player the option to swap new any catches with the Pokémon in their current party. However, this option will only be available if the party is full when another Pokémon is caught. If the party contains five Pokémon or less, the new Pokémon will still be added to the party automatically.**


	60. Ruthlessness

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

59\. Ruthlessness

Holly's eyes went wide.

The warden's words came flooding back to her as she realized what this meant.

" _If there is an emergency, the wardens can deactivate the watches so that they won't go off or count time against you."_

So there must be an emergency!

But what could be wrong? Everything seemed fine…

Suddenly, Holly heard a low roar and looked up.

Darkening the skies was a Salamance, and on top of it rode the cloaked figure from before.

Holly smiled and waved at the blue and red dragon.

Had the cloaked figure come to celebrate?

Had she come to warn them?

Apparently, it was neither, as she suddenly gestured in a signal.

Holly cocked her head.

Why would she do that? There didn't seem to be many other people here, and it wasn't like anyone could really see her from sky…

And then the rider changed.

She threw off her cloak, rapidly tying it around her neck. Holly let out a gasp, as she could see the clothes underneath were entirely different. The other person's clothes were not white, but black. Holly noticed that a few parts were red, but most of it matched the other Trainer's short black hair. She realized that the other Trainer had on long white socks, and gray shoes that looked like sandals. Entwined on the other person's left sock was a shining blue bracelet. Holly didn't know what the bracelet was for, but considering the earlier deception, it couldn't have been anything good.

Yet now the other Trainer was doing something puzzling.

She appeared to be poking herself in the eye.

Holly cocked her head, having no idea why the other person would hurt herself deliberately.

That was, until Holly could see something sunlight shining off something clear and transparent.

The other Trainer instantly let out a sigh of relief, and at last she turned to face the group.

Holly shuddered.

The Trainer's eyes were no longer bright blue, but were now a fiery red.

Holly couldn't resist flinching back from the gaze.

Contacts.

 _Of course_ the other Trainer had worn those. Holly had heard contacts had become so sophisticated that they could make someone's eyes look completely different from what their natural color was.

Suddenly, Holly saw Kris tense. She heard the disabled Trainer mutter one word.

"Zinnia."

Holly's eyes quickly went wide. Kris had said another word when the three first met the cloaked figure.

Had that been Zinnia's name?

Rapidly, Holly's mind whisked her even further back.

There wasn't much she wanted to remember about what Malva had said.

But she did remember one thing.

" _And the other… The dragon girl, the one named Zinnia… She disgraced herself by refusing to accept her defeat against Hoenn's Champion, and then on top of that, turned traitor."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

If Zinnia had turned traitor, then did that mean…

Holly did not have time to finish her thoughts as Anabel shouted.

"Rebels!"

Yet as soon as Anabel said the word, it seemed that only brought bad luck.

A blinding light flashed in the air. Holly saw the ground turn a bright yellow, radiating with crackling electricity. The force nearly swept her off her feet, and she wished desperately she could block out the buzzing sound. But it was no use, and the noise of electricity surged through her ears. Holly couldn't stop her hair from standing on end, and she thought she heard something burning.

Before Holly could see where the burning object was, a cry that sounded like a rooster pierced her ears. Holly let out a screech at the noise, but no one seemed to hear. Shakily, she looked up, and her eyes zeroed in on a familiar face.

June.

The girl had been so friendly at the zoo…

The one that had explained the origins of Missingno, without a hint of prejudice or fear…

The one that talked about the Vessels so easily, when no one else had…

To think that someone like her was one of Silver's rebels…

It just didn't seem possible!

But what was even more difficult to understand was the Pokémon June rode on.

The Pokémon was unlike anything Holly had ever seen. Yet it clearly radiated an aura of power as it screamed viciously. The creature had piercing blue eyes with flaming red and yellow hair. Were it any other time, Holly would've admired it.

But there was nothing to admire now.

Instead, Holly only felt fear.

The Pokémon surveyed everything with its black body and hands that looked like claws. It appeared to have two yellow doors on its sides, with designs that looked like teeth. The Pokémon looked like it was from another planet, but no one was acting like that was the case.

 _But still…_

What type of place would have something so bizarre?

Holly's eyes were quickly drawn away from the strange creature as she focused again on June.

June's eyes had turned bright blue, and she adopted a relaxed look. A yellow aura surrounded her, and electricity crackled through the air.

Holly's eyes went wide as she recognized what was happening.

This was the same appearance Malva had taken!

And this was probably the same power she had used!

But did that mean…

June was a Vessel?

And how could someone so cruel be that respected?

June suddenly pointed, and lightning tore through the air. It struck everywhere, causing Holly to jump out of the way. She heard people screaming, and realize there were more here than she thought. Holly thought she heard the sound of more things burning, and wondered what exactly June's Pokémon was laying to waste.

At the same time, Holly heard Anabel snarl.

"Tapu Koko! One of the guardians of Alola! It's supposed to _protect_ the land, not _destroy_ it! What's it doing with one of the rebels?"

Holly shook her head. She didn't know, but if at least she had a name for the mysterious creature.

All of a sudden, a high-pitched cry pierced Holly's ears. A dark shape appeared in the air: a Pokémon. And like before, there was a person riding it.

The other person looked so similar to June the two could've been sisters.

She had dark brown eyes and hair, but unlike June, the other Trainer wore a white cap. Also unlike June, the second rider's clothing was much more colorful. She had on a light blue T-shirt and socks. The rest of her clothing consisted of a light red short skirt, and white shoes with red stripes. Over her shoulder was a yellow handbag.

Holly cocked her head, trying to figure out who this Trainer was.

But Anabel once again answered her question.

"Leaf… Silver's younger sister and second-in-command. If she is here, the rebels are serious."

Beside her, Holly saw Kris tense.

She rapidly remembered what Malva had said about the disabled Trainer. " _You should know better than anyone else what happened to Lorelei. You knew her children, Silver and Leaf, before they fell."_

She quickly glanced back at Kris, but like almost always, the disabled Trainer's expression was unreadable.

Kris knew Leaf when she was an honest Trainer, so she must have seen her become a rebel… What was Kris thinking now? Were her feelings tearing her apart?

But Holly knew that she could not focus on the disabled Trainer, because she would most likely not get an answer.

So instead she got a closer look at the Pokémon Leaf was riding.

It let out another high pitched shriek from a mouth full of gleaming white fangs. Almost all of the Pokémon was grey, and it had a tail forked like a devil's. The creature had two claws attached to purple wings, and Holly could see that its legs were also two claws. Black eyes gazed hungrily at the ground below, as if the Pokémon was waiting to snap up an unfortunate victim.

Holly had heard of this Pokémon's terror only in legends, but she knew it name well.

Areodactyl.

Holly clenched her fists. It made sense of the rebels would have a Pokémon known for being terrifying. But what did they plan to do with it?

Moments later, she got her answer.

Leaf let out a laugh, and nudged the Pokémon with her leg. Suddenly, the Areodactyl swooped towards the ground, hurtling at breakneck speed. Holly thought Leaf would dismount, but she did not. Instead, her Pokémon stretched out its claws, hungry eyes growing even more rapturous in pursuit of its prey.

And Holly realize too late with that prey was.

Because all she could see was the Areodactyl's claws plunging down towards her back.

Holly wanted to scream in terror, but found her voice was frozen.

She had heard stories of an Areodactyl grabbing a little boy and almost taking him away. He had been saved only by the acts of a couple heroic Pokémon. But that Areodactyl had wild, and this one was clearly trained.

So that meant it had the advantage, and Holly stood no chance.

Would she be its next victim?

But before that question could be answered, Holly felt someone slam into her. Instantly, she was knocked to the ground, landing down hard on her chest. Holly could barely breathe, nor could she register the pain of the fall. However, she was dimly aware of the Areodactyl's claw passing harmlessly over her. The only thing it brought was a wind that blew back her hair.

Holly let out a gasp, and turned around to glimpse her rescuer. Her eyes widened to see Kris next to her. The disabled Trainer was also lying on the ground, but she got up quickly. She motioned for Holly do the same, and Holly obeyed. Holly tried to thank Kris, but only found herself trembling with shock. The disabled Trainer nodded knowingly.

Holly blinked, coming to a realization.

Of course Kris would be familiar with Leaf's tactics! Kris knew Leaf and Silver before they became rebels, so obviously she would understand what to do when they struck. And given that she also knew Zinnia, Kris probably was familiar with most of the other rebels as well. Holly wondered if the disabled Trainer could take them all down on her own. Yet given that she hadn't done that already, Holly doubted it.

Holly didn't have much more time to focus on Kris, as the Areodactyl was now flying through the sky again. The unsuccessful attempt at grabbing Holly did not seem to bother Leaf. In fact, she only looked smug. The other Trainer dove again. Her Pokémon went into a spiral as the deadly claws plunged down a second time. Holly could see many people in the Safari Zone running for their lives, but there were others that weren't so lucky.

Holly's ears were filled with screams as the claws tore into flesh. Nausea gripped Holly when she saw people captured within the creature's claws. All they could do was scream as they remained helplessly in the demon's grip. Eventually, the Areodactyl dropped its hapless victims, a trail of blood following them to the ground. More trails of blood could be seen as those who were not as injured tried to flee.

However, their pursuer found them easily, eyes gleaming as it zoomed its targets. The Areodactyl let out a cry that sounded like a cackling laugh. The creature quickly returned to the other terrified civilians. Soon, it seemed like all the grass in Safari Zone was stained red as more and more blood was spilt. When Areodactyl finally emerged from the crowd, Holly could see that its claws were also stained red. She immediately vomited when she realized she could also see the blood gleaming in the sunlight as it dripped off of the creature's claws.

A thought struck Holly, and she forced herself to look up.

If the rebels were so intent on destroying people, then it would be easier to just kill them. After all, dead people weren't going to run off and get help. It would be far less work for the rebels to leave the bodies where they were, and let others clean up the mess. That definitely was not as time-consuming as chasing after injured people.

And yet, Leaf seemed only to be concerned with causing injuries and fear, when she could effortlessly have massacred the entire civilian population by now.

Leaf seemed to be buying time for something, but what?

Holly was snapped from her thoughts as the jewelry on Zinnia's was surrounded in a bright white light. The blinding light quickly engulfed Salamance. Holly averted her eyes, gritting her teeth.

She might not know much about Zinnia or her Pokémon, but she had a feeling she knew what the opposing trainer was doing.

The light cleared, and Zinnia rode her Salamance again.

However, it looked different than before.

Salamance sported two huge brilliant red wings in the shape of a crescent moon. Its blue legs flew behind it, and the white patterns on its stomach had transformed into something that looked like armor. Salamance's blue form was alert as ever, and black eyes glared down menacingly.

Holly clenched her fist.

To think that someone as cruel as Zinnia would be able to use Mega Evolution! What type of Pokémon would bond with her?

And why use it here? This was hardly a battle!

But now Holly could not focus on that, as her attention was quickly directed to more peoples' screams filling the air. Holly realized they were coming from the nearby rest house. Holly's eyes went wide upon noticing some of the inhabitants racing away at breakneck speed.

But among the horror, Holly couldn't help feeling confusion.

Why would people flee from the rest house? They were just running into more attacks, and into the jaws of the bloodthirsty Areodactyl!

But Zinnia seemed to understand, and simply pointed to the rest house. She uttered a single command.

"Dragonbreath."

Her Salamance threw its head back and let loose a stream of green fire. Within seconds, the green fire smashed into the building, and the air was filled with the sound of crackling flames. The rest house became nothing more than a blazing mess, ominously lit up by the green fire. Holly thought she could hear more people screaming, and realized the screams were coming from inside the building.

She couldn't resist vomiting again.

How many people would run out of the building with their bodies on fire? How many more were being burned alive?

Yet Zinnia seemed indifferent about the damage.

Instead, she surveyed the area, looking for something. An annoyed look crossed her face when she didn't find whatever she was looking for, but the opposing Trainer wasted no time.

Instead, she took a deep breath. Her chilling, taunting, message roared above the flames and destruction.

"Come out, Janine. I know you are here. Your people are being destroyed, and, as part of the pathetic League, you can't let that happen, can you?"

Instantly, another voice yelled back. "Damned right I can't!"

Holly realized the voice was coming from somewhere behind her, but she wasn't quite sure who it belonged to.

She got her answer as a lithe figure effortlessly leapt onto the battlefield. Holly thought that even she could be outdone by the figure's athleticism. Holly shuddered thinking about how strong the other person might be in combat, and guessed that this was Janine. She noticed the newcomer's eyes were blazing with rage.

Surprisingly, Janine did not seem that much older than Holly, and she was definitely younger than Kris. Purple hair matched vibrant purple eyes, and Holly could see more purple on her wrists. Almost all of the Gym Leader's other clothing was black, aside from a red cape. Holly saw she only wore socks, and wondered how she didn't slip on them or get them wet.

Holly now noticed there was a Pokémon floating alongside Janine, and took a moment to study it. The Pokémon had bright pink wings and some purple on its body. Oversized black eyes peered curiously as they supported a fluttering, cream-colored body.

Holly nodded. A Venomoth. A favorite of Janine's, or so Holly had heard.

Regardless, Holly could not focus on Janine, as she registered the steps of other people running up. Within minutes, around thirty people stood behind Janine. Holly recognized one of them as the stern warden from before. He still kept his cold countenance, a Poké Ball at the ready. Holly wondered if the warden had sounded the alarm, while Janine realized what was happening ahead of time and had called for backup. Regardless, each of the Trainers had rage blazing in their eyes, and Holly knew they would fight to the death to defend their homeland.

Janine stepped forth, and her voice rang out clearly.

"Stupid rebels! On my honor as Fuchsia's Gym Leader and a Trainer of the League, I cannot allow you to continue harming the people of the city!"

Janine's voice then became dangerously low as she stated. "But this should be easy. There are only three of you, even if you are some of the best."

Zinnia let out a sneer. "Only three of us, you say?"

With that, Leaf's Areodactyl swooped down again, and Holly wondered if it was about to make another grab. Instead, Leaf jumped off her Pokémon, rapidly landing on the ground.

She motioned again, and Holly heard movement.

A prickle of dread anger ran down her spine as she realized who the movement belonged to.

More people appeared, and they all had the same vicious glares as the three in the sky. Holly guessed the reinforcements must have been rebels, and there was at least double the amount of people that Fuchsia had.

One in particular had Holly trembling with fury.

It was a familiar man in black, face still obscured by his black mask. He locked eyes with Holly, and she thought she could hear a sneer.

This was the thief from Pewter! And she'd let him get away, only for him to be part of the rebels!

Perhaps he was a veteran member, because he looked a little bit older than the others there.

Or maybe he had joined after Holly had tried to catch him, realizing that the going had been getting rough and he couldn't survive on his own.

Or perhaps he had always been a member, stealing in defiance of Pewter's authority.

Whatever the case, Holly was sure of one thing.

There was no letting the thief get away this time.

Yet Holly's attention was drawn back to Janine as the Gym Leader scowled.

"Curses! We've walked right into a trap!"

She rapidly turned her fiery gaze onto Holly and the others.

"You three! Get out of here while you still can! This battle will be bloody!"

Anabel fiercely shook her head. "As a member of the International Police Force, I cannot allow the rebels to run wild!"

Holly stepped up, voice brimming with confidence. "I can't let those bullies have their way! I'll fight too!"

She's only heard Kris's sharp voice in her head. _"No, you won't."_

Holly was lucky no one could see her glance of annoyance. _"What? Why not?"_

Kris firmly replied. _"These Pokémon are incredibly powerful, Holly. And many of these people are trained to kill. You won't stand a chance against them."_

Holly resisted the urge to throw up her hands.

" _What you want me to do? Hide in town? It's not exactly safe there either, you know!"_

" _No, fight, but only to defend yourself. I'm staying here as well, so I will try to protect you as best I can."_

" _All right then."_ Holly hoped Kris would not notice the reluctance in her voice. How dare she be shoved aside and told to fight only to defend herself! She was plenty strong enough!

But she supposed to being told to fight only to defend herself was better than not being allowed to fight at all. And she didn't dare question Kris anymore. The disabled Trainer knew most of these rebels, and she herself possessed great power. It was obvious that she knew what she was doing.

And now Kris took a step forward, voice even.

"You know I am. You know my strength. And you know that I will gladly give everything I have to protect all innocents."

Her blue eyes became determined and focused, and Holly found herself trembling for entirely different reasons.

Is this what Kris was like as a vigilante? Was this what Holly would see today?

Leaf shook her head, tone mocking. "Trying to protect civilians already? _How cute!_ Well, Janine, you cannot run or escape. What will you do?"

Janine gritted her teeth, but her voice was full of defiance as she answered.

"We will fight to the end!"

Leaf nodded. "All right."

She quickly turned to Zinnia, patiently waiting for some sort of signal.

But before anyone could do anything, a deafening roar sounded in the distance. The others barely had time to react as a Pokémon jumped on to the left side of the battlefield. It let out another roar, and Holly resisted the urge cover her ears.

The Pokémon was still far away, so Holly couldn't really see much. However, the creature looked like a silver lion. Holly racked her brain, trying to figure out what Pokémon that was.

However, she could come up with nothing.

That is, until Kris whispered a name.

"Solgaleo? What's it doing here?"

Holly blinked.

She didn't even know what a Solgaleo was, but judging from Kris's reaction, it must have been something important.

And like almost all the Pokémon, it had a rider. However, Holly couldn't see much of the rider either. The only thing she could note was that the female rider looked tall, and was probably older. That, and she had dark blue hair.

Holly thought Zinnia might be surprised, but the enemy trainer looked as smug as ever. She cast a glance in the direction of the new Pokémon and rider.

"Well, this is interesting. Come to assist us in taking out this trash?"

The blue haired rider hesitated, glancing around the battlefield as if looking for something. Holly hoped she was scouting out the best way to stop the crisis. That she would charge into battle with the silver lion and end it all.

But Holly felt shivers creep down her back as the stranger bowed her head. A light gleamed in her left hand, and Holly knew was from a Poké Ball.

Whoever this stranger was, she was powerful. And she was about to fight against them.

It truly seemed as though there truly was no chance.

Holly suddenly snapped back to the center the battlefield upon hearing Zinnia's voice.

She was still turned towards the stranger, and her voice was still sinister even though her message wasn't. "Thank you. We appreciate the assistance, and you've chosen the correct side."

Holly clenched her fists. _Correct side?_ Was there even a correct side in all of this chaos?

But she didn't have time to ponder that as Zinnia turned back towards the others. A malicious and confident gleam appeared in her eyes.

Leaf rapidly responded as Zinnia turned. "We've no reason to wait any longer, do we?"

Zinnia quickly shook her head. "We don't."

Holly felt the blood drain out of her face as Zinnia chillingly uttered a single word.

"Attack."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this is these are some of the rebels that were talked about before. A couple notes about their teams. Zinnia's Mega Salamance is based off of her team in the games. In the games, Mega Salamance is her strongest Pokémon. Leaf has never been shown with the team for own, so I made one up for her. June does have a team of her own, but that is only for her Pokémon Special incarnation. Since the Traveler series isn't using that incarnation, I made up a team for her as well.**

 **-Zinnia being able to disguise herself and using contacts to make herself look completely different is based off of the games. Starting with Pokémon X and Y, the players customize their character with various outfits they find. Particularly noteworthy is hair and eye customizations. These customizations can make a character look like someone else even if it would not only be feasible. For example, someone with super short hair can go to very long hair in the span of a minute. Characters also can change their eye color to anything they want with only a pair of contacts. This is how Zinnia completely alters her eye color, no matter how improbable that actually is.**

 **-The story Holly remembers about the Areodactyl is based off of the anime. In one episode, Ash gets grabbed by a wild Areodactyl and almost taken away. His Pikachu and Charmeleon tried to save him, but initially fail. Charmeleon then evolves into Charizard to fight off Areodactyl, and Ash is eventually saved by a wild Jigglypuff who uses Sing to make Areodactyl fall asleep.**

 **-Venomoth being a favorite Pokémon of Janine's comes from the games. In almost all her battle themes, Venomoth is her highest level Pokémon. So, I thought it would be appropriate to have it be her main Pokémon here.**

 **-And here's another appearance from the black clothed thief. For those who don't remember, his appearance was in an optional event near the end of Pewter. Since this event kicks off the majority of the story's plot, I wanted the thief to be of a more relevant. Therefore, he shows up as a rebel here.**


	61. Betrayer

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

60\. Betrayer

From then on, everything seemed to move more rapidly than Holly had ever known possible.

The first thing Holly was aware of was Janine screaming. "Defenders of Fuchsia, attack! Do what you can to aid the civilians! To the three others, do what you need!"

The Fuchsia Gym Leader then became a blur as she leapt onto the battlefield. She was quickly lost in the crowd. The forces behind her stormed the area, but they also vanished into the mass of people.

Zinnia thrust out her hand, and her forces charged towards their adversaries. Holly could no longer see the woman with the Solgaleo, but had no doubt she planning to attack.

If she hadn't already.

But Holly couldn't focus on that, as the sound of what seemed like hundreds of Poké Balls flying through the air filled her ears. The sky was momentarily darkened, then filled with blinding white light as countless Pokémon emerged. Holly couldn't pick out any particular Pokémon or who each Pokémon belonged to within the mass of creatures.

It was so loud she thought she might go deaf. The screaming, snarling, and roars of battle pierced her ears. Holly could hear more electricity being launched and more things burning, along with the shrieks of the demonic Areodactyl. She guessed the leaders of the rebels had taken advantage of the confusion to launch more attacks. From what it sounded like, they were probably winning.

But Holly still scoured the battlefield, eyes narrowed. She didn't dare lose her focus for long, on the lookout for one person.

At last, she found him.

The thief in black was standing near the rebels, a complacent look on his face. It was as if he expected not to put much effort into the fight. Given how it was going, Holly thought he was probably right.

But she couldn't ignore a monster she'd failed to defeat before.

Holly would have gone after him, if not for the other monstrosity standing beside him.

Holly wasn't sure what Pokémon that was, but she just knew it looked horrible. The beast had four gray arms that did not appear to be attached to anything. Each arm sported golden rings and black claws. It torso looked like a gaping hole outlined by a golden ring. The rest of the torso was surrounded by pink, and Holly could see the pink parts had even more holes. One hole sported what looked like a black spike, also outlined by the same golden rings.

Holly didn't know how hands could function if there was nothing for them to attach to. She decided she didn't _want_ to know. Holly also didn't know what type of creature would need that many holes, and felt a little queasy as she tried to imagine what would go in and out of them. And what about the hole in its stomach? Could this creature even eat?

Holly tried to focus on the other parts, but that didn't make her feel much better. Two of the detached hands looked like they were about to grab a pair of rings, but Holly didn't know what the monster planned to do with them. Surely it didn't involve anything good.

The Pokémon had a tail that was forked like a devil's. Although most of the tail was gray, the end of it was pink. The creature lashed the tail around occasionally, as if it was hungry for victims. Knowing the rebels, she wouldn't be surprised if it was. The monster's gray body had pink stripes going down the middle of it. On its feet were golden appendages resembling slippers. Holly could see that golden bands were also around its legs.

But the most sister thing about the creature was its face.

Yellow eyes glared almost manically as razor-sharp teeth glinted in the sun. Two demonic black horns stuck out of the creature's cheeks. It had something that looked like pink hair on its head, although Holly wasn't sure she could call it that. This hair also covered the monster's face, contrasting eerily against its gray body.

Holly shuddered, feeling her body threaten to vomit again.

What kind of Trainer would have such a twisted and distorted Pokémon?

Could that beast _even be called_ a Pokémon?

As soon as Holly had that thought, Kris's voice sounded in her head. Holly thought she heard a snarl in the disabled Trainer's response.

" _That's Hoopa Unbound. It's a more powerful form that said Pokémon can take when a certain item is used. I found it hideous, so I never used it. But my own Hoopa can sense it easily. That's how I knew you were watching it."_

Holly was suddenly jolted back to reality as she remembered the disabled Trainer's service Pokémon. Would they be able to fight? Would she be okay? And what if those Pokémon were injured?

Kris rapidly responded.

" _Service Pokémon are not meant to fight; that much is true. But they're trained to fight in case of emergencies like this. I also have a full team of battle Pokémon ready. Between them and the service Pokémon, I will be all right."_

Holly could only shakily nodded, but was drawn to another deafening roar. A rapid glance told her it had come from the Solgaleo.

Another glance told her why.

Solgaleo's Trainer finally had thrown a Poke Ball, and her own battling creature appeared in a flash of light.

However, this one was even more bizarre than the last.

It must have been three or four times as tall as all the other Pokémon on the battlefield, as it towered over all of them. Almost its entire body was black, with shining light blue eyes.

The creature was clearly a monster, yet the eyes and height weren't the most terrifying things about it.

No, what was terrifying about this creature was its mouth.

It was rimmed with yellow, but looked like a giant gaping hole. Holly thought the creature resembled a dumpster, if dumpsters were the main subject in horror movies. She wondered if it could eat anything, and felt bile rise up in her throat as she realized might find out today.

Holly could see the monster had huge black claws, resembling a crab's pinchers. They dwarfed by surprisingly tiny feet as it lumbered along. Holly could see there was another set of black claws near its head, and they also had yellow tips.

Holly shook, wondering if she was more horrified about what this beast _was_ or confused at what it _could be._

At least, until Kris spoke in a harsh whisper.

" _It's a Guzzlord. Why would anyone have that?"_

Holly cocked her head. "Is it rare?"

Kris nodded. _"Very. It's an Ultra Beast, like Tulip. And that means it's known to a few and that it comes from another world. Not to mention that it's incredibly powerful, possessing the powers of darkness and dragons. So to see one in a place like this is almost unheard of."_ Holly did not miss the tone of concern in Kris's voice, and couldn't stop a look of terror from crossing her face.

If someone as strong as Kris was concerned, then things had to be amiss!

But Holly was drawn away from Kris as Anabel stepped up, face hard as stone.

In her right hand, the woman held a pink Poké Ball. A Luxury Ball, Holly knew.

The woman let out a command that Holly could swear boomed across the entire battlefield.

"Go, Silvally." With that, the woman threw the ball with a strength Holly didn't believe was possible.

A Pokémon appeared in a bright white light.

Were it not for the situation, Holly would've burst out laughing.

She had never seen something so ridiculous!

No, the Pokémon was _beyond_ ridiculous.

It looked like someone crudely glued several different parts of animals together. But they must have messed up, because nothing looked like it matched.

The unnatural Pokémon had a black body, but Holly wasn't sure what it was supposed to be. It also had a blue fish tail, but Holly knew it wasn't any Water Type she had seen. Its back legs were black, with purple markings. The creature's front legs were dark green claws, and Holly was sure it would not hesitate to use them. The rest of the creature's body was white, and it looked almost mechanical. Holly noticed that the Pokémon had a white scruff, and a white tuft of something that looked like feathers. On the creature's head was something that looked like it could've been a helmet, and its jaw had a place that appeared it could fit a CD. There were two red markings below the helmet, and at first, Holly mistook them for eyes. However, the creature's real eyes were black, and they scanned the battlefield attentively.

Holly had to avert her gaze to keep from laughing. Why would Anabel keep a Pokémon that looked that stupid, and where did she even get it?

Holly looked to Kris for an explanation, but noticed the older Trainer's face was completely pale.

The other Trainer's voice came out shaking. _"Lusamine, what have you done?"_

Holly's eyes went wide at the mention of the name Lusamine.

The woman who was strict but motherly…

So much so that Kris had called her mom…

And Lusamine worried about her a lot as she treated Kris like one of her own…

What did she have to do with all this?

Holly couldn't resist asking. _"What you mean?"_

Kris's voice was still shaking as she replied, but Holly felt like it was for a different reason.

"Silvally is an artificial Pokémon, created by man to mimic the powers of Arceus. _Unfortunately, that didn't work out too well, leading to the creature you see here."_

Holly cocked her head, responding confusedly.

" _But who would make such a creature, and why?"_

Holly was hoping Kris wouldn't see her shudder. She had a feeling she already knew the answer.

Nevertheless, Kris responded in a hard tone. _"Lusamine."_

Holly resisted the urge to gasp. Does that mean Anabel had connections to Lusamine? Secret connections that no one knew about?

Kris's tone became even harder as she continued talking.

" _As for why… Sillvally is known as the Beast Killer, because it was created for one reason only."_

Holly couldn't stop the fear from creeping into her voice. _"Beast Killer… You don't mean the reason Lusamine created it was to…"_

Kris responded sharply. _"To subdue and destroy Ultra Beasts."_

The other trainer shut her eyes. _"Ultra Beasts like that Guzzlord out there now. Ultra Beasts like Tulip."_

Holly clenched her fists.

Anabel made in no secret that she was hostile to Tulip, and that she would do anything to utterly obliterate her if the Pokémon so much as _thought_ about acting up. Not to mention Anabel didn't seem to consider anyone else's feelings!

Including Kris, the one she convinced to travel with them in the first place.

The person who Anabel claimed to care about, but didn't seem to understand that the whole journey was making Kris miserable.

Holly felt a bitter taste rise up in her mouth, and had the urge to spit on the ground.

All of this was so despicable!

Holly screeched. _"Why would Lusamine create something so horrible? She claims to love all Pokémon!"_

Kris's stone hard tone did not waver. _"From what I heard, she originally had good intentions. At first, Silvally was created to keep Aether's researchers safe as they ventured into Ultra Wormholes. But I'm guessing encounters got more hostile, and then the Pokémon were required to kill. As far as I'm aware, one of their important researchers was also lost there, so that probably influenced Lusamine's decision to be more aggressive."_

Holly found her own voice trembling, unable to stop the question she suspected she already knew the answer to.

" _Do you think that Lusamine gave Anabel that Pokémon? Was that her confidential business?"_

Kris's voice also trembled. _"I don't doubt it. Even though Silvally is more well-known to the public now, it's still very rare. The major facility that houses and breeds them is still the Aether Foundation. The Foundation is still very careful about who they give one of their Pokémon to. This is because, despite the way it looks, Silvally is one of the legendary Pokémon. Therefore, it is considered a god and something that needs to be protected. So, Lusamine would be the one that would be most likely to give it to Anabel, and Anabel would need a valid reason to own one."_

The older Trainer hesitated, and when she finally spoke, her words came slowly.

" _And as far as those two are concerned, using Silvally to destroy Tulip if either of us go out of control is a valid reason. In the end, it's just cleaning up a failed experiment."_

Holly gritted her teeth.

A failed experiment…

Was that all Kris saw herself as?

Was that what Lusamine and Anabel saw her as?

Anabel, Holly could understand, but Lusamine…

Lusamine had taken Tulip in without question…

She had done everything she could to make the Pokémon comfortable, even though Tulip was a complete stranger…

Lusamine had searched tirelessly to find a way to bring Tulip home, and when that didn't work, she was willing to pursue an alternative…

She had taught Tulip everything she knew, determined that the Ultra Beast could use her powers for the good of all…

And in the end, Lusamine had allowed her to fuse with Kris, creating a bond between people and Pokémon that was unlike any others ever seen…

Possibly even creating an entirely new being…

One that she loved very much…

And yet, now Lusamine was desperate to destroy one of her own creations with another…

What would make her do that?

Was that love all fake? Was it all acted?

No, any emotion that ran that deep could not be fake or acted. Anabel must've forced Lusamine into this.

Holly gritted her teeth.

Just how many people was Anabel willing to hurt in her madness?

Kris's voice came in, still trembling. _"Lusamine, what did you betray me?"_

Holly finally realized what was trembling in Kris's voice.

Rage.

Holly nodded. Kris had every right to be angry, but the anger was directed at the wrong person.

So she responded. _"Lusamine didn't betray you. Anabel coerced her into this. It is Anabel who is the betrayer. She betrayed us both."_

This time, there was no hesitation in Kris's sharp reply. "Anabel the betrayer. It suits her."

Holly quickly responded. _"I know, right? And she has betrayed not only us, but everything she claimed to stand for. Everything a Trainer stands for. She thinks she can get away with it, but we know who she really is. And we're the only ones who know."_

Holly heard her own voice trembling. _"That's why we're the only ones that can stop her."_

Kris nodded. _"Indeed. But for now, we wait. If we rush into this blindly, we're as good as dead."_

Holly nodded, and Kris's voice disappeared from her head.

Holly thought about turning back to the battlefield, but didn't right away.

Because, she decided, it didn't matter.

The rebels, Team Rocket, even her mother…

All those things were secondary to her true mission.

And that was stopping Anabel.

Anabel the betrayer.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Anabel makes her move, and Holly and Kris try to stay one step ahead…**

 **-Biggest thing in this chapter is Silvally. It's both different and similar to its game counterpart. In the games, Silvally's creation is a bit different. Lusamine's husband disappeared studying Ultra Beasts before the events of the Alola games. As a result, Lusamine developed a hatred of Ultra Beasts, and swore she would do anything to get her husband back. She created a creature that was supposed to have the powers of Arceus and could destroy Ultra Beasts, dubbing it the Beast Killer. Unfortunately, that didn't work out as planned, and the result was Silvally's pre-evolution, Type Null.**

 **-Type Null remains frozen in Lusamine's lab in the Aether Foundation for several years. Eventually, it is rescued by her son, Gladion as he runs away from home. He proceeds to use the Pokémon in battle, eventually evolving it and naming the new form Silvally. In the games, there are only three Type: Null in existence. One is with Gladion, and another is given to the player after the main game is completed. What happens to the third is never explained. Also, despite everything that happened, people still don't really know of the Pokémon outside of Aether.**

 **-In the Traveler series, things are bit different. Since Lusamine is benevolent, Type: Null and Silvally were created for different purpose. Furthermore, there are many of their kind, rather than only three. The public knows more about them, although still not as much as other Pokémon species. Also, in the games, Silvally cannot breed. In this series, it can. The reason for this is because of some confusion among players when it was first released. Silvally was revealed not be able to breed, but players could not understand why. A few months later, it was revealed that Silvally was a legendary Pokémon, and that was why cannot breed. It still made players annoyed, however, so I changed that here. Story wise, I thought it made sense because having more of them and greater access to the public meant that the Aether Foundation could perfect Silvally's breeding capacities.**


	62. Slaughter

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

61\. Slaughter

Holly narrowed her eyes, keeping a close watch on her target.

Anabel didn't seem to notice, or perhaps the betrayer didn't care. She held a pink and purple disc in her hand, and yelled to the monster in front of her.

"Silvally, take this memory, and receive the power of the fair folk!" The betrayer then tossed the disc to her monster, and it let out a roar. There was the sound of something clicking into place it caught the item its jaw.

With that, light surrounded Silvally, and it let out what sounded like a triumphant cry. Instantly, the feathers on its head turned bright pink, as did its fish tail.

Despite her concentration, Holly couldn't help blinking in confusion.

Who were the fair folk, and why did Silvally need their power?

As if (or because) she could read Holly's thoughts, Kris's voice sounded in her head.

" _Since it was modeled after Arceus, Silvally has the ability to change its type provided it holds a certain item. Also, like Arceus, the items also change the type of its signature attack. The fair folk are a reference to fairies, since many are depicted as mischievous. It's fitting, since Silvally is now a Fairy type. And Anabel made a good choice, considering many Pokémon here are weak to fairies."_

Holly shook her head viciously.

She didn't think any choice Anabel made was good at this point!

Holly focused again on the betrayer and her monster.

Anabel rapidly shouted. "Silvally, Multi Attack on the Guzzlord, Hoopa, and the Salamance!"

Silvally's front claws glowed purplish pink and it let out another mighty roar. With that, it charged, and Holly couldn't follow its movements.

At least until the monster leapt in the air at its opponent.

Which, to Holly's surprise, happened to be the thief and his Hoopa. Holly wondered why Silvally didn't instinctively go after the Guzzlord, but decided it didn't matter now. The betrayer's monster slashed the Hoopa across the chest. The other creature screamed in pain, but only staggered back slightly.

Holly shuddered.

If the enemy Pokémon could take a powerful attack from such a monster, then it was no wonder Holly stood no chance!

But she wouldn't give up!

Not when there were more evildoers than she could count!

Holly glanced toward Anabel again. The betrayer was grimacing, but not hold the countenance for long. She opened her mouth, preparing to say another command. However, the betrayer's eyes went wide as a purple ball of sludge hurdled through the air. It hit her monster dead on, and the Pokémon let out an earsplitting howl.

Still, it staggered to its feet and glared straight its opponent. However, Holly could see the pain reflected in the Pokémon's eyes, and had a feeling its resolve wouldn't last long.

But where had the attack come from? She hadn't seen anyone launch it…

That is, until Holly was alerted to a white light shining to the left of Anabel. She whipped her head in that direction. Holly quickly stepped back, finding herself trembling.

Near the struggling Silvally stood Leaf. The rebel wore a triumphant grin, watching the battle as though it were a game.

Perhaps it was.

A game that the rebels knew they could win.

Holly still wondered where the light had come from, and got her answer when she noticed a ring on Leaf's wrist.

The ring matched Holly's own.

Holly gritted her teeth, feeling rage burn inside of her.

How could a treacherous Trainer like Leaf obtain a Mega Ring?

However, a closer glance had Holly trembling again.

And it wasn't because of Anabel's wavering Silvally, or Leaf's crazed grin which never faded.

No, it was because of the Pokémon that fired the attack.

This Pokémon walked on short but sturdy legs. The rest of its body was also blue, save for an enormous flower that grew on its back. The flower shone brightly in the sunlight, its bright pink color contrasting against the dark chaos of the battlefield. Supporting the flower was a powerful brown tree trunk, and Holly could see dark green vines between it and the flower. Enormous green leaves could be seen resting in the shade of the flower, but they were still on the creature's back. Holly thought there were so many that resembled a forest, yet she could not focus on them now. Instead, she looked straight into the creature's dark red eyes, taking note of the pink flowers on its head. The beautiful flowers did nothing to diminish the beast's ferocity.

A ferocity with a name she immediately recalled.

One of her mother's most stalwart companions.

One of the most powerful Pokémon at the Gym.

And one of her protectors during her long journey to Viridian.

But it showed no desire to protect now.

Instead its eyes glared viciously, and Holly felt trapped within their gaze. The Pokémon's eyes narrowed as it focused on Holly, and she wondered if this Pokémon knew her history with it.

Or perhaps it was just sizing her up, waiting for the best opportunity to defeat her.

Holly couldn't help trembling more, and wondered if Leaf would fire another attack.

Instead, the other Trainer just smiled and glanced over.

Holly followed the gaze, and her eyes went wide.

Silvally was on its feet, but not for long. Its opponent let out a shriek, and a black, gaping, hole appeared beneath Anabel's Pokémon. The betrayer's monster screamed as it lost its footing, trying with all its might to get back up.

But its opponent wasn't about to give it the chance.

Faster than Holly could track, the Hoopa appeared behind Silvally. A screech came from the betrayer's monster, as its opponent slammed into it. Holly could see the Hoopa pull back, body stained with blood. She realized the blood was flowing from a wound on Silvally's side, being swallowed up by the dark hole. Holly noticed that though the Pokémon remained firm, it struggled to remain standing. The huge hole quickly disappeared, as Hoopa teleported across from its opponent. The blood stained the green grass red, but no one seemed to notice.

Holly glanced at Anabel.

The betrayer gritted her teeth, and held something in her hand so hard that her knuckles were white.

Holly wondered if it was either Silvally's Poké Ball or a healing item.

But it turned out it didn't matter.

Because the Hoopa wasn't finished.

Its hands shot out, wrapping around Silvally's neck. Hoopa seized the betrayer's monster, bringing it close. Silvally's breath came out in ragged gasps as it tried to claw at the opponent's arms. However, its efforts were futile, and the opponent began to squeeze. Silvally's strangled breaths continued, its blood dripping onto the ground.

But that did nothing to dissuade its opponent.

Holly eyes widened. The rebels had probably already killed several people, and now one was about to kill a Pokémon!

Even if though the Pokémon was that of Anabel the betrayer, Holly couldn't deny that was cruel!

Would the rebels stop at nothing to achieve their goals?

Apparently, they stopped at something.

The sound of a Poké Ball going off.

A red flash of light flew through the air, complete with a high-pitched sound. Silvally didn't even have time to register what was going on as the red flash struck it. The monster was completely engulfed in the light, before it disappeared almost into thin air.

Holly glanced toward Anabel, noticing that the betrayer was shaking. She still held on the Poké Ball, but she looked like she could drop it at any moment. Anabel's face had turned pale, and Holly thought she heard the betrayer curse under her breath.

However, Holly didn't feel a shred of sympathy.

She couldn't.

Regardless of whether she had almost had a Pokémon killed, Anabel had betrayed all of them, and was clearly up to no good! She deserved everything she got!

Besides, Anabel was an experienced police officer! The betrayer should have known how to stay calm in situations like this!

Holly shook her head.

She didn't want to look at Anabel!

So instead she turned to Kris. Surely she would be acting appropriately!

The disabled Trainer had no emotion on her face, instead staring straight at the battlefield.

Holly nodded approvingly.

Of course the disabled Trainer was calm!

Anabel should be more like Kris!

Holly jerked her head towards the betrayer again. She was alerted to the sound of Anabel fumbling for something.

The betrayer eventually held a Poké Ball in both hands. Without hesitation, she tossed them onto the battlefield.

Two Pokémon emerged in a bright white light.

One was a tiger, although it was yellow. It had a purple storm cloud on its back, and a blue tail shaped almost like a lightning bolt. The tiger's underside was pure white, along with some of its face. The rest of it was yellow, and there was also what looked like black armor between the beast's eyes. Holly could see something light blue on its mouth, and wondered if it was whiskers. Claws and fangs gleamed in the sunlight, looking like they could tear up anything at any moment. Red eyes pierced the area with their gaze, and Holly couldn't help shivering.

This was Raikou, god of storms. One of the most respected and feared Pokémon in existence.

It was one thing that Anabel had Entei, one of the gods of fire!

But to think she also had Raikou, its companion god of thunder!

Holly blinked, unsuccessfully trying to stop herself from shaking.

Just how powerful _was_ Anabel?

Could she and Kris take her down?

Holly's eyes hardened.

She _could_ take Anabel down.

She _would_ take her down.

It was for the good of all Trainers!

But she couldn't think about that now. Not when the plan had yet to be created!

So Holly instead focused on the other Pokémon Anabel had sent out.

Holly could see a rapturous gleam in its red eyes, and she thought the Pokémon suited the betrayer perfectly. Its blackish blue body looked lithe, and Holly assumed it could easily cross the entire battlefield. Holly could see a yellow circle on the Pokémon's head, and wondered what it was for. She didn't have any more time to wonder as she focused on the Pokémon's gleaming claws. Holly thought that maybe those claws would scratch of the earth right then and there, but the Pokémon still didn't move. Instead, the red feathers all over its body blew in the slight wind, and Holly could see that some of the feathers resembled a crown on its head.

But this Pokémon was no ruler.

No, it was only a savage.

A creature called Weavile.

Yet Holly couldn't focus on the Weavile, as she heard Anabel's voice.

The betrayer gestured to the battlefield.

"Raikou, Weavile, this place has been attacked by the rebels! There are people from Fuchsia defending it, but they are having a difficult time. Please, head onto the battlefield and help as many of them as you can!"

The Pokémon both solemnly nodded, and let out ferocious cries as they charged into the crowd. Holly quickly lost sight of them, but it didn't seem to matter. Pained screams and Anabel's flinching spoke of their fate.

Holly only nodded coldly.

Anabel should've known better. The betrayer really was only out hurt every Pokémon, including her own!

Suddenly, Holly's gaze was directed away from Anabel, and she heard the sound of another scream. Her eyes widened as she realized where it was coming from.

Janine and the rest of Fuchsia's defenders had stationed themselves near the remains of the rest house.

Miraculously, the Gym Leader was completely uninjured, but Holly had no idea for how long. Desperation burned in Janine's eyes, and Holly wondered if she was the one that had been screaming.

However, Holly quickly focused on the others that were not so lucky.

Holly could see Janine's Venomoth fluttering around, eyes restlessly searching for any survivors. However, that search was quickly cut off, as Zinnia's Salamance slammed into the unsuspecting Pokémon from the side. Holly noticed the enormous dragon was without its rider, and figured the opposing Trainer was fighting elsewhere.

It wasn't like the Salamance needed Zinnia's commands.

The enormous dragon pinned down Janine's Pokémon. The Venomoth's eyes widened, and it let out a shriek. However, the Salamance only flashed gleaming white teeth. Holly rapidly looked away as she heard a crunching sound.

She didn't dare turn back to see what it was.

She had a feeling she already knew.

Instead, Holly's gaze was quickly directed elsewhere as another roar filled her ears.

She realized the roar had come from an orange dragon. The huge creature dwarfed its own blue wings and Holly could see its tan underside. Its brown eyes narrowed, focused only on the battle. Holly knew no matter what happened, this Pokémon would fight to the end. And it would fight fiercely.

Because this Pokémon was called Dragonite, and it was one of the strongest in existence. It probably could go head-to-head with Zinnia's Salamance and be evenly matched.

Holly thought back to the wild Dratini Mallory had nearly killed. This was its final form, something it could have become.

But would it have evolved into this? Had it already?

Did the Dratini even survive in the end?

Holly had no way of knowing now.

But she did know who stood by the Dragonite.

Holly saw the warden from before, expression of pure rage on his face.

She couldn't help shivering. The warden had been so intimidating when explaining the rules of the Safari Zone… She couldn't imagine facing him in battle!

But clearly someone was.

June floated down on her Tapu Koko, but she didn't appear to be intimidated at all by her opponent.

Instead, cruel curiosity gleamed in her eyes, and Holly wondered what the rebel was planning.

She soon got her answer.

The warden looked like he was about to command his Pokémon, but June beat him to it. Her eyes flashed blue again, and she was surrounded by a familiar yellow aura. Holly clenched her fist.

The rebels had already done so much damage! What was June planning to do?

Holly could only watch helplessly as the rebel was also surrounded by an orange aura. She thought the aura faintly resembled a Z, and struggled to remember why. However, she was drawn to a glowing ring on June's left hand.

Holly gritted her teeth.

Did this have something to do with Mega Evolution? It didn't seem like it…

The orange aura continued to surround June, flowing downward to her Pokémon.

June's countenance twisted into a grin, and she eyed the warden with a frightening confidence.

However, the warden shook his head, not even conceding an inch of ground. His Pokémon was the same, letting out another roar.

June simply nodded, and Holly wondered what the silent agreement had been.

And then she got her answer.

The entire area turned bright yellow as a huge ball of electricity appeared in June's hands. In an instant, she launched it at the warden and his Pokémon. The two tried to step back, but it was much too late.

Trainer and Pokémon let out a collective scream as the electricity struck their bodies. The pair turned yellow and white as they were surrounded by the power. The two glowed eerily as the electricity held them captive.

Holly expected June to be laughing triumphantly.

Yet the rebel had no expression.

Perhaps she knew she still had a battle to fight.

Perhaps she had killed so much she was used to this.

Or perhaps she didn't even care about her opponent.

Regardless, it seemed like an eternity before June's attack finally let go of its victims. The orange energy around her disappeared, and soon after, the yellow aura. June quickly closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were back to their normal black color.

June glared straight at her opponent, still not having the barest hint of emotion. Coldly, she watched as both the Dragonite and the warden stumbled backward. It took only a second before the two lost their footing.

Thankfully, the warden and his Pokémon did not fall on top of each other, but Holly wasn't sure that was an entirely good thing. As the two crashed onto the ground, Holly noticed that their faces were contorted with pain. She waited for the pair to stir or shout.

But there was nothing.

The warden and his Dragonite were either unconscious, or dead.

Holly had no idea, and she didn't want to find out.

What she did know was that the warden had joined the sea of bodies on the ground. Some were still twitching, trying futilely to get up. Others tried to scream for help, but their voices had long gone hoarse from injury or fatigue. Still others simply moaned, and Holly wondered how much longer that mournful sound would continue. And then there were those that were completely motionless, drenched in blood. Holly wasn't sure if the blood was theirs or someone else's, but it didn't matter anyway. She could see even more people, covered in burns, faces contorted just like the warden and his Dragonite had been.

Holly's heart sank as she saw Janine's Venomoth.

Or rather, what remained of it.

It didn't even look like a Pokémon anymore, its mangled body soaked in red. The vicious Salamance was nowhere to be found. Holly felt bile rising in her throat as she noticed countless bite marks all over the dead Venomoth. She didn't know when the end had come for Janine's Pokémon, but it had probably died in pain and fear.

Holly felt nausea grip her again, and swallowed hard. She couldn't bear to look anymore.

So instead, she looked up.

Straight into the eyes of Janine.

The Gym Leader was still uninjured, but her eyes were wide.

She glanced around wildly, clearly looking for anyone who would still come to her aid.

But there was no one.

Janine's face went white, as did Holly's.

The Gym Leader probably was the only person left of her Fuchsia defenders.

In a battle she was clearly losing.

Against people who wanted nothing more than to murder her.

With no means of escape.

The Gym Leader's gaze suddenly turned resolute, and Holly wondered what she was planning.

But before she could make a move, something appeared right in front of her with a sickening sound.

Holly's jaw dropped. Janine clenched her fist, and Holly thought she could see her shaking a bit.

In front of Janine stood the Ultra Beast Guzzlord.

The monster was without its Trainer, but Holly knew it was plenty dangerous.

Janine probably knew too, as her eyes became frantic once again.

The monster sized Janine up, looking at her like she was a tasty treat.

Holly resisted the urge to scream.

This could be Janine's last moments!

But rapidly, the Gym Leader reacted.

She tossed another Poké Ball, and Holly expected to hear the name of a Pokémon.

Instead, Janine simply whispered the words. "I'm sorry."

Holly's eyes widened. What was Janine sorry for? Was she giving up already?

But Holly couldn't concentrate on that as a Pokémon appeared in a bright white light.

The Pokémon had a red body with red stripes. It had purple and yellow legs, along with what looked like antennae of the same color on its back. In its mouth there were gleaming white fangs, and a sharp horn was on its head. The Pokémon's purple eyes gleamed, but Holly thought she could see flickers of uncertainty.

She couldn't resist frowning.

This was an Ariados. A common Pokémon, and not a particularly strong one. How would a Pokémon like that stand up against an Ultra Beast?

What was Janine planning to do with it? Clearly something.

Holly waited for Janine to give a command.

But Janine said nothing.

Instead, the young Gym Leader's eyes filled with regret as she sprinted away.

Holly's eyes widened. What was Janine doing?

She couldn't leave her Pokémon to get hurt, or die!

Perhaps the Ariados somehow knew how to defend itself…

But before the Pokémon could even move, the Guzzlord seized a hold of it.

The Ariados was dwarfed in the Ultra Beast's enormous black pinchers. Holly wondered if the Guzzlord would crush it to death.

But instead, there was something much worse.

Before the Ariados could even scream for help, the Guzzlord tossed Janine's Pokémon into its gaping maw.

Holly waited for the sickening sound of something being crunched, or maybe something left behind.

But there was nothing.

No sound.

No remains.

Not even any blood.

Just the monster closing its pincher before lumbering away.

Holly shook so much that she was afraid she'd fall over.

Was _this_ what Anabel was afraid of?

A monster so powerful that a Gym Leader had to sacrifice a Pokémon just to get away?

As soon as the thoughts entered her head, Holly shook it.

No, she was thinking like Anabel.

She couldn't let fear control her.

If those monsters existed, then there must be a way to defeat them, so there was nothing to be afraid of!

Besides, Anabel used her fear to demonize other benevolent Pokémon.

Such as Mallory and Tulip.

Even her own Silvally.

Holly's face hardened, as she remembered that the betrayer twisted the god's power to suit her own ambitions.

All because of her extreme fear.

Holly clenched her fist.

Annabel would pay!

Holly was about to look for the betrayer, but was alerted to the sound of Kris's voice inside her head.

" _Holly, look in front of you, as far as you can."_

Holly cautiously stepped forward, noting that Kris was closely following behind.

She narrowed her eyes, trying to see in front of her.

It wasn't long before she saw what Kris had been looking at.

Shadows appeared in the distance.

And they were moving.

It wasn't long until they grew close enough for Holly to see one they were.

These were people, dressed in black. They had a huge amount of red on their shirts, but some even wore a bit of white. However, Holly sensed that they weren't pure. There were a lot of the newcomers, at least as many as the rebels. Somehow, the new intruders all moved as one.

As they grew even closer, Holly tensed.

She had never met these people, yet Holly instantly understood who they were.

Team Rocket.

One of the most nefarious criminal groups in history. And a threat to all Trainers.

Holly wondered why they didn't come earlier, but figured they must have stayed hidden until everyone started fighting. Or perhaps they had just arrived on the scene. Holly decided she didn't care, because all she was sure of was that cowardice was Team Rocket's specialty.

That, and stealing Pokémon.

Holly figured the fiends were planning on stealing the Pokémon of the Safari Zone, while everyone was distracted during all the fighting.

There were plenty of rare Pokémon here, and now would be the perfect opportunity to snatch them from under everyone's nose.

It made sense, because it was the most deplorable method possible!

Holly gritted her teeth.

She _would_ stop Team Rocket, no matter how many of them there were!

She _had_ to!

Those bullies couldn't be allowed to hurt anyone!

But before she could even move, Holly's eyes were drawn to another person walking up. She couldn't see much, other than the person having dark red hair and white clothing.

The newcomer stood at the front of the Rockets, beginning to gesture. The Rockets were nodding, and looked to be preparing something. Holly guessed the red haired woman must've been the leader.

Rage burned inside Holly.

The leader of the force was already giving orders, and no one was doing anything!

By the time someone noticed something, it would probably be too late!

She looked to Kris, hopeful that the disabled Trainer would charge into combat.

But instead, the older Trainer continued looking at the Rockets, as if she was plotting something of her own.

Holly briefly thought she saw a glimmer of recognition and Kris's eyes, as the disabled Trainer stared at the red haired leader.

Holly blinked. How would the disabled Trainer know a leader of Team Rocket? Perhaps they had met on the battlefield during Kris's days as a vigilante…

Regardless, it didn't matter now. _Someone_ still had to stop the Rockets!

But before Holly could take a step, another woman appeared.

Again, Holly couldn't see much. However, she did notice the other woman had long brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. She wore rather unassuming clothing of pink and blue, but Holly figured she must've been a strong Trainer in order to make it here.

She turned to Kris, hoping for more information. But instead, the disabled Trainer stiffened. Another glimmer of recognition appeared in her eyes, but this was far darker than what Holly had seen before.

Holly cocked her head.

What did this woman mean to Kris? Was she really on their side?

Regardless, Holly focused her attention on the newcomer.

The other woman now stood across from the Team Rocket leader. She appeared to say something, but Holly couldn't figure out what. Whatever it was, the message caught the leader's attention. The red haired woman whirled around, now facing her opponent. The Rocket group advanced threateningly, but their leader shook her head.

Instead, the leader waved her hand dismissively, and the Rockets dispersed.

Holly's eyes went wide.

Why would the leader tell her followers to go away? Most members of Team Rocket weren't competent battlers. However, there were so many that they could probably overpower a single woman…

Then again, maybe they couldn't.

Perhaps this was a famous trainer like Kris, one that Holly didn't know about. It would make sense, considering the former's reaction. Not to mention the Team Rocket leader probably didn't want her underlings to get hurt if such was the case. If that happened, their mission would be for nothing…

Besides, the leader probably didn't expect the woman to chase after all of her grunts…

Holly suddenly clenched her fists.

The newcomer _couldn't_ let Team Rocket do as they pleased!

Wasn't she at least going to _try_ to pursue the others?

But the newcomer didn't even look at the fleeing Rockets. Instead, she stared straight at the leader. The brown haired woman held two Poké Balls in her right hand. Without hesitation, she tossed them into the air.

Holly couldn't see the Pokémon clearly from where she was standing, but she could make out some features. There was a bipedal creature with a flaming collar, and what looked like a set of jingling keys.

A Typhlosion and Klefki.

Both strong Pokémon, handled by only experienced trainers.

But still…

The newcomer would probably have trouble with all those Rockets. The underlings were probably hiding now, planning an ambush at this very moment!

Holly _had_ to help her, no matter the risk!

Her face hardened, and she took a step forward.

She heard Kris's voice in her head as the disabled Trainer screeched. _"Holly, wait!"_

Yet Holly ignored the words as she broke into a run. If Kris chose to follow, Holly didn't notice.

Her eyes narrowed, mind focused on a single track.

The distant figures of the Rocket leader and the brown haired woman loomed closer and closer…

And then, Holly heard a familiar roar.

Instantly, she stopped dead.

The roar could only mean one thing, and it was nothing good.

Faster than Holly ever thought possible, Solgaleo leapt towards her. The silver lion kicked up dust as it landed in front of her, blocking her path. Holly coughed loudly as the dust filled her eyes and throat. She thought she would _never_ be able to see anything else!

Yet eventually, the dust cleared.

Holly glanced up, noticing the blue haired woman was still riding her Pokémon.

Holly couldn't see her eyes, but there was no mistaking the chilling tone the woman's voice took.

"You're not going anywhere."

Holly clenched her fists. "Why? Do you still support these rebels after seeing what they did?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I couldn't care less about those spoiled brats. Someone wants you gone, and it's my job to fulfill that wish."

Holly clenched her fists. That was blatantly obvious! The rebels had said as much! She wouldn't let some pompous person with some legendary Pokémon stop her!

Holly yelled. "Well, I don't care what anyone wishes! I'll just destroy you, and all of those who threaten innocent Trainers!"

The woman let out a condescending laugh, and looked like she was about to reply.

However, a high-pitched screech pierced Holly's ears, and her face blanched. She heard the sound of wings flapping, and knew exactly what it was.

The Areodactyl appeared beside the Solgaleo. Holly could still see the fangs gleaming, and there was blood all over the creature.

Holly's eyes widened in horror.

How many more innocents had this creature killed?

But there was no time to answer the question, as Holly heard another roar.

This one was lower pitched, but it was no less terrifying.

Holly thought she would vomit as she registered who the roar belonged to.

The Salamance soared through the air, stopping at the Solgaleo's other side. Holly could still see the blood on the Salamance's mouth, and had no doubt that none of it was its own. The dragon's white fangs still gleamed, and it didn't seem to show the barest hint of fatigue as glared down at Holly.

Holly tried to appear resolute, but could not help shaking.

She _had_ to beat these bullies, but how?

They were all experienced Trainers willing to kill, and she was one who had barely started her journey!

But her thoughts were interrupted as the blue haired rider spoke again. "Don't try to act tough. I can see your fear, foolish girl. Surrender now, and I promise you won't get hurt."

Holly's shivering stopped, and she defiantly shook her head.

There was no way she would bow down to these bullies! Who knew if they would keep their promises?

"Never!" Holly screamed.

The blue haired woman simply nodded. "Very well."

She glanced briefly to the two Pokémon beside her. "I guess since there is no Trainer here, I'm the one in charge."

She pointed to Holly, letting her voice ring out. "Show no mercy to the girl."

With that, the Pokémon let out shrieks of glee. The Areodactyl dove, claws outstretched. The Salamance rose higher, mouth open wide and fangs still gleaming bright. The lion launched, Trainer seemingly all too happy to finish things.

Holly winced again, as more thoughts struck her.

This was a battle she wasn't going to win.

A battle where she would most likely die.

But she would not waver.

If these were her final moments, Holly would face them head on.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-More atrocities by the rebels, and more things to cover!**

 **-The warden having a Dragonite is again based of Kaiser in the anime. In the episode where he appears, Kaiser is seen using the Dratini line. A major focus of the episode is reuniting him with a Dratini (who later evolved into a Dragonair) which he was separated from. Therefore, I thought it would be fitting to give the warden a Dragonite in this story.**

 **-Anabel having a Raikou and Weavile is based on her teams in the games. In the games, she has a Raikou in the Emerald Battle Tower after being beaten once. She also uses one in the Battle Tree in Alola. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, she has a Weavile when she challenges the player at the beginning of the Ultra Beast quest.**

 **-Janine having an Ariados is based on the games, where she uses it in both the original Johto games and the remakes.**

 **-Guzzlord killing things by eating them is based on a couple of interpretations. In its Pokédex entries, it is mentioned that Guzzlord eats anything, even though no one is entirely sure how it processes what it eats. Furthermore, Guzzlord is one of the few Pokémon to be confirmed to kill a person. It is mentioned in the back story of the Ultra Beast Quest in Pokémon Sun and Moon that the International Police Force were trying to capture a wild Guzzlord. However, they were careless, and one of their members was killed by the Ultra Beast. It's not explained how this person died, but considering Guzzlord eats anything, I felt like a wild one eating a hostile person would not be too far-fetched.**

 **-So here's a first appearance by Team Rocket. While they and the rebels do play a part in someone's back story, I'm not sure how much of a direct role they will play in this book. However, they will be prominent in some of the other books in the series.**


	63. Retaliation

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

62\. Retaliation

Suddenly, everything went dark.

Holly wondered if she had died, but could still feel the world around her.

She registered the Pokémon in front of her coming to a complete stop.

Unfortunately, she couldn't see much in the darkness.

Before, the Pokémon had been intimidating warriors.

Now, they were just faint shapes.

Holly took a deep breath, then realized that everyone was looking up.

So, she quickly followed suit.

Despite everything, Holly cocked her head.

What were people looking at?

There was nothing but black skies….

And then she heard it.

A high-pitched cry pierced the air, almost sounding like a scream.

The deafening cry sent shivers down Holly's back. She wanted to cover her ears, but was frozen in place.

It came again, and she wondered if she would vomit.

But she couldn't, because then she saw it.

It was a creature. A Pokémon.

The Pokémon floated in the air, suspended by two huge white wings. Holly could see that the wings resembled hands, but the creature wasn't human. Dark blue feathers glittered slightly on its back and tail. Holly wondered if the Pokémon was blocking out the sun, and shivered as she remembered stories of it doing so. The stories wouldn't be far from the truth if the Pokémon was doing that now. Holly focused her gaze, seeing a light blue underside. There was a dark blue part of its body with sharp feathers, and the Pokémon had black eyes matching the sharpness.

Holly couldn't stop herself from trembling, and tried to say the name.

However, her mouth went dry, and it died on her lips.

Lugia.

God of the seas, able to control water, psychic power, dragon abilities, and air. A Pokémon so powerful it slumbered beneath the sea. Holly had heard something about a special song from a faraway island that could call this Pokémon fourth. However, only a few people could play it, and Kris didn't seem to have any musical talent.

She shivered again, remembering something else.

There was a prophecy about this Pokémon. Something about bringing a chosen one the power of fire, ice, and lightning to an island and leaving it there. If people didn't do this, the gods representing the powers would get angry, and start destroying the land. So Lugia would wake from the waters to put things back to normal. But Lugia also need the power of the chosen one that originally possessed all those elements. And if the chosen one came near, Lugia would follow their every command…

Before Holly had dismissed the prophecy as just words.

As just a myth.

But now…

Now the famous Pokémon represented in that prophecy towered over the battlefield…

Did that mean…

Kris was a chosen one? Had she undertaken the perilous journey to get this Pokémon, and was it duty bound to obey everything she said?

If so, then…

How strong was she?

Was she a god too?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as Kris coldly issued a command.

"Isaac, Surf."

The Pokémon let out another chilling cry. Instantly, Holly heard the sound of water roaring. She could feel her eyes going wide as she registered that Isaac had summoned a huge wave of water.

Holly didn't know how the Lugia had called forth the wave, but she did know one thing.

The water was rushing straight towards her.

Holly cringed.

There was no avoiding the dreaded wave.

This time, she shut her eyes.

Holly had already saw how she was going to die once.

She decided she couldn't see that again.

Suddenly, Holly froze.

She wanted to scream or say something, but realized her body was no longer her own. She was aware of psychic power engulfing her, and in another moment, the sound of the water faded away. Briefly, Holly felt like she was floating through the air.

If she could've, she would've shivered.

Maybe she _really had_ died.

But the thought was torn away from her, as she felt her feet loudly hit the ground. The sound of the deafening water once again filled her ears.

Holly shook again.

Was the water _still_ coming towards her?

Had that last action _done anything?_

A single glance gave her the answer.

She was standing to the right of the ferocious wave, completely safe from its dreaded path. The water continued its assault unhindered, and Holly couldn't resist letting out a cry as she realized just how close she had come to being one of its victims.

Holly wondered if anyone would hear her, but someone must have.

The next sound was Kris's voice in her head. _"Hey, it's all right now. The attack will not harm you, and the others cannot reach you."_

Holly felt her voice tremble along with her body. _"Who? What…?"_

Kris simply stated in a matter-of-fact voice. _"Google, my Delphox. I had it teleport you to safety. Surf hits everyone in the vicinity, be they friend or foe."_

Holly could only continue to tremble, staring wide-eyed at the disabled Trainer.

Was the fight so desperate that Kris was willing to potentially hurt everyone involved? Or had she always taken such risks, fighting for survival as a vigilante?

Holly didn't get chance to ask, as the disabled Trainer's tone softened. _"I said that would protect you, didn't I? I meant it."_

Holly could only nod shakily.

No matter what Kris's past was, she was still her friend. She would never let her die.

And Google the Delphox may have been just a service Pokémon, but now it had saved her life. Holly had not been good at remembering the name of Kris's Pokémon companion.

Now she was sure she would never forget.

Yet despite all that happened, Holly couldn't hold back the question that escaped from her mind.

" _Janine, where is she?"_

Kris dryly responded. _"Up a tree on the opposite side. She is still safe and uninjured. Google and Mickey tell me that."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

Mickey.

She had almost forgotten about Kris's eccentric Hoopa. And Kris stated that her service Pokémon were trained to fight, so Mickey was too…

And service Pokémon or not, Mickey was still a god.

She had seen Google fight only briefly, but it could hold its own against several people…

If a _regular_ service Pokémon had such immense power, she couldn't even imagine what a _god's_ must be…

Perhaps the service Pokémon weren't servants, but honored warriors, simply biding their time until they could fight. It would only make sense…

And it would make sense why they stood by Kris's other Pokémon, like the terrifying Isaac…

Holly trembled again.

She had just seen Isaac prepare to destroy countless enemies.

Would Mickey do the same? Would it do _even more?_

But Holly was snapped once again from her thoughts as Kris's voice turned harsh. "Finish it, Isaac."

The Lugia let out another screaming cry.

Holly swore her ears would bleed as they were filled with the sound of crashing water.

But she couldn't focus on that as she quickly registered other sounds.

Like the screams of countless people as they were swamped by the giant wave…

Allies and foes would not been lucky enough to get out of the way, and were knocked to the ground…

And the gasping of those who frantically tried to keep their heads above water…

Holly gulped.

What was Kris doing?

What did it mean for everyone fighting here?

But the older Trainer did not seem to share Holly's concern.

Instead, she coldly commanded. "Move away, Isaac. Help with the other areas in the battle. That last attack should be enough to give the others an advantage."

Holly cocked her head.

Others? Did Kris mean what remained of the Fuchsia defenders? Did she know if there were any left?

Suddenly, Holly saw the Lugia shift. She heard the flapping of its powerful wings as they effortlessly carried their owner through the sky. Holly tried not to wince as sunlight streamed down and flooded her vision. However, she couldn't resist looking away, squeezing her eyes shut. After a few tense minutes, she glanced back and opened her eyes again.

She couldn't believe what she saw.

Some people were laying on the ground, trying to get up in their waterlogged clothes. Some succeeded, throwing themselves back into the fight with rage burning in their eyes. However, there were others that simply groaned in pain. Still others lay motionless. Holly registered the sound of people throwing up water, but didn't look to see who picked themselves off the ground.

The rebel leaders were nowhere to be seen, so Holly assumed they had somehow escaped the deadly attack. Holly supposed it would make sense. After all, Kris knew all about the rebel tactics, and seemed to have been fighting them for a while. It would only be logical that the rebels also knew about her strategies.

Holly glanced around, wondering who else Kris had struck.

Her eyes narrowed as she focused on one enemy that did not know Kris's strategies.

And of course, that one enemy did not avoid the attack.

The dark blue haired woman had fallen off her Pokémon and was now lying on the ground. Holly thought she had some bruises, and her eyes continued to be hard.

The woman deserved everything she got!

Holly noticed the woman didn't stir, but appeared to be conscious. Holly wasn't sure if this was because of injuries, or shock, but decided she didn't care. The woman's Pokémon didn't even try to nudge its rider to her feet. Instead, it tried to shake its drenched mane dry. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, and Holly could see was the silver lion shivering. It let out a roar of defiance and lashed its tail.

Despite the intimidating gesture, the Pokémon didn't even move. Holly supposed no matter what species it was, all Pokémon had the instinctive need to protect their Trainers. But she wondered how long this Pokémon could do that when Kris had already done so much damage.

Holly couldn't ponder that any longer as she heard another groan behind her. She turned to see Anabel, face pale.

The betrayer's eyes were pained, as she tried desperately to recover. Her ponytail had been undone, hair plastered to her back in a disheveled mess. Her bangs almost hung in her eyes, and Anabel tried furiously to brush them back. The betrayer's clothing was completely soaked, and Holly wondered if Anabel considered herself lucky that she wore black. Holly thought that she could see the betrayer shaking, and swore she saw puddles of water and vomit on the ground.

Holly glanced further out, and noticed two familiar shapes.

A closer look revealed them to be Pokémon, and Holly had a feeling she knew exactly which ones they were.

She took another step, and her suspicions were confirmed.

Anabel's Weavile and Raikou.

The two lay unmoving, almost side by side. The Pokémon were stained red with blood. If Holly had not seen them before, she would never have guessed what color they were supposed to be. Holly noticed their faces were both contorted, and wondered if they had spent their last moments in pain and fear.

Maybe it hadn't been their last moments, but she had no way of knowing. Holly registered something shimmering in the sunlight, and realized it was droplets of water. Kris's attack must have struck Anabel's Pokémon too. Knowing the disabled Trainer's hatred of the betrayer, this was most likely intentional.

Where the Pokémon alive and fighting, before being overwhelmed by a world of water?

Or had they already lost consciousness and possibly their lives, with the wave simply battering their bodies?

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Either way, it didn't matter.

The betrayer deserved _all_ the injuries, and Kris certainly knew that.

But Holly's thoughts did not linger on Anabel as she heard the sound of Poké Balls being thrown. Bright white light surrounded the area behind her, and Holly quickly glanced towards it.

Her eyes went wide when she understood what the light was.

Kris was now surrounded by powerful Pokémon, primed and ready for battle.

And there was one in particular that Holly recognized instantly.

It was the regal dog with the tiger stripes, something to be both respected and feared. It prowled forth on its powerful paws, magnificent mane glowing in the sunlight.

Holly shivered as she silently recalled the Pokémon's name.

Arcanine.

Holly's mind quickly took her back to the battle with Azure. Kris had been so afraid of Arcanine then…

Why was she using it now?

Kris had plenty of Pokémon, so it wasn't like the disabled Trainer had no other choice…

Holly may not have known why Kris chose the Pokémon she did.

But it was clear it was nothing like Azure's.

Its eyes were fierce, but they had no emotion. Instead, it looked almost murderous, and Holly wondered if maybe this Pokémon that something do with Kris's vigilante past. This Arcanine bared its teeth in a snarl, already looking as though it could destroy any opponent that came near. It stood up straight and tall, sunlight making it look like blazing fire. The Pokémon took no note of the weather. Instead, the creature took a step forward, eyes narrowing as it assumed a combat stance. Holly waited for a howl and for the Arcanine to leap into the fight. However, the doglike Pokémon remained deceptively quiet.

Holly shivered, once again remembering the battle between Anabel and Azure.

Azure's Arcanine had been incredibly strong, despite being felled in a single blow.

And if the rumors are Kris were true, then this one was even stronger.

What would it do?

And what would that mean for Holly?

Kris answered both questions within a minute.

The older Trainer simply pointed, and her voice rang out coldly.

"Prince, you know what to do. The enemy is in that crowd."

The Arcanine simply nodded, then took a deep breath.

It opened up its mouth and let loose a massive stream of fire.

All Holly could hear was the sound of flames crackling as the attack engulfed the crowd.

And then she heard the screams.

Terrified, desperate, screams.

Pained screams.

Holly flashed back to the house on fire, and the unfortunate civilians.

Were there people that died in that attack?

People on fire?

People injured, never to recover?

Holly glanced towards the disabled Trainer, yet she held the look of hard indifference.

Holly shivered.

The attack had been so much like the one the rebels had launched…

Was Kris only winning because she fought like them?

Holly shook her head.

She couldn't concentrate on them!

The rebels weren't _people;_ they were _monsters!_

And who cared what techniques Kris was using? At least she was doing _something!_

But Holly couldn't concentrate on that for long, as she noticed another monster lumbering towards them.

The Solgaleo had regained its footing, and the blue haired rider had finally thrown herself onto her mount.

The Pokémon looked ready to charge forward, but it never got the chance to.

Instead, Kris gave another harsh command, and Holly could detect a bit of a taunt.

"Oh, you're going to try and fight by yourself. How stupid. Well, you'll pay for your stupidity. Prince, take _that_ enemy out too. The usual."

The Arcanine wasted no time whipping its massive head around. It let loose another stream of fire at the Solgaleo. The rider quickly jumped out of the way, but her Pokémon was left exposed. It screamed as it was engulfed by the inferno. The Pokémon stamped its feet, trying to put out the flames, but they only continued hungrily devouring their target. Holly noticed there was something melting, and a prickle of dread ran down her back as she realized that it was the metal on the Pokémon's body.

Prince shot forth another stream of flame, and the opponent was engulfed again.

This time, Holly looked away.

She thought she would find nothing more than a pile of ash.

Despite that, Holly's eyes still narrowed.

That woman was fighting with the rebels! Therefore, she was a monster too! Her Pokémon deserved to become an ash pile, and she along with it!

Holly glanced back towards the crowd, and noticed a shape flying up into the sky. The shape soared towards the group at breakneck speed, to the point where the Holly could barely keep track of it.

As the shape drew nearer, Holly's face went pale.

She took a shaky step back as another prickle of dread ran down her spine.

June.

A powerful Vessel, and the worst possible opponent for them to face right now.

Holly silently prayed the enemy Trainer would pass over them in order to pursue someone else.

However, that prayer went unanswered.

June loomed in front of them on her Tapu Koko, eyes blazing with rage.

Her voice boomed through the air, and she pointed her finger accusingly at Kris.

"You!"

The disabled Trainer locked eyes with June, and Holly expected some sort of sharp retort from her.

Instead, Kris responded nonchalantly. "Yes?"

Holly's eyes were wide. The older Trainer had answered so casually it sounded as though she was talking about the weather!

Perhaps the Pokémon were the reason for her confidence.

Holly looked around frantically, but the beasts Kris had unleashed before were nowhere to be found. Even Prince had disappeared, gone within the few minutes Holly had averted her eyes.

How could Kris be so calm? Didn't she realize that her life was at stake?

Apparently the disabled Trainer didn't, as she continued gazing at June.

The rebel snarled. "Don't play dumb with me! You're going to pay for what you did to our troops!"

June jammed her foot into Tapu Koko's side, howling. _"Kill her,_ and make _sure_ it's painful!"

Before Holly could react, Tapu Koko let out another screeching cry. Its eyes glared straight at them, and it dove in a downward spiral. June's eyes matched the glare as she zeroed in on her prey.

Holly thought Kris would send out one of her Pokémon, or have someone teleport out of the way.

But the disabled Trainer did neither, only standing confidently.

Tapu Koko swooped down faster than Holly could ever imagine, almost like it was a blur. Its furious eyes never left its target. Holly could feel her hair stand on end as electricity crackled through the air.

She cringed and closed her eyes again.

Death was coming closer and closer…

There was nothing anyone could do about it…

 _And then…_

There was a familiar cackling laugh.

Holly's eyes popped open, only to see June's go wide.

Another Pokémon jumped into the air, and Holly knew exactly which Pokémon it was.

Mallory.

The Mimikyu's giant gleaming claw appeared, and she flipped through the air. June rapidly ducked, and for a moment, it looked like Mallory would pass harmlessly over her.

Except the Pokémon didn't.

Mallory twisted in midair, rapidly landing on June's back. Before anyone had time to react, Mallory plunged her claw into June's flesh. June screamed so loudly that Holly was sure the entire area could hear. The rebel's face immediately turned white. There was a horrible ripping sound as June's clothes were reduced to tatters. Blood exploded from the enemy Trainer's back, dousing Mallory in a coat of red.

Yet the crazed Mimikyu didn't seem to care. She only shook some of the blood off before yanking her claw out of June's flesh. The Pokémon had blood on her face, but it did not seem to impede her vision. Holly wondered if she had closed her eyes, but knowing Mallory, she doubted it.

Yet there was something else coming that Holly thought Mallory would not be able to see.

Tapu Koko's eyes narrowed, and it bristled with electricity. Holly's eyes widened, and she wondered if the Mimikyu would get injured.

But Mallory was as quick as she was brutal.

Before the enemy could even register it, she hopped down to one of Tapu Koko's orange tufts. She rapidly released her bloody claw, and buried it into her opponent.

Tapu Koko let out an ear piercing screech as its own blood sprayed, but Mallory seemed unfazed. Holly could swear the vicious Pokémon was smiling, but she couldn't be sure.

Because Holly could only focus on the desperation now burning in Tapu Koko's eyes.

It spun erratically in a downward spiral, frantically trying to dislodge the opponent tearing through its body. Yet Mallory only hung on tighter as the legendary Pokémon swooped at blindingly fast speed. Now, Holly could catch a glimpse, and Mallory's wild grin seared itself into her memory. Holly heard more ripping sounds, and realized the Mimikyu was using the movement to make Tapu Koko's wounds worse.

Holly looked up at the sound of another screech, and realized it had come from June.

The rebel was still hanging on, but only just. She flopped around like a rag doll, her face contorted with agony and strain. Blood flowed freely from her wound, as she bumped up against Tapu Koko repeatedly and uncontrollably. June's face had blanched to white, and Holly wondered if she was resisting the urge to vomit.

The question was never answered, as Holly's attention was once again drawn to Mallory.

Mallory let out a sigh that sounded almost bored. Holly wondered if she was treating this like a child would a ride at an amusement park, and she wanted said ride to be sped up.

That must've been what Mallory wanted, because she rapidly tore her claw out of Tapu Koko. Before anyone could react, the Mimikyu hopped up onto June's right leg. The rebel was still flailing desperately. She barely managed to clutch Tapu Koko's form with her legs. Holly wondered how much longer she could hang on.

Mallory quickly answered that question.

She dug her claw into June's right leg, and the rebel let out another terrified scream. Blood continued to soak everything, but once again, Mallory did not care.

Instead, her devilish grin spread across her face, and Holly shuddered.

Mallory had attacked June and her Pokémon when the rebel was already injured, with the sole intent of causing more bloodshed.

What type of Pokémon was Mallory that she would do something like that?

Holly knew she couldn't answer that question, so instead she glanced up at June.

The rebel's face contorted even more, still a ghastly shade of pale. June's legs now dangled precariously, and she hung on to her Pokémon with only a weak hand. Holly knew it wouldn't be long before June fell.

Holly wondered if Mallory was finished attacking, or if the Pokémon would fall with June.

But Mallory did neither.

The Mimikyu yanked her claw out of June, and jumped over to her other leg. She rapidly slashed her claw across June's left leg. June gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut. But as much as the rebel tried, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Mallory showed no sympathy, instead jumping back to where she was before on Tapu Koko. Holly thought Mallory would launch another attack, yet she did not.

Holly cocked her head.

Why would Mallory do that?

Yet, it was June that gave the answer.

The rebel lurched to the left, doing nothing to correct her posture. Holly wondered if June's vision was blurred.

But if it was, it didn't matter.

June's hand slowly slipped away, the rebel no longer making any effort to hold on. She fell to the left, blood still streaking through the air. Holly thought June would scream again. However, the rebel didn't even whimper, and it seemed she had run out of energy.

But her Pokémon hadn't.

Faster than Holly ever thought possible, Tapu Koko flashed through the air. The yellow patterned parts of its body were extended, and Holly thought they almost looked like hands. They must have been, because the lightning god swooped underneath June, catching her in midair.

Yet it was then that Mallory decided she had the perfect opportunity.

Rapidly, she plunged her claw back into Tapu Koko, striking the enemy Pokémon in the same place she had before.

The legendary Pokémon let out a screech, and the hand-like appendages struggled to maintain their grip on their precious cargo. Yet they fumbled, and June was jostled. Holly wondered if Tapu Koko would drop its Trainer, but the legendary Pokémon still held on. Instead, Tapu Koko headed back towards the crowd, injuries making its flight uneven. June lay lifelessly in her Pokémon's arms, not even stirring as she was rushed back towards the others.

The only other movement came from Mallory, as she continued to cling to her opponents. The Mimikyu let out her earsplitting, cackling laugh. It rang clearly through the air, even as Tapu Koko carried her away.

Perhaps being taken towards more battle and bloodshed was Mallory's plan all along.

But Holly had no time to dwell on that.

Instead, she heard another high-pitched screech.

Immediately, her face blanched.

Holly had a feeling she knew what it was, and it was nothing good.

Her fears were confirmed as the screech was followed by rapid wing beats. The sound belonged to a creature with a bloodstained face and a soaked body.

But to Holly, it was as though nothing had happened.

The creature that flew before her just as intimidating as before.

For now she was looking right into the glaring eyes of Leaf's Areodactyl.

And this time, there was no escape.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Kris enters the fray again, and brings more information with her!**

 **-The idea of Isaac the Lugia blocking out the sun comes from the games. In the Johto games, the player can speak to an elderly man that has seen a large Pokémon flying and blocking out the sun. He mentions it's something between a bird and a dragon. Said Pokémon is actually Lugia, although it's not revealed by name.**

 **-The prophecy and song Holly thinks about is based off of the anime. In the second Pokémon movie, Pokémon 2000, Lugia is the main focus. There is a song that can be played on the flute that can summon the creature, and restore its strength if it's injured. There is also a chosen one, and Lugia needs the chosen one's power if it is to be at its full strength.**

 **In the movie, the chosen one is revealed to be Ash, although he doesn't believe it at first. At the time Ash visits the islands where Lugia resides, there are also three other guardians. They are the legendary birds of Kanto: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. During the movie, their homes are attacked, which cause them to become angry. As a result, they start fighting with each other. Ash finds out that the only way to stop the fighting is to take three orbs representing each of the birds' elements, and put said orbs on their respective islands. He succeeds in doing so, and the combination of that and the song stops the fighting and restores things to normal.**

 **-Here, in Traveler, things are bit different. One difference is based on the original version of the Lugia's prophecy. In the English translation, Ash's name is mentioned directly. In the original Japanese version of the movie, however, the prophecy simply uses the words "a Trainer". Therefore, I went with the idea that any Trainer could be the chosen one if they were strong enough. As for whether or not the prophecy is actually real, I left it ambiguous. It's worth noting Lugia's prophecy has not been acknowledged in any material since the second movie.**

 **-The rest of Lugia's description comes from the games. In Pokédex entries, it is stated to have slumbered beneath the sea because its powers were too strong. It also known for being able to cause storms, hence why Holly refers to it as the god of them. Lugia is draconic in appearance, and can learn several techniques associated with dragons. Therefore, this is why Holly believes it controls dragon abilities, despite not being a Dragon Type. Finally, Lugia being able to command psychic powers and air comes from its actual typing. It is a psychic and flying Pokémon, so it makes sense that it would have control over those aspects.**


	64. Casualty

**Welcome to the next chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details!**

* * *

63\. Casualty

The Areodactyl lunged towards Holly, baring gleaming white teeth.

Holly shuddered.

Perhaps this was how she would die.

Yet, Holly was snapped from her morbid thoughts as she heard Kris commanding.

"Hercules, intercept it!"

Holly heard a deafening roar. Another Pokémon shot through the air, slamming into Areodactyl and knocking it away.

Holly sighed with relief.

Of course Kris had a plan. The disabled Trainer always seemed to have a plan.

Yet now Holly turned to the new Pokémon.

It had three blue heads, although Holly wasn't sure which was the real one. Maybe they all were. There was one head that was bigger than the others, and had a mouth full of sharp white teeth. Red eyes glared at the opponent, but Holly could see the other heads had eyes too. However, they seemed to be black and closed. The other heads appeared to be grasped in something that looked like black hands. These hand like appendages had purple on the edges.

The black part of the Pokémon's body extended onto its neck and Holly could see wings of the same color. Something the same color as the purple edges formed a tuft of hair on the creature's head. The rest of the Pokémon's body was blue, with purple stripes down its stomach and tail. The end of the tail was black.

The Pokémon let out a snarl in challenge, and Areodactyl backed away.

Holly shuddered.

This must be a fearsome Pokémon if even Leaf's Areodactyl recoiled!

And then Holly remembered the Pokémon's name.

Hydreigon.

A dragon, and one of the most vicious Pokémon in existence. A creature only master Trainers could train.

Of course, Kris was a master Trainer. So it would make sense that she would have one.

And Hydreigon must not have been _that_ vicious, if someone as honest as Kris could control one.

Holly's mind drifted back to the conversation from before.

" _Dragons are hard to catch and even harder to use in battle. They are strong and sacred, more so than any other type of Pokémon."_

 _"Some people believe that in order to truly train a dragon, one must pass a grueling test. The test is so difficult that even I couldn't pass it."_

Holly glanced at the ferocious Pokémon again.

It was strong, so it must have been difficult to catch and raise. It didn't look sacred, but perhaps dragon users had their own definition of the word.

And the test…

Kris had mentioned not being able to pass it, and that those who couldn't could not truly train a dragon. Yet here one was, and Kris was commanding it like it was nothing.

Perhaps the people who believed one had to pass a test were wrong. They must have been, with how Kris was battling.

But then again, Kris was so powerful she could train any Pokémon she wanted.

And she regularly trained gods. A common dragon was probably no challenge for her.

It certainly didn't look like it, as Kris confidently issued a command.

"Hercules, Dragon Pulse."

The Hydregion opened its mouth, shooting a bright blue stream of energy at Areodactyl. The opposing Pokémon screamed as the blue energy engulfed it. When the energy cleared, Holly noticed Areodactyl still glared at its opponent. However, the glare was muddled with a wince of pain.

Holly wondered if Areodactyl would retreat now, but its pain was quickly replaced by determination.

The Pokémon let out another defiant screech, and blue rings began to form around it. The rings turned white as stones appeared. With all its remaining strength, Areodactyl launched the stones at Hydreigon.

Holly shivered.

Stone Edge.

Holly remembered the brutal attack from when Anabel had used it to take down Azure's powerful Pokémon in one hit.

Would what happened to Azure happen to Kris?

Yet either Kris's Pokémon was more experienced, or her opponent was fatigued.

Because the disabled Trainer didn't even shout out a command as her Pokémon effortlessly dodged.

The Areodactyl's eyes went wide, and Kris's own eyes narrowed.

The disabled Trainer's voice contained no emotion as she spoke her next words.

"Hercules, end this with Crunch."

Hercules flew in, opening its jaws wide. Areodactyl could do nothing but stare as the jaws closed around its neck. The jaws quickly clamped down. Holly was sure this was the last moments of Areodactyl's life as she waited for the sound of something breaking.

But that sound never came.

The Areodactyl thrashed desperately, and its forked tail turned silver. Holly realized this was the color of gleaming metal, and quickly recognized the move Iron Tail.

Quick as lightning, Areodactyl smashed its tail into Hercules's face. Hercules's eyes went wide, and the startled dragon loosened its grip. That was enough for Areodactyl to tear itself free, and it did so immediately.

The opponent tried making a hasty retreat, flying away from Hercules despite its injuries.

Holly wondered if Kris would let her opponent go. After all, she had protected Holly.

Yet Holly's thoughts were quickly quashed when Hercules let out a roar of rage. Blood dripped down its face, but there was no mistaking the rippling glare in its eyes. Hercules charged after its opponent as though it had never been injured.

Kris did nothing to stop her Pokémon, instead continuing to stoically look forward.

Holly clenched her fist.

She should have known Kris wouldn't stop her attack! She hated these people with all her heart! And besides, the rebels hurt innocents! They deserved all the pain they got!

But Holly couldn't focus too much on the warriors of the sky.

Instead, there was something happening on the ground.

And Holly's eyes narrowed upon realizing what it was.

The Hoopa Unbound walked up to the group, towering over the battlefield as it glared straight at Holly. Nearby stood the thief in black, grinning savagely.

Holly gazed straight back at the two, meeting their eyes without conceding an inch of ground.

She still had a score to settle from Pewter! Legendary Pokémon user or no, she would not let this thief escape!

But before either of them could make a move, everyone was blinded by white light.

Holly thought someone's Pokémon was evolving, but realized out of the corner of her eye that the light was coming from Kris.

Holly gulped.

This could only mean one thing.

Within a few minutes, the light cleared. Kris started stoically as usual. A jewel gleamed in the sunlight, shining radiance coming from a ring on Kris's right hand. Holly could see there was another space on the ring, and guessed it would fit a crystal.

She nodded, and a smile spread across her face.

Of course a Trainer as strong and honorable as Kris could wield the power of Mega Evolution and Z-Crystals! And it would make sense that she would wield them in a high-stakes battle like this!

But it was clear that no one else commanded the Pokémon that stood beside Kris.

The Pokémon had piercing red eyes, and blue ears that angled forward. The rest of its body was also blue, but there were black markings on its face, arms, and legs. There was something that looked like hair, resembling puffy clouds. While most of it was black, the tips of the appendage were bright red. The ends of the creature's hands and feet were also bright red, containing spikes at their center. A similar spike was on its torso, but it didn't seem to hurt the Pokémon at all. Instead, the torso was like a tan shirt.

Holly trembled as she looked up to Kris's next Pokémon.

She wondered if her opponent thought they had the advantage, but decided she didn't care.

After all, what Trainer wouldn't tremble at the sight of a Lucario in its Mega form?

Holly rapidly remembered the rush of power she had felt when Mawile assumed its Mega form.

She had never thought she or her Pokémon could wield such power. There was so much of that power that she couldn't help but be in awe.

And _that_ was just as an ordinary, rookie, Trainer.

What feats would Kris, an experienced trainer and celebrity, perform?

Kris wasted no time demonstrating, laying a cold and calculating gaze upon her opponents. Her voice was dangerously low as she spoke.

"Bryan, Aura Sphere. You know what you have to do."

The Lucario nodded briskly, and the ball of light blue energy appeared in its hands. Byran launched itself at the Hoopa, leaping up to deal with its foe's gargantuan size. It threw its ball of energy at the foe, aiming its attack dead center. However, instead of striking the foe, the ball of aura flew inside the ring on Hoopa's torso.

The enemy Pokémon's jaws parted in a scream, yet no sound came out. Holly wondered why, but quickly got her answer. The enemy Pokémon suddenly started glowing light blue. Its arms hung limply, rings dropping to the ground. It made no effort to get up, instead collapsing to its knees. The Hoopa's eyes rolled back in its head, and its jaws still hung open. However, it has long since passed the time for screaming.

Holly resisted the urge to scream herself as she realized what was happening.

The attack from Kris's Lucario was destroying the foe from the inside out.

She shuddered at what the final result of such an attack would be.

Yet .Holly's eyes rapidly hardened.

These were rebels that attacked innocent people! They deserved no sympathy!

Why should she care about the final result of an attack on them?

But it looked as though Holly wouldn't get to see that result, as the thief abruptly recalled his Pokémon.

A look of sheer terror crossed his face, and he abruptly turned to flee.

Yet Kris simply pointed, and Bryan sped off after its foe.

Holly heard a sickening snap, but didn't dare look to see what it was.

Instead, she focused on Kris, as the disabled Trainer gave another command.

"Isaac, use Surf again. Get ready to team up."

Holly blinked in confusion.

Why was Isaac using Surf a second time? And who would it team up with?

She had no time to think about it as she watched the battlefield start to get swamped by another dreaded wave. But before the water could finish its deadly work, another Pokémon flew in front of Kris.

This Pokémon looked like an orange washing machine. It had a light blue aura around its body, with eyes and a door the same color.

This was a Rotom, Holly knew. It was a rare electric Pokémon that could transform into other variants. And this particular variant controlled water.

But why would Kris have a Pokémon like that? She already had a Pokémon in the battle that could control water, and that Pokémon was stronger than any Rotom! Not to mention Kris had at least five more powerful ones, and they seemed to be winning the fight.

But if Kris noticed Holly's confusion, she paid no attention.

Instead, the disabled Trainer simply whispered the name "Motor."

The Rotom nodded, and its body crackled with electricity. Rapidly, it launched several yellow lightning bolts into the waters that Isaac had created.

The entire battlefield lit up in the same color as the lightning bolts, and screams of the suffering pierced Holly's ears.

Her eyes went wide.

It seemed like a long time had passed since Kris taught her that very move.

Back then it was part of a simple training exercise…

Back then there was only some unfortunate collateral damage…

Back then it was used only to win a Gym battle…

But now it was being used to attack people, and to kill them intentionally…

Holly shuddered.

Had Kris always used the technique for that?

If so, how many other lives had she ended using it?

And did she teach it to Holly so that she could take lives too?

Holly frowned.

These weren't _people_ ; they were _monsters!_ Kris had _every right_ to take their lives!

They all deserved to writhe in pain and suffer! Just like the people they hurt!

Almost as soon as Holly was consumed in her dark thoughts, the attack ended. Holly didn't need to look to see the devastation.

Instead, she glanced around.

Had Anabel managed to avoid the attack? Destroying her would not be satisfying if Kris did all the work…

Holly spotted the betrayer in a corner, face red with strain. Anabel's clothing was still soaked, but Holly didn't see any electricity crackling from her. Holly wondered how the betrayer had avoided the attack, but noticed her Alakazam and Espeon standing by her side.

Holly narrowed her eyes. The two must have teleported Anabel to safety. It would make sense, since the betrayer was prepared for the attack this time.

Holly only nodded.

She would get her satisfaction after all.

Holly's thoughts quickly turned to the brown haired woman from before. She hadn't seen her at all, and Kris hadn't mentioned anything about her. So Holly assumed she was uninjured, but where would she be?

Holly shrugged her shoulders.

It wasn't like the brown haired woman mattered anyway. She hadn't really done anything during the fight. As far as Holly knew, she was just some stranger who was experienced with Pokémon.

Like almost all the other Trainers here.

No, the person who was more important was Janine.

But Holly saw no sign of the Fuchsia Gym Leader.

Given that she dodged all of the other attacks thrown, Holly assumed she had avoided this one. Kris still hadn't said anything, so Holly guessed Janine was still uninjured.

So Holly gazed forward, looking above at the trees. She then cocked her head, eyes blinking.

Holly stepped forward to get a closer look, and then nodded.

There was an exit, one that led to another area. She remembered those exits existed in the Safari Zone, but they sure hadn't been visible until now.

Brutality or not, Kris was clearing a path.

And Holly debated taking it.

After all, there had to be more people to protect and battle. Plus she wasn't doing much just standing around here.

Yet Holly couldn't even move before someone jumped in front of her, and began to take the path on their own.

Holly's eyes went wide as she realized who that someone was.

Janine.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader was still uninjured, but Holly wasn't about to let that change.

Before Janine could get too far, Holly called out.

"Janine, where are you going?"

Janine whirled around, the light of desperation burning in her eyes.

Her voice was almost a shout. "I can't let the rebels reach the secret house! It's at the end of the Safari Zone! There is great power there and a civilian to protect! I can't let the rebels get their filthy hands on either! I need to move now while they are distracted!"

Holly's eyes went wide, and she almost responded with her own shout. "So you going to go by yourself? That's crazy! You've lost two Pokémon, and almost all your defenders! You'll never make it! Let me go with you!"

Before Janine could respond, Kris chimed in.

"I will come as well. The Pokémon I have on the battlefield should keep the rebels busy for a while, and my service Pokémon can offer more than enough protection. They're trained to fight just as much as my regular ones."

Janine's eyes filled with concern, and Holly wondered if she was considering refusing.

Rapidly, Holly shouted.

"There's no time to think this over! If someone is in danger, we have to go _now!"_

Janine assumed a resolute glance, and nodded. "You're right! I'll lead the way!"

With that, the Gym Leader sped off. Holly did her best to keep up, aware of Kris and her Pokémon running beside her. Several times, Holly thought she had lost Janine, but Google easily pointed the way with its psychic power. Holly swore she ran faster than she ever had in her life, as trees, grass, stones, and even water became a blur.

After a while, Holly felt a hand on her shoulder. She almost tripped as she stopped.

Holly whirled around to see Kris, noting that the disabled Trainer had also halted.

Holly threw up her hands, trying to keep her words from coming out in a snarl.

"Why are we stopping? There's someone in trouble!"

Kris's eyes suddenly darkened, and she spoke through thought.

" _Look back a little, through the trees."_

Kris pointed to an area slightly behind them, and Holly took a closer look.

Her eyes narrowed, and she couldn't resist scowling at what Kris was pointing at.

A familiar brown ponytail flashed through the trees, along with simple clothing that wasn't even ruffled.

Holly's eyes narrowed.

The brown haired woman was trying to follow them! What was her business doing that? Holly thought she would be busy fighting off the leader of Team Rocket, but she didn't see the latter anywhere. Judging by the fact that the brown haired woman appeared to be uninjured, Holly guessed she won the fight.

Kris's face hardened, and she stated in a cold tone.

"That woman… She shouldn't be following us…"

Holly clenched her fist. "She's bad news, isn't she?"

Kris icily nodded. "Nothing but."

Holly gritted her teeth.

That woman may have stopped Team Rocket, but there was no telling what she was planning now! If Kris said that the woman was bad news, then she was!

And Holly would stop _any_ enemy of Kris, no matter who they were!

Rapidly, she responded. "Can I fight back?"

Kris nodded. "Absolutely."

Holly pulled a Poké Ball from her belt, object gleaming in the sunlight.

She knew she had to be prompt in issuing her order, and she knew who could act promptly.

"Raichu, there's a brown haired woman with a ponytail following us through the trees! Stop her by whatever means necessary!"

Holly threw the ball, and her Pokémon appeared in a flash of bright white light. It didn't even turn to look at its Trainer as it bounded off to fulfill her order.

The terrain lit up briefly, and Holly heard a high-pitched scream. After a few minutes, there was no movement.

Holly wasn't sure what it happened, but she was sure the woman wasn't following them anymore.

She frowned. "Raichu should take care of _her."_

Kris nodded. "Indeed it shall. We don't have time to do anything else. Let's catch up with Janine."

Holly nodded, and the two resumed their seemingly endless running.

Holly's lungs quickly burned, and her feet felt like they could fall off.

But she didn't complain.

If there was someone that needed to be rescued, than it was worth every step!

She thought Kris probably wasn't doing much better, but with time being of the essence, Holly didn't dare ask. If the disabled Trainer was struggling, she did not show it.

Perhaps Kris was just as determined as Holly.

Considering her behavior before, she was probably even more so.

But Holly didn't slow down to ask, instead concentrating on getting to their destination.

After what seemed like forever, a small house loomed on the horizon.

Janine stood, waiting.

The resolute look still burned in her eyes, but Holly wondered how much longer it would last.

"Took you long enough." Janine stated.

Kris immediately replied. "Apologies. We ran into a little trouble on the way."

Janine nodded. "I figured as much. I saw the lightning. I'm assuming you guys took care of the problem."

Holly nodded, flashing her own resolute look. "We sure did!"

Janine wasted no time and motioned to the house. "Then come on! We have no time to lose!"

Rapidly, Kris, Holly, and the Pokémon followed Janine inside.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader tightly locked the door, and Holly took a look around.

The house was a small place, and Holly could see some windows in a back room. She could also see a young man huddled shaking in the corner. He did not appear to have any injuries, but fear had clearly done more damage than injuries ever would. Holly noticed a dark blue disc sitting on the table, and wondered if this is what the rebels wanted. After all, there didn't seem to be much else here.

Kris immediately went to the back room without a glance at her surroundings. She probably knew the place, and her Pokémon could make good lookouts. Yet Google and Mickey stayed near the others. Holly wondered why the disabled Trainer didn't continue commanding her Pokémon, but she guessed they could control her remotely.

And in a situation like this, the group needed all the strength and security they could get.

Janine rapidly lay down the law. "We have to be prepared to defend this place with our lives! Our enemies are occupied now, but that could change at any moment!"

Holly nodded. "Roger that! I will defend the front, while Kris has the back! Janine, you take care of everything in between! You know this place the best!"

Janine nodded. "Understood!"

She crouched near the frightened young man. "Don't worry. You're safe. There are plenty of strong Pokémon that will protect you now."

Yet the man didn't even turn to look at Janine. He didn't even let out a whimper.

Janine clenched her fist. "The shock is getting to him. I don't think he can even move. We'll have to have someone carry him out."

Holly nodded gravely. "At least we have Kris's psychic Pokémon for that."

Suddenly, a thought struck her.

"Couldn't we just teleport if things become too much?"

Janine shook her head, a hopeless tone lacing her voice as she replied.

"That's assuming we have _a place to teleport to,_ which we _don't._ There are enemies everywhere, so the entire Safari Zone is a battlefield. We'd probably be teleporting to our deaths. This house is most likely the only safe area left."

Holly nodded, though she couldn't bring herself to accept what Janine had said.

There had to be _something_ they could do! They _couldn't_ be backed into a corner!

Suddenly, Kris's frantic shouts filled the house.

"Damn! We're too late!"

Holly's eyes went wide, and Janine shot up.

"What is it, Kris?"

Kris replied in her same frantic tone. Everyone, get out of the house, now! Once outside, head to the sides! Take the Pokémon and the item with you!"

Janine threw up her hands. "That's heading straight into a battlefield! It's suicide!"

Kris yelled back. "Don't argue! Just go! It's our only chance at survival!"

Holly shook her head, replying. "But Kris, you'll be without your Pokémon!"

Kris rapidly replied. "They can aid me from afar! I'll catch up! The rest of you, run!"

Janine nodded. "Let's do what she says. She's not going to take no for an answer!"

Holly nodded back.

After everything that had happened, she could trust Kris.

With that, Holly yelled. "Google, carry the man! Mickey, go with us, but keep holding on to Kris!"

The Hoopa solemnly nodded, flying around Holly. Kris's Delphox radiated psychic power as it gently picked up the young man and his disc. The young man didn't even stir, despite the new situation. Holly hoped that he would regain awareness soon. He had to, as one of the last people in Fuchsia's Safari zone.

Yet Holly couldn't dwell on that, as the group ran for their lives.

Holly's lungs and feet still protested. This time, she couldn't ignore it. Holly could barely push herself into the trees to the right. However, Janine dragged her into the area.

And not a moment too soon.

Holly looked up and saw a blue stream of energy headed straight for the house. It hit the structure dead on. There was a horrible sound as the place was reduced to rubble.

Holly screamed, desperately hoping for a sign of Kris.

Instead, she saw another Pokémon.

This one was a light purple dragon with bright green eyes. It had a large tail that was purple and green, along with an underside that was a darker shade. Holly could see yellow mucus dripping off of its arms and chin, and she couldn't resist making a face at the sight.

Yet as gross as it was, she knew the creature was not be underestimated.

This was Goodra, a powerful dragon. Probably one of Zinna's Pokémon, looking for a quick kill. Holly had no doubt this was the Pokémon that fired the attack before, as it made its way towards the wreckage of the house.

The Goodra lumbered on, seemingly fixated on something. It didn't take Holly long to find out what.

There, lying in all the rubble was Kris.

Holly noticed the attack had hit the disabled Trainer from behind, so she must've tried to follow them.

However, she was clearly unsuccessful.

Her failure was written in her contorted face, and the disabled Trainer's eyes were closed. She didn't move, even as the enemy Pokémon approached. Holly could see blood dripping down a huge wound in Kris's back. Her limbs stuck out at angles that Holly knew were wrong, and she wondered if every bone in Kris's body was broken. Holly resisted the urge to vomit as she noticed the disabled Trainer's body had shards of glass and pieces of wood embedded everywhere.

Kris must've known that going towards the window wasn't safe, or the fastest way out…

And yet she had done it anyway so she could keep watch for danger…

Did she choose to sacrifice herself so that the others would have a fighting chance?

Would the battle end at the cost of Kris's life?

Holly shook her head.

No, it _couldn't_ end like this!

Kris was stronger than that!

Their journey _couldn't_ end here!

Yet Holly was torn from her morbid thoughts by something rippling through the trees. Her eyes went wide as she realized it was coming from the battlefield the group was that before.

Holly dared take a closer look, but she couldn't really see anything.

However, she was aware of some sort of power rippling through the air. It didn't seem to have a color, like that which came from Kris's psychic Pokémon. Nor did it seem to radiate like light.

Instead, the power simply came in waves, as though it was washing over a beach in an eerie serenity. The rippling effects never seemed to stop. Holly couldn't help her curiosity, but she had an ominous feeling she shouldn't get close.

She shuddered.

What sort of power was this? It was unlike anything Holly had ever seen before.

Was it here to stop the battle? Or make things worse?

Whatever the case, the power seemed to have a spellbinding effect on the Goodra.

The Pokémon lost all interest in Kris as its eyes went wide. Its jaw dropped, and Holly wondered what the Pokémon was thinking. Regardless, the Goodra quickly abandoned its pursuit, running towards the battlefield.

A few minutes later, everything went completely silent.

Holly figured she should have been grateful.

After all, no silence meant no battle.

Yet, the silence was _unnatural_ and _terrifying_ and _unknown_ and _wrong._

More so than anything else that had happened.

Who or what had caused it, and what was its purpose?

Holly needed to find out.

She took a step forward, and her legs finally buckled.

Holly struggled to get up, but she noticed black spots lining her vision.

Holly winced as every muscle in her body burned, and she could feel her eyes closing by themselves. She tried to call for help, but making any sound was impossible.

The last thing Holly registered with the sound of frantic footsteps before everything went black.

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The paths leading to different areas in the Safari Zone comes from the games. In almost all gains are as appeared, the Safari zone are split into many different areas. The player can take different paths to reach these areas. Each area has varying items and Pokémon, and the player can go back and forth from areas as much as they like within their allotted time.**

 **-The item and the secret house Janine talks about is based on the Kanto Safari Zone. In the Kanto games and their remakes, the Safari Zone had a hidden house at the end of it. The player can enter the house and talk to the man inside to receive the Hidden Move Surf. Surf is regarded as one of the most powerful Water Type moves in battle. Outside of battle, it is immensely helpful as well, as it allows the player's Pokémon to carry them across water. Considering there is at least one set of waterways per region, it is guaranteed that Surf will be used at least once in each generation of games. With all this usefulness, I figured Surf would be something that the rebels would want to get their hands on. And if they didn't want the item for themselves, then at least they would want to destroy it so no one else could obtain it.**

 **-Zinnia having a Goodra is from her team in the games. She uses when battling against the player, and, like the rest of her team, it is quite strong. Zinnia still has this Pokémon and uses it in Traveler, despite it not being directly mentioned to be part of her team.**

 **In the original draft of this scene, Zinnia herself was supposed to appear and send out Goodra to attack the house. However, I realized it would probably take her a while she get over to that area, and she would still be busy fighting Kris's Pokémon. Furthermore, Zinnia would be much more likely to use Salamance because she already has it out its Poké Ball and it's her strongest Pokémon. Therefore, I just decided to have Goodra attack on its own, with the strong implication that the Pokémon is Zinnia's.**

 **-So, Kris gets injured. The scene had a few differences in the original draft. There were two scenarios I had come up with. One was that Kris barely avoided being injured, but still managed to save the others much in the same way she does here. The other scenario is a spoiler, but will be discussed in author's notes later on (unless someone wants spoilers now).**


	65. Horror

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

64\. Horror

Holly wasn't sure when she opened her eyes.

She only knew that the world had gone dark.

Blackness floated around like a thick fog, and yet, it was not night.

Holly realized she was awake. But this clearly wasn't any place where someone would fall asleep.

This time, she _knew_ she hadn't died.

So, where _was_ she?

How did she get here?

Holly shuddered.

She wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

She only understood that this was a place she had never seen and never knew existed.

Holly gazed around slowly.

She thought that she would see some landmarks, yet, there was nothing but the black abyss.

Holly shut her eyes, swallowing hard.

Perhaps she could walk somewhere else?

But as soon as Holly tried to step, her body refused to obey.

She glanced down, and resisted screaming as she realized she was floating above the ground.

Well, if one could call it ground. It didn't seem like there was anything to stand on in this eerie place.

But still…

Why was she floating?

She hadn't died, or grown wings, so why…

The question went unanswered as Holly's mind immediately jumped to other thoughts.

Her eyes widened and she glanced around wildly.

Holly looked for _someone,_ _anyone,_ within the gloom.

But her only companion was eerie silence.

Not even her Pokémon appeared be around.

Holly opened her mouth, ready to call for help.

But any sound died in her throat when another figure appeared.

Holly's face went pale as she recognized who the figure was.

Kris.

The disabled Trainer also floated standing up in the middle of the black abyss. Her horrible wounds from before were still there, blood covering her body in a coat of red. Wood and glass were still embedded everywhere, a grim reminder of the fate that had befallen Holly's traveling companion only moments before.

But there was one noticeable difference.

Holly thought she would vomit as she realized what it was.

Gone was Kris's twisted, agonized, grimace. In its place was a completely peaceful expression, almost as though she was simply sleeping.

Holly's eyes widened.

How could anyone sleep in this place? This was the exact opposite of peaceful!

And what was Kris doing here? Why wasn't she bothered by the gaping blackness?

Holly suddenly realized she had a voice, and shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Kris, what are you doing here? Where are we? What happened to you?"

Yet there was no answer.

Not even the slightest acknowledgment of Holly's questions.

Instead, Kris simply continued floating, eyes eerily shut.

Holly shivered.

What wasn't Kris answering? Was something wrong with her?

If only Holly could step closer…

Perhaps she should ask a different question…

But before she could even open her mouth, something else stopped her in her tracks.

A low, guttural, cry sent shivers down Holly's back.

What kind of creature had the cry, and what was it going to do?

Holly did not have time to ponder that question as she noticed an aura surrounding Kris. The aura was the same color as the endless blackness, yet Holly could still see it clearly.

What kind of force would be the exact same color as the environment and not blend in?

Holly's eyes went wide as the aura grew stronger, and she quickly realized what it was doing.

Yet she still couldn't believe what she was witnessing.

Kris's wounds just disappeared, as though they had never been.

No scars…

Nothing getting shifted around…

No wounds closing…

Everything was… just… gone…

Holly knew she should be cheerful, probably jumping up and down.

But she couldn't.

Instead, nausea gripped her at the unnatural sight. She wanted to tear herself away, but could only continue staring.

Whatever this was, it was clearly abnormal.

Holly shut her eyes, trying to remember _something,_ _anything_ that resembled what had happened. Slowly, she recalled stories of magic spells and even some Pokémon that could heal others without any trace of their injuries.

But Kris _didn't_ use magic. She _couldn't_ use magic.

And Kris didn't have one of those special Pokémon. Otherwise, she would've utilized its power, or at least, told someone about it.

What just happened should've been impossible.

So _what_ was going on?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she noticed a twitch of movement from Kris's still closed eyes.

She immediately relaxed a little.

Now Kris would wake up, everything would be fine, and the disabled Trainer would give Holly some answers about the strange place.

Kris slowly opened her eyes.

Holly felt her blood run cold.

Kris's eyes looked like they were trying to absorb light, as though the disabled Trainer had been in the sun for too long. But there was no light here, and Kris didn't seem to be looking for any. Holly continued to focus on the sight, and realized Kris's pupils had gotten bigger. The blackness matched that of the abyss, and Holly wanted to scream. Instead, her breath caught in her throat, and her entire body shook with fear.

What could cause this?

Holly shut her own eyes, remembering that her mother talked about some injuries making people's eyes like that. And Kris had most certainly suffered an injury before, so that would make sense.

Maybe the disabled Trainer knew more details.

Now that Kris seemed to be awake, perhaps she would respond.

So Holly took a deep breath and shouted. "Kris, what's wrong with your eyes?"

But still, the disabled Trainer didn't respond, or even move. Instead, she blankly stared ahead, looking at something over Holly's shoulder.

Holly's shaking could've resembled an earthquake. This time, she wondered if she really would scream.

What was Kris looking at? There was _nothing_ here!

And why wasn't she speaking? She was clearly awake!

Suddenly, the blackness in Kris's eyes shrunk. The disabled Trainer snapped to alertness, her gaze now sharp and focused.

Holly heard the cry again, and the dark aura disappeared. Kris simply nodded, a smile spreading over her face. Familiarity flashed in her eyes, as if whatever had healed her was an old friend.

The disabled Trainer looked straight at Holly, her gaze glowing with recognition.

Yet, Holly could not respond.

Because then, the entire place faded.

Another cry woke Holly up, and she rapidly registered it was the sound of her own screaming. Holly's focus became even clearer when she heard footsteps running into the room.

Annabel rushed over to her side, the betrayer's eyes wide with concern.

Holly rapidly averted her gaze. She wanted nothing to do with the betrayer Annabel or her false sympathies!

Instead, she glanced down, registering the white sheets of a hospital bed. There didn't appear to be any injuries, thankfully.

But Holly couldn't pay attention to that.

Only one occupied her mind.

Where was Kris?

A panicked look entered Holly's eyes as she blurted out. "Where is Kris?"

"In a large room across from here, where you can see through a window." Anabel answered, matter-of-factly. Concern once again entered her eyes as she softly stated. "But Holly…"

Holly refused to let the betrayer finish her sentence, as she smacked her across the face. Anabel recoiled, giving Holly enough time to seize hold of the covers and leap out of the bed.

She could hear Anabel's cries of "Holly, wait!", but Holly ignored them. Holly thought she could also hear a voice saying "Let her run. We will deal with it later." However, she didn't know who the voice belonged to, nor did she care.

Instead, Holly continued her dash from her room. The different areas of the hospital were reduced to blurs as she passed them by. Holly could register the sound of her own heavy panting, but she knew it wasn't because she was tired.

No, it was because the thoughts from before consumed her completely.

They were the only thing keeping her going now.

Holly let those thoughts have free reign as she continued sprinting.

Where was Kris?

What had happened to her?

What were people doing to her now?

Holly gritted her teeth. She had to find answers, and fast.

Before any more chaos ensued.

Holly was so preoccupied in her search that she almost didn't see the large window in front of her until she nearly slammed straight into it. Holly came to a grinding halt, thrusting out her hands.

There was a deafening sound as her hands slammed up against the enormous window. Holly winced as pain shot through them, but quickly noted that whatever pain she felt was nothing compared to what the person inside the room was feeling.

Especially when the person had glass inside of them moments before.

But if there were any shards of glass left, Holly didn't see them now.

Instead she only saw Kris, hands folded against her lap.

Holly's eyes went wide at what else she saw.

That was no sign of the gruesome wounds from before.

Nothing to suggest that the disabled Trainer had been running, fighting, and eventually in severe pain.

Nothing to suggest she had been desperately trying to save others, and could've very well sacrificed her own life.

Instead, Kris just waited in the room, as unhurt as she was when she entered the city.

Holly couldn't resist letting out a gasp.

What happened in the place with the eternal darkness had been real!

The mysterious being with the dark aura truly had healed Kris completely!

She was going to be fine! _Everything_ was going to be fine!

Despite this, Holly frowned.

If Kris was had fully recovered, what was she sitting in the hospital room for? Why didn't she just give the group an explanation right away?

Holly sighed.

As badly as she wanted answers, the hospital probably wanted them too. After being completely cured of such horrible wounds with no cause or aftereffects, _the entire city_ probably wanted to know what happened.

So this hospital wasn't just going to let Kris slip away.

Not that she seemed to care.

The disabled Trainer sat in a chair calmly, almost expectantly, as a nurse wheeled a machine into her room.

The nurse asked Kris something, and the disabled Trainer stoically nodded.

Kris rolled up her sleeve, and Holly could see a huge black cuff attached to the machine. Kris remained completely still as the nurse wrapped the cuff around her arm. Holly could hear the sound of something being puffed up, and nodded as the cuff was enlarged.

 _Of course_ after something so crazy happening, the nurses wanted to take Kris's vitals.

Holly cringed.

The blood pressure cuff. Always her least favorite part. She found it so uncomfortable, and imagined Kris did too.

At least it was over quickly.

Or so it seemed.

Without warning, the machine let out an earsplitting beep. Kris's face turned ashen at the noise, and she flinched back. Holly winced, and noticed the nurse's shocked expression.

If a nurse was shocked, this couldn't have been good.

The paleness never left Kris's face, and concern never left the nurse's as she looked at the machine.

The pair waited for a couple minutes. Holly suspected they were waiting for the machine to perform its function.

But whatever the machine was meant to do, it didn't.

The nurse eventually shook her head and let the cuff deflate. She rapidly grabbed it off Kris's arm and wheeled the machine out of the room.

Holly blinked.

What had happened there?

Perhaps the machine had malfunctioned, and it had startled Kris.

Yes, that must've been what happened. It was only logical.

Holly nodded reassuringly.

With the machine out of the way, everything would be fine.

Except it wasn't.

Kris's paleness still remained, and now she looked almost gray. Holly wondered if she was actually sick, and that's why the nurse was concerned. Suddenly, Kris tilted her head so that it rested on her left shoulder. The disabled Trainer didn't even try to correct the motion, and Holly wondered if she had decided to fall asleep in the chair. However, Kris's eyes were still open, and she made no attempt to close them.

Holly resisted the urge to throw up her hands.

Who would sleep with their eyes open, and in that uncomfortable position?

Why would Kris suddenly fall asleep when she had been so alert before?

If she wasn't sleeping, then what was she doing?

Holly didn't have time to ponder what was going on, because Kris's next action was even more bizarre.

The disabled Trainer furiously started shivering, as though someone had just tossed her out in subzero degree temperatures without any warm clothing.

Holly's eyes went wide in confusion.

Why on earth would Kris be shivering? She could've been frightened, but she'd not been acting that way before. And she had been in hospitals several times, so they couldn't terrify her.

The hospital was plenty warm, so it wasn't like Kris would be cold. Of course, Kris's room could be, but if it was, she probably would've said something or requested blankets.

Perhaps Holly was just warm from being under them, and from running on top of it. She suspected Kris hadn't done either.

But then, what was she doing now?

Holly was drawn away from Kris's shivering as she noticed something else. Now, the disabled Trainer finally appeared to be trying to correct her posture.

But Holly could see she wasn't having too much success.

Kris tried to lift her head, but it seemed to barely move. Holly's eyes widened with horror as she realized why that was.

Kris's neck gone had completely stiff. No matter how much she tried to move her head, her neck remained still. It reminded Holly of a board, if boards were gray and eerie.

After a while, Kris stopped trying to lift her head, instead letting it slump on her shoulders.

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

Why wasn't Kris calling for help?

Why wasn't anyone _going and getting help?_

With the Trainer as famous as Kris, people couldn't just leave her like that! Someone had to know something was going on!

But what _was_ going on?

Holly thought of getting help herself, but couldn't tear her gaze away from what was happening.

Yet as soon as the conflicted thoughts entered Holly's head, something else happened.

Kris's face suddenly returned to its normal color. The shivering stopped, as though it had never come. The disabled Trainer effortlessly lifted her head up, stiffness in her neck suddenly vanishing. She rapidly adjusted herself in the chair, and it wasn't long before she was sitting up straight once again. Kris quickly resumed her calm demeanor, like there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Holly cocked her head.

What did Kris just do?

Did she _mean_ to move like that?

Was she even _aware_ of it?

But before Holly could ponder what happened any more, the nurse came in with her wheeled machine.

She and Kris talked about something, although Holly couldn't really hear what they were saying. However, Kris was gesturing to the machine, and the nurse was nodding.

Holly guessed Kris was asking whether this was a different machine than the one before, and the nurse was affirming.

It only made sense.

That must've been what Kris was asking, because the nurse placed the cuff and inflated it as before. Luckily, the distressing beep did not sound. Instead, the nurse simply looked at the machine for less than a minute, before turning back to Kris and nodding. Kris kept her composure as she nodded back.

Holly remembered Kris's expectant look as the nurse had come in. Was that what she was expecting, or did have something to do with what had happened before?

The nurse walked over to the other side of the room, quickly jotting something down. However, Kris didn't appear to be paying much attention. Instead, she spoke and gestured to the doorway.

The nurse responded rapidly to Kris, before nodding a final time. With that, the nurse pushed the wheeled machine out of the room, leaving Kris alone again.

Holly tried not tremble with fear.

Would Kris's strange behavior from before appear again? Had she gotten the nurse to leave so that no one would see it?

Would something even _more_ unnerving happen?

Yet Holly's fears were groundless as Kris simply snatched a Poké Ball from her belt. She tossed it in the air, and Google appeared in front of her. She rapidly spoke to her fateful Delphox, and the Pokémon bowed its head. Psychic power radiated from its body, and it surrounded Kris with the same glow. The disabled Trainer got up from the chair faster than Holly ever knew someone could, and the two walked out of the room.

Holly finally tore her gaze away from the window, knowing that Kris would probably be coming soon.

What had occurred in the room _seemed_ like a simple blood pressure check. And yet what Kris had done was anything _but_ normal…

But just like in the dream, she seemed to know what was going to happen, almost as if she was _expecting_ it…

Except Holly had never seen anything like this, and apparently most normal people didn't either…

Kris seemed to be the only one that knew anything, but she had not spoken at all during what happened…

If she even _could._

But any concerns about the disabled Trainer were rapidly replaced by two new questions.

The two questions rattled around in Holly's mind, to the point where she thought they would burst from her head.

Holly wanted to scream them aloud, but she knew it was unlikely anyone could answer

What did the events she just witnessed mean, and would she ever get answers to what was going on?

* * *

 **Author's notes**

 **-So this chapter is a bit interesting, in more ways than one. The events in this chapter did not feature her there at all in the original draft. I was originally going to simply have Holly wake up, see Kris fully recovered, and have other characters act suspicious or surprised. Kris's healing wasn't going be shown at all, leaving her recovery a mystery until it was explained much later. However, I decided to create this chapter because I figured it would make certain events that occur later make much more sense. It also makes Kris's recovery a lot less confusing, because said recovery is shown on screen and there's a clear reason as to why it happens.**


	66. Accusations

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

65\. Accusations

After everything, it seemed like hours had gone by. However, it was really only minutes before Holly saw Kris walking down the hallway.

Holly tore herself away from the window, stepping back and turning to face the disabled Trainer.

She couldn't hide the confusion and concern in her voice as she asked. "Kris, what happened-"

Kris immediately cut her off, and Google radiated with psychic power as she spoke through thought.

" _-is not something I discuss in public. I promise I'll talk about everything when we are alone though."_

Holly nodded. _"I understand."_

She could trust Kris. The older Trainer had never broken a promise to her.

With something as unusual as what just happened, it would make sense that Kris wouldn't be so forthcoming. She might scare people at best, and have them think she was crazy at worst.

And considering her usual stoic secretiveness, Holly expected that Kris would keep something like this private.

Holly nodded again.

More proof that Kris was back to normal, both physically and emotionally.

More proof that everything was going to be fine.

Holly suddenly cocked her head, as she registered something Kris had said.

" _What do you mean, in public? I thought we were alone."_

Kris shook her head, and a dry tone entered her voice. _"No, we're not alone. Look behind you."_

The disabled Trainer pointed, and Holly spun around.

Another person approached, and Holly's eyes narrowed.

Molly Hale took no notice of Holly's narrowed eyes. Instead, the psychic continued to walk forward with a severe expression on her face.

Holly shot her a glare straight back, not conceding inch of ground.

 _Of course_ Molly Hale would have used the attack that ended the fight! With someone of her caliber, a feat like that would probably be effortless! And it would make sense that the rebels couldn't fight back against such immense power!

But if Molly was here, it meant nothing but trouble. After all, she wanted to hurt Kris for something the latter could not control! And Holly knew she _at least_ had enough power to do something else!

But _no_ , Molly Hale refused to do anything else, because _that_ would be far too difficult! _How dare_ someone like her be considered such an accomplished psychic when she only took the easy way out of problems!

Especially when the problem involved someone else's life!

Holly kept her eyes narrowed. Perhaps she would punish Molly along with Anabel! It would only be fair!

Out of the corner of her eye, Holly saw Kris staring straight at Molly Hale. The disabled Trainer's normally stoic demeanor had faded, and her eyes blazed with rage.

There was no doubt Kris was thinking the same things Holly was. But in case she wasn't, Holly decided she would bring up later, in private.

Because Holly certainly didn't want Molly Hale to use her power now.

The psychic stopped in front of Holly and Kris, grave countenance never leaving her face as she swept her gaze over the two.

Holly met the psychic's gaze evenly, and her words came out in a snarl. "What are _you_ doing here? Come to act all high and mighty after you saved us?"

Molly shook her head coldly.

Another voice chimed in from behind the psychic. The voice was calm, but Holly thought she could detect a bit of sternness behind it. "No, we didn't save you."

Holly's eyes grew even narrower as she recognized the voice.

It had been the same one that said to let her run, that they would deal with things later.

Clearly the owner had been fine with her running off to see Kris, yet if the person was allied with Molly Hale, there was clearly some sinister motive.

But the person who walked up from behind Molly did not appear to be planning anything sinister at all. In fact, she looked almost like a princess from fairytales, and probably just as spoiled. The person was a woman with long curly blonde hair that tumbled down her back. The hair had several pink bows woven into it, and Holly wondered how many the newcomer needed to put her hair in place. She had on white clothing with reddish pink underneath, and shoes that matched her reddish pink clothing. Holly thought she could see a pink sleeping cap tucked in one of the side pockets of the white clothing.

Holly scowled.

What idiot would carry around a sleeping cap?

A spoiled, bratty, princess, _that's who!_ She'd probably never known hardship in her life! She most likely didn't even know how to battle!

Well, Holly and Kris would show this stupid princess when a _real_ Trainer was made of!

Holly looked straight at the newcomer's blue eyes as she shouted. "Who the heck are you?"

Before the other person could respond, Kris took a step forward. Though the disabled Trainer's voice was even, Holly thought she could detect a rising icy fury hidden within.

"Caitlin, Psychic Type user of Unova's Elite Four, and former leader of Sinnoh's Battle Castle."

Holly gritted her teeth. So the person had lived in a castle, probably with servants waiting on her hand and foot! That certainly explained why she looked and acted like a princess!

If this person was a psychic, _of course_ Kris knew her! She probably knew them all! And it also made sense that the person was allied with Molly Hale!

Holly rapidly howled. "Well, Unova must have some pretty wimpy Trainers! They'd have to, considering one of their Elite Four members is a pampered princess and probably can't do anything!"

Molly took a step forward, eyes burning with anger. However, Caitlin stopped her with a hand, quietly stating. "It's not worth it."

Caitlin turned to face Holly. Her voice was calm, but Holly could detect the rage underneath. "I certainly can do things. I travel around quite a bit, and I'm here for a very important reason."

Holly's voice dripped with venom. "Which is?"

Caitlin kept her composure, settling her gaze on Kris.

"Perhaps you'd like to tell them?"

Kris shook her head and backed away, a defiant light burning in her eyes.

Caitlin only nodded. "Very well."

She took a deep breath before beginning again. "I'm here because Molly Hale asked me to help her decide what to do about the two of you. You're both dangerous, so we could not make a decision lightly. We were in the middle of a discussion when Kris's monitor showed that the Safari Zone was being attacked. Molly and I couldn't let the rebels have their way, so here we are."

Kris's eyes blazed with rage and she hissed. "Using my problems for your own gain? Despicable!"

Holly nodded.

Trainers made the Elite Four out to be respected figures, but really, they were all such horrible, selfish, people! What they did to her and Kris couldn't be forgotten or forgiven! Someone had to know the truth!

She fixed Caitlin with a hard gaze. "Despicable is right! And how dare you call us dangerous? You don't even know who we are!"

Caitlin still appeared unruffled. Were it any other time, Holly would've thought they were talking about something casual. Even Caitlin's voice remained calm, so unlike the icy tone others used.

"I think I know quite a bit about you two. You, Holly of Celadon, nearly murdered one of your own Pokémon, assaulted people several times, and generally showed disregard for any authority and rules."

Caitlin's gaze turned to Kris, yet the disabled Trainer still looked her right in the face, eyes blazing.

Caitlin's calmness continued as she addressed the older Trainer.

"You… If the rumors are true, you've done so many misdeeds I could make a laundry list. But I will just say that you have put yourself and many others at risk several times. And you do nothing to change your ways, even when others offered to help repeatedly. Even when you clearly knew there was an issue of life or death…"

Holly wanted to let her eyes go wide as Caitlin spoke again, but she forced herself to meet the Elite Four member's gaze squarely.

How could anyone be so calm when scolding someone like that, and obviously being so angry? Caitlin must've been completely crazy! Perhaps that's why _all_ the Elite Four were crazy!

Whatever it was, Holly couldn't take their abuse anymore!

"So, what can you do? You certainly haven't done anything so far!"

Caitlin ignored the jab, focusing her gaze on Holly.

"Help control the outbursts. When I was young, I had fits and would lose control of my psychic power. The episodes would often happen when I was angry, or even just frightened. These outbursts were very similar to the ones Kris is having now. Luckily, I learned to control my power and become successful with it. Because of my experience with the outbursts, Molly Hale thought I would be the perfect person to join forces with."

Holly clenched her fists.

"The only reason Kris has those outbursts are because of others causing them. And, aside from being extremists, people like you refuse to help! And _you wonder why_ she has issues!"

Kris suddenly spoke up, her voice dangerously low. "I am not some object to be tossed around from person to person and used constantly."

Holly nodded. First Kris was supposed to go with Anabel, then Will and Karen, then Sabrina, then Molly, and now this Caitlin person!

Tossed around and used was a good way of putting things!

And Molly Hale seemed to know it. She immediately stepped up, eyes burning with rage.

"We're trying to better your life, Kris! If you don't want to get "tossed around and used", let us help you!"

Kris's eyes blazed with her own rage as she icily replied.

"I don't trust you to help me, with all that's happened."

Holly expected Caitlin to retaliate, and Molly Hale looked like she was about to.

However, Caitlin stopped her companion again. The Elite Four member closed her eyes and shook her head.

"So different from the other Trainer… It really is quite baffling…"

Holly clenched her fist. "Other Trainer!?"

Caitlin opened her eyes and nodded. "Yes. There was another Trainer with us, and that Trainer was also a supernatural power user. If you have someone to thank, you should be thanking that Trainer. She's the one who launched that last attack on the rebels that made them retreat. _She's_ the one who saved you."

Holly kept her fist clenched and fired back. "Oh yeah? Where's the other Trainer now?"

Caitlin's gaze remained firm, and her voice matched as she replied.

"Resting in another place. She's exhausted from that attack she used. And after she's recovered, the Trainer will leave again."

Holly snarled. "Like I believe anything you have to say!"

Kris rapidly added. "Making up another Trainer to further your own agenda? Typical."

Despite the insults, Caitlin remained unfazed.

"You _really are_ the opposite of the other Trainer. She trusted us, and we trusted her in return. The Trainer was kind, polite, and sincere, even though she knew almost nothing about us. She risked her own life to make sure every innocent on the battlefield was safe. And the Trainer was only able to do this because she was willing to accept our help in order to draw out her own latent power."

Holly snorted. "Where is your proof that any of this even happened? Show me some right now!"

Another voice suddenly entered the conversation, in a tone that was icy cold. Holly gritted her teeth as she recognized it. "The proof is me, Holly."

Anabel walked up to the group, the betrayer looking as though she could freeze the entire world over. Before anyone else could speak, the betrayer continued. "I saw the Trainer, Holly, and I saw her use that attack. It wasn't anything anyone was familiar with, though. She didn't have time to elaborate either, because she collapsed shortly afterward.

Anabel paused, as if she was slowly considering her next words.

"The Trainer was enveloped in a ghostly aura, so I couldn't see what she looked like. However, I do know that this Trainer wielded power beyond the likes of anything I've ever seen. And I can back up Caitlin's word that she was kind."

The betrayer's eyes suddenly narrowed, and was no hesitation when she spoke again.

"Kind enough to heal Delia after what you did before."

Holly's eyes widened and Kris stiffened again.

Holly couldn't help sputtering.

"Delia!? Who-"

Holly heard another voice in response. "I'm Delia. Delia Ketchum."

Another woman walked up to the group, and Holly let out a gasp.

It was the same individual that had challenged Team Rocket! And now Holly could see her more clearly.

Delia still had her brown ponytail, somehow not damaged after the fight. Her simple clothing was also unruffled, and Holly wondered if she had dodged every attack. Delia still wore blue and pink, although Holly now noticed the pink was due to a buttoned up shirt. The blue was a lighter color, belonging to a pair of longer shorts. Holly could see strength radiating in Delia's black eyes, along with a stern expression. She had to have been a powerful Trainer, no matter how meek she looked.

Delia narrowed her eyes as she focused her gaze on Holly. What the woman said next sent chills down Holly's spine.

"You know, I'm the woman you attacked with a Raichu."

Holly's eyes widened. In the chaos she'd forgotten all about the Pokémon she'd sent after Delia! Now she had no idea where it was!

"My Raichu, what happened to it?"

Delia responded coldly. "It's on your belt with your other Pokémon now. As for what happened, the other Trainer happened."

Holly clenched her fist.

How dare some rogue Trainer hurt her Pokémon, and possibly Kris as well!

She stepped forward to speak, but Delia wasn't going to give her the option to.

The woman fiercely shook her head, voice continuing to be icy cold as she responded. "I managed drag myself back to where Molly, Caitlin, and the other Trainer were. That Raichu was hot on my heels, and I didn't know if I was going to get attacked again. Then, shortly before the other Trainer completely lost all her energy, she sent out a Pokémon. The Pokémon was a Blissey, and it defeated your Raichu in one hit. Following her victory, the Trainer commanded the Blissey to heal me. That's why I'm standing before you now, completely uninjured."

Holly narrowed her eyes. Her glare was so serious, it looked like it could burn up everything.

A Pokémon as powerful as Holly's Raichu _couldn't_ be defeated by some weakling Blissey! Blissey were just nurses that never fought in combat!

What happened just _couldn't_ be true!

Holly opened her mouth to say something again, but she shut it immediately upon seeing Anabel's stone cold gaze.

The betrayer's voice rang out across the room. "Attacking an innocent person with your Pokémon, Holly? How could you?"

Holly's eyes blazed, and her voice also rang out as she retorted.

"That woman is far from innocent! She was following us and Janine when she shouldn't have been! And according to Kris, she was bad news! So I _had_ to attack her!"

Another voice pierced through the crowd, and Holly recognized it as Molly Hale's.

"So you attacked a person because Kris told you to? Would you do everything she says?"

Holly nodded firmly, allowing her gaze to sweep over everyone. "I would. I trust Kris, unlike all you."

Delia gritted her teeth, and the woman clenched her fist. Holly almost prepared for a blow, but nothing came. Instead, Delia spoke, voice trembling with rage.

"Shame on you, Kris. I didn't think you'd sink so low."

Kris responded immediately, voice full of venom.

"I should say the same to you, Delia. You had no right to follow us."

Delia didn't resist yelling back. "Why? I was worried about you, and I couldn't let a child run off get hurt!"

Kris narrowed her eyes. "I have my secrets, Delia, and I also have the right to keep them."

Delia threw up her hands, rage blazing in her eyes. "I can't believe you! You're nothing like the person that traveled with my son all those years ago!"

Kris remained unfazed. "Of course not I'm not. A lot has changed since then."

Before Delia could retort, Kris questioned. "Why are you here anyway? I thought you were back home with Ash."

Delia frowned as she responded. "Ash is at Sunnyshore training with his father, Volkner. They're so much alike that Volkner thinks that Ash will be Sunnyshore Gym's successor. I thought that Ash might travel again, but he hasn't been the same since the ill-fated journey…"

Delia's voice trailed off with a broken tone to it. Holly couldn't help feeling a bit of sympathy, but also a bit of shock.

What type of journey would leave someone feeling completely broken, and what was it like to deal with the aftereffects of it?

What had Kris and her companions seen?

Judging by what Delia had said and Kris's reluctance to talk, it must've been nothing good.

Now Kris faced Delia, eyes burning. "Enough about that. Tell me how you got here."

Delia shook her head before continuing. "Well, I was worried about Molly, with everything that was happening. I've known her since she was a child, after all. So when Molly had her discussion with Caitlin, I came along. I came just in time to meet the other Trainer, too, and saw her agree to team up with Caitlin and Molly. Then I heard nasty rumors about rebels attacking Fuchsia, and became concerned for the people there. So I went ahead of the psychic trio and got caught up in the fighting."

A bewildered gaze entered Kris's eyes as she stated. "So you attacked Team Rocket alone just because you were worried?"

Delia's eyes narrowed, and her voice came out as a shout. "After what they did you and Ash in the past, _why wouldn't I?"_

Holly clenched her fist.

What type of incident had taken place that would cause someone to run off and fight an entire legion of Team Rocket members alone?

Holly might not have known her, but she was sure Delia was an idiot!

Kris spoke almost same thoughts as she replied. "Well, Ash's recklessness had to come from somewhere."

Delia threw up her hands. "Young lady, what's that supposed to mean? I'm just concerned about you! I've heard such horrible stories, and I don't want anything awful to happen!"

Kris's eyes grew stone cold as she replied. "Maybe you should not listen to the stories. Then there will be no horror, and nothing awful will happen."

Delia's voice became high-pitched as she spoke. "It's impossible _not_ to listen, when your name is heard in all the regions! Information keeps coming through, and most of it isn't good! I…"

The woman's voice faltered, and a broken look appeared in her eyes. A matching tone entered her voice. "I just don't want to lose you!"

Kris let out an indifferent sigh, closing her eyes.

Delia's eyes hardened, and she took a step forward. Holly wondered what the woman would do.

Suddenly, Delia recoiled, as though she had been struck. Her eyes went wide, and she backed away.

Delia stared straight at Kris, the woman's gaze focusing on something only she could see.

The words that came out of her mouth left Holly swimming in confusion. "This is a little hard for me to say… Your Pokémon simply detests you. Doesn't that make you uncomfortable?"

Holly resisted the urge to scowl.

Delia didn't have any idea what she was talking about!

Kris loved all Pokémon, so of course she would be uncomfortable if one disliked her!

But Kris didn't have any Pokémon that disliked her! They were all loyal to their dying breath!

And there were no Pokémon here, so what was Delia referring to?

Perhaps one of the Pokémon Kris used in the fight?

Kris _had_ used a legendary Pokémon, and legendary Pokémon were said to be tough to earn the loyalty of…

But if it was a specific Pokémon, wouldn't Delia have mentioned a name?

Maybe she was just trying to throw everyone off. So that she could force Kris do something…

Whatever Delia was trying to, it didn't work.

Kris retained an air of indifference, her rage from before replaced by her typical stoicism.

Whether the disabled Trainer didn't care, or expected Delia to act the way she did, Holly didn't know.

However, she did know when Anabel spoke up.

An icy edge was in the betrayer's voice, and she glared sharply at Kris.

"With the type of Trainer you are, I'm not surprised one of your Pokémon dislikes you."

Holly's face twisted with rage.

 _How dare_ Anabel talk like that, with everything she had done?

Then again, Holly suspected nothing less from the betrayer.

It was time to make Anabel's treachery known.

Holly took a step forward, letting her voice fill the room as she shouted. "You've no right to talk, Anabel! Not when you betrayed us!"

Kris's rage resumed in her eyes, and she growled. "You and Lusamine both."

The others' had confusion on their faces, and Holly let her rage overflow she yelled.

"You said you were doing some work for the International Police, but that was just a huge lie! You needed to get Silvally from Lusamine without us knowing. So that's why you stayed in the city while we walked around! I'll bet you coerced poor Lusamine into giving you that Pokémon! To think that you would abuse a god!"

Holly took a deep breath as she faced the betrayer with a piercing gaze.

"And the reason you needed Silvally was to destroy Kris and Tulip!"

Holly couldn't help herself, screaming so loudly she thought the entire building would hear.

"You're the one who asked Kris to join us! You're the one who acted like you cared from the beginning! And you're the one who believed that Kris was the last connection you had to your dead friend! Now you're willing to give all that up for your own selfish reasons, and destroy her like a tool you can no longer use!"

Holly's eyes blazed as her glare bore into the betrayer.

Her screams grew even louder, and Holly was surprised people did not come running.

"You're as despicable as they come, Anabel! You act all high and mighty, but in the end, you're only a self-righteous hypocrite! A traitor to us, and to all Trainers! You ought to be ashamed!"

Kris chimed in as Holly stopped speaking, somehow keeping her stoicism. However, Holly thought she could detect a tranquil fury.

"It's clear you're only doing this to satisfy your own paranoia, Anabel. And you think I'm the one that sank low today. To betray the one you convinced to join puts you with lowest of the low. I thought you were a better person than that, but I guess it was wrong. And Lusamine is like a second mother to me. How dare you drag her into this."

Holly scanned the room, hoping to see horrified gazes from the other three people. Perhaps one of them would call Anabel out on her ways.

Yet there was only silence and shocked gazes. No one made a move.

Holly hoped that at least the shock was directed towards the misdeeds of the betrayer.

Yet now Holly focused on Kris.

Kris fixed Anabel with a gaze colder than Holly had ever seen. She thought it could rival ice.

Yet the betrayer did not flinch, meeting Kris's challenge with her own intimidating gaze.

"I didn't drag Lusamine into this. She and I discussed what was happening, and we agreed that I would take a Silvally. Lusamine instructed me to use it if I encountered any hostile Ultra Beasts, and in case you and Tulip went out of control."

Annabel paused, voice softening slightly.

"Lusamine just wants to protect you two. Especially you, Kris. And I am doing what is best for all innocent Trainers."

Rage blazed in Kris's eyes, and she never took her gaze off of Anabel. "So she wants to protect us by destroying me and Tulip? Do you realize how absurd that sounds? Especially since she is the one that created the fusion in the first place."

The disabled Trainer fiercely shook her head. "No, I refuse to believe that Lusamine would ever willingly agree to destroy another human being or a Pokémon. You must have brainwashed her. After all, it's just like you, Anabel, to utilize someone for your own sinister schemes."

The betrayer flinched back, and her eyes widened.

Holly nodded.

Good.

At least they were doing _some_ damage to Anabel.

Before the betrayer could fire back a retort, Holly jumped in. She made the hardest gaze she could as she spoke.

"How can you say what you're doing is best for all innocent Trainers when you're trying to eliminate someone who's no threat to them?"

Holly expected Anabel to be unable to respond.

What she did not expect was Molly Hale's foot slamming on the floor as the psychic stepped forward. The fire that burned in Molly Hale's eyes was so bright that Holly thought the psychic's rage would boil over. Molly's voice boomed through the air as she faced Kris.

"No threat?! No threat?! You were a threat today when you fought those rebels!"

Holly's eyes went wide.

Was Molly Hale insane?

Kris had helped _save_ them from the rebels. The disabled Trainer had made progress and created openings when no one else could! How was Kris a threat? Molly Hale should have been grateful for her help!

Yet the psychic only grew angrier as she continued. "Did you ever occur to you how many helpless civilians were caught up in your vicious attacks? How many of Fuchsia's allies died or were injured?"

Before Kris could reply, fury flashed in Delia's eyes. She spoke sternly, and Holly could easily detect her rage.

"Those attacks with the Lugia and the Rotom… They almost hit me, Kris. I was only able to dodge because my Pokémon both knew Protect. They used Protect to stop the moves from coming, and I ran behind the shield."

Delia shook her head, eyes narrowed. "How would you feel if I got hurt in that fight? How would you feel if I _died_ on the battlefield? How do you think _Ash_ would feel, knowing that his mother was hurt needlessly?"

Kris said nothing, instead sweeping her expressionless gaze over the group.

Holly clenched her fists.

If Delia was so worried about dying, then she should not have fought on the battlefield! She truly was a fool!

But when Kris had no response, Anabel stepped up.

The betrayer's voice was still icy cold as she narrowed her eyes at the disabled Trainer. "My Raikou and Weavile were almost killed by those attacks, Kris. And they are two of my best Pokémon. If they had died, I'm not sure I would've been able to do my job properly. That's not even getting into the other people whose lives are now compromised by your rampaging Pokémon. What do you say to that, Kris?"

Holly's eyes narrowed.

Who cared about the betrayer's Pokémon? And since when was her job important? As far as Holly was concerned, all of Anabel's Pokémon could die!

Kris fixed the entire group with a stoic stare, no emotion in her voice.

"That battle was a massive fight of life or death. It's only natural that there are those caught in the crossfire."

Molly threw up her hands. _"Only natural?_ Is that all you can say? You've fought countless battles like this, Kris! Surely you should know how to minimize casualties!"

Holly found she couldn't contain herself anymore, and snarled as she stepped forward.

"Kris was only fighting in self-defense! And considering the rest of you were not making any progress, you probably can't do any better!"

Molly Hale rounded on Holly, face contorted in rage. "Was she fighting in self-defense, or was she only fighting to defend you?"

Holly took a step back. "What does it matter?"

Molly replied without hesitation. "It matters for everything."

The psychic's gaze fell on Kris a second time, but once again the disabled Trainer showed no emotion. Nevertheless, Molly spoke anyway.

"I may have come late to the fight, but I know what you did."

Holly clenched her fist. What was Molly Hale referring to?

The answer came in the psychic spoke again.

"You're a powerful Trainer, and you know the rebels' tactics better than anyone. You could have, no, _should have,_ fought as soon as the battle started. But instead, you waited until the rebels started directly attacking Holly. When so many innocent lives had already been lost. You could have saved them, Kris. You could have saved countless people, if only you acted immediately. But you didn't. The blood of those people is your hands, Kris. So, what you have to say for yourself?"

Holly could hardly believe what she was hearing.

Kris wasn't responsible for those people dying. It was those horrible rebels!

Molly Hale really _was_ insane!

Kris did not need to answer to such a person!

Yet the disabled Trainer did anyway, her stoicism never wavering.

"I promised to defend Holly, so I was only keeping that promise. I didn't say would defend anyone else."

Molly Hale threw up her hands again. "Really? Is that your pathetic excuse? Don't you even care about everyone else involved in the fight?"

Before Kris could reply, Molly narrowed her eyes.

"Like Janine, the Gym Leader that keeps the entire city together."

Molly Hale paused, glaring accusingly. Her voice became dangerously low.

"You could've stopped her. You _should've_ stopped her. Janine never should have tried to head across the Safari Zone by herself, especially when she lost two Pokémon. But you didn't just let her go, Kris. You _followed her_ , taking along a rookie Trainer. That's beyond reckless, and put all three of you at risk. What do you think the city would've done if Janine had died today? What do you think _her family_ would've done?"

Kris answered without hesitation. "Janine wanted to protect a civilian and a valued item. That was reason enough to follow her. Besides, she put herself at risk the instant she engaged the rebels."

Molly threw up her hands. "Only because it was her duty to defend Fuchsia! Janine didn't have to run off by herself like that! You're lucky she and Holly weren't injured!"

Holly clenched her fist. Janine had a perfectly valid reason to go running off! How dare the others try to blame Kris for everything!

She stepped forward to say something, but Molly Hale wasn't finished.

The psychic shouted.

"You fight with vicious tactics, only for your own selfish reasons, and with no respect for authority! You're just like the rebels, Kris! And the only reason you got as far as you did in that fight is because you fought in the same way they did! You call yourself an honest Trainer, but you're anything but!"

Holly felt herself trembling with rage.

Kris was nothing like the rebels! Otherwise everyone else in the room would be dead by now! And since when was using every tactic at one's disposal during a life or death fight considered dishonest?

But before Holly could speak, Anabel started talking.

She directed her gaze at Kris, speaking in a low tone.

"Holly and Janine weren't injured, but you were, Kris. You were hurt so severely there was no way you could've survived those injuries. Yet here you are, completely recovered like nothing has happened. And with no explanation, either…"

The betrayer narrowed her eyes. "Sounds a little suspicious, wouldn't you say?"

Kris immediately growled. "And none of your business."

Molly threw up her hands again, yelling. "We've all seen this! Of course it's our business! But perhaps, you don't want anyone to know the truth about you. Perhaps I should speak for you."

Holly's eyes narrowed.

What truth was Molly talking about?

Out of the corner of her eye, Holly saw Caitlin shudder.

What did the Elite Four member know that the others didn't?

But before Holly could concentrate on that, Molly Hale's voice rang through the air.

"There's a reason Kris fights recklessly, refuses to ask for help, and heals from injuries without a trace. The reason is because she's…"

Suddenly, a hand shot out.

Holly saw concern in Caitlin's eyes as the Elite Four member latched on to Molly Hale's arm. The other psychic's eyes widened in surprise, and she nearly lost her balance as Caitlin forced her to step back. Molly turned to look at her companion, only to see that she was shaking her head furiously. Caitlin's eyes still shone with concern as she spoke.

"It's inappropriate to discuss this topic without proof."

Holly threw up her hands, eyes blazing. "So you say you know the truth, but you have no evidence? Then you're both just a bunch of filthy liars! It's disgusting!"

She rapidly stomped her foot. "I've had enough!"

Holly gestured to Kris. "Come on Kris, let's leave these losers!"

Kris nodded curtly. "This conversation ends here."

With that, the disabled Trainer walked away with her Pokémon.

Holly didn't follow, or see where Kris was heading. Instead, she took a few steps before breaking out into a run.

Holly didn't know where she was going, nor did she care.

Holly's thoughts were preoccupied with only one thing.

To get away from Molly.

From Caitlin.

From Anabel.

From Delia.

From everything.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-And the aftermath of the fight commences. A lot of this takes place offscreen, because Holly is unable to see for herself what is happening. And since the story is from her point of view, it's limited only to what she can see. However, a lot of what is explained in this chapter will be shown on screen in some of the other books. This is because the books either have another point of view, or no point of view at all.**

 **-So Caitlin makes an appearance here. Interestingly, the original draft was quite different with her involvement. In the original draft of the series, Caitlin was the one who was going to warn Kris about her latent psychic powers overflowing, and try to help her with them. This is because I realized Kris was a much darker take on Caitlin's situation, and therefore had a lot of similarities to her. However, Caitlin's role was changed for a few reasons.**

 **One was that I was interested in seeing what a grown-up version of Molly Hale would be like, and wanted to include her as a major character. Another reason is that Caitlin is incredibly passive, so I couldn't see her forcefully trying to get someone to master their own powers. Molly Hale, on the other hand, is shown to be more aggressive in her own story, so I thought she would make more sense. A final reason is a spoiler for something later on in the series, but boils down to the fact that Caitlin doesn't work for all situations involving supernatural abilities in the series, whereas Molly Hale does. Caitlin is still set to play a large role in the series, even if it isn't as large as what was initially planned.**

 **-The talk about everyone getting saved was supposed to be different as well. Molly Hale was originally going to save everyone with her reality warping powers. However, it was established earlier in the story that she is at risk of hurting or even killing herself by using her powers that way. Therefore, I quickly realized that scenario didn't work, since Molly still has to appear in several situations afterward alive and well.**

 **-However, the other character was planned to be a major player in the series from the get go, has access to several different powers, and depending on the type of power used, has no life-threatening issues with them. So it was easy to place this character in the situation before, choose a power that had less risk of being fatal, and have her use it to save everyone. As for the other character is, I won't reveal it here because it's a very large spoiler. However, anyone who's interested in knowing ahead of time can ask, and I will answer through private message.**

 **-Caitlin actually appears in four separate sets of games, although the player is unlikely to see her in all of them. In Pokémon Platinum and the Johto remakes, she appears in an optional area after the main game is completed. Caitlin resides in a place called the Battle Castle, and watches over the battles there. She decides how will the player does, and instructs her butler, Darach, to award the player Castle Points based on their performance. These Castle Points can be used to take various actions in the Battle Castle.**

 **If the player wins 50 consecutive battles in the Castle, Caitlin requests a battle with them. However, Darach explains that Caitlin is not allowed to battle, and that he will fight the player instead. Strangely enough, Caitlin still appears alongside Darach in the battle that follows, despite never fighting. It is also unknown whether Darach is just borrowing Pokémon Caitlin trained, or if he's using his own Pokémon. However, Caitlin having an entirely different team in the Unova games implies the latter. In the Pokémon Platinum and the Johto games, Caitlin appears as a young girl.**

 **-Caitlin also appears in the Unova games as a member of the Elite Four. Battling Caitlin is no longer optional, and she has aged. Unfortunately, she doesn't make much of a reference to the Battle Castle unless the player triggers some optional conversations after the main part of the games is cleared. This can lead to players missing the connection explaining that the Elite Four member from Unova and the little girl from the Battle Castle are the same person.**

 **However, Caitlin does explain why she was previously forbidden to battle when she is defeated in the Unova games. Apparently, losing would make her so enraged that she would unleash her psychic powers after battle. As a result, Caitlin was forbidden to battle when she was younger. She eventually gained control her powers, although how she did so is never explained. Also, unlike Kris, Caitlin is never seen or even mentioned hurting anyone with her powers. Therefore, the extent of the damage her psychic powers did is unknown.**

 **-Caitlin's appearance is based off of how she looks in the Unova games. There are some slight differences, however. In the games, Caitlin is always wearing a sleeping cap. However, she is almost always next to a bed, and sometimes even found sleeping before she battles. Since Caitlin is traveling in this story, I found it odd that she would still wear a sleeping cap even though she was nowhere near a place to sleep. Therefore, I just made it so that she carries it around with her. Also, when she battles in the games, her hair and ribbons levitate. It's implied she's holding them up using her psychic power. However, Caitlin is not using psychic power constantly in this story. Therefore, her hair and ribbons hang down instead. Caitlin traveling a lot is based on the fact that she appears in three different regions; Unova, Johto, and Sinnoh.**

 **-So, Delia Ketchum makes her first appearance! As fans of the anime might notice, she's a bit different than she is in canon. The biggest difference is that she is an active Pokémon Trainer here. The anime only states that she would be good at it, or, depending on the interpretation, implies she has been one. In the anime, the situation is not so dire that she has to start training again (or begin training for the first time). In Traveler, the setting is much darker, so Delia takes more of an active role and is a Trainer.**

 **-The Pokémon she uses are slightly based on the anime. In the anime, she owns a Mr. Mime named Mimey. Mr. Mime is part Fairy type, so I thought it would make sense for Delia to use a Fairy in combat. It's worth noting that in Traveler, Delia does not have a Mr. Mime. In the Sun and Moon anime, Delia uses Ash's Litten in a fight against Team Rocket. She said she wants to take it with her, and gives it the nickname Litty. Therefore, I thought it would make sense for Delia to have a Fire Type starter, and Typhlosion was one of the few starter final forms not associated with another character.**

 **-Delia knowing Molly Hale since she was a child comes from the anime. In the anime, Molly Hale and Ash know each other from when they were younger. Delia herself is also close to Molly's father, Spencer Hale. Later on in the movie, Delia is kidnapped by Molly's Entei when Molly wishes for a mother. Delia quickly realizes what's actually going on, and tries to protect Molly and show her the truth of things.**

 **-The scene with Delia was a bit different in one of the earlier drafts. Originally, I was planning on using Daisy Oak for the scene. The reason is that I had already planned out one of Kris's Pokémon disliking her, and Daisy Oak is the person that tells the player how much the Pokémon likes them if they're playing the Kanto remakes. However, I was having trouble including Daisy, since she cannot fight and would have to hide in the city. She also has no connection to the other characters, so she wouldn't be traveling with them. In contrast, Delia made a lot more sense because she has connections to Molly, and can also be used to help flesh out a bit of Kris's past. Furthermore, Delia can fight, even in canon, so she would be able to head to the battlefield without many issues.**

 **-The line Delia uses when she's evaluating Kris's Pokémon is from the Hoenn games. This line is only spoken if the player's Pokémon completely hates the player. This is something that is extremely difficult to achieve, and there is little reward for doing so. Therefore, most players will probably never get that response. Delia being able to tell how much Pokémon like their Trainers is actually based off of Ash in the anime. Ash eventually gains the ability to form close bonds with Pokémon and tell how they are feeling. He then uses it to his advantage several times. I thought it would make sense if Delia had the ability as well, but stronger and more focused.**

 **-Speaking of which, a bit about Ash himself. So Ash's character is a little different from canon. Ash giving up after a failed journey is actually based on something that almost happened in the anime. In the anime, Ash almost gives up after losing the in the Pokémon League for the first time. His friend Richie also loses, and helps Ash through his grief and pain. After that, Ash resolves to continue traveling despite his loss.**

 **-In Traveler, Ash suffers the same consequences of a failed journey. However, there is no Richie to comfort him. As a result, Ash's depression persists, and he gives up. It's worth noting that since Traveler is darker, the consequences are more severe. It's also worth knowing that Ash is training as a successor to a Gym Leader, something he never does in canon. This is mainly due to the fact that Volkner is his father, and that opportunity is open to Ash.**

 **-Volkner and Ash being similar actually is seen in canon, and the main reason why I made Volkner Ash's father. Both Volkner and Ash have a Pikachu as their main Pokémon (although Volkner has since evolved his). The two have the ability to sway others to their side (Volkner does this with a poacher when he was younger, and Ash does it many times). Both go through a depression that makes them want to quit battling, and both are helped by a friend. Finally, Ash and Volkner have friends that use Fire Type Pokémon (May, Kaiiwe, and Serena for Ash; Flint for Volkner).**

 **-The difficulty of earning the loyalty of a legendary Pokémon comes from the games. Legendary Pokémon are usually hard to find and catch, and often times the player must complete remote side quests to access their locations. On top of that, the majority of Pokémon have some amount of trust towards the player as soon as they are captured. However, most legendary Pokémon have** _ **absolutely no trust**_ **towards the player. The implication is that it's not easy to earn a legendary Pokémon's trust, and that they must prove their worthy of their power. In one particular case, the implication is that once legendary Pokémon bond with worthy people, it is difficult for them to bond with another.**

 **-Delia's Pokémon using Protect and her hiding behind the shields is based on the games. In the games, Protect completely foils incoming attacks for a single turn (unless the attack is specifically described as ignoring the move). However, chances of Protect being successful decrease when the move is used repeatedly. In both the games and the anime, Protect makes the user conjure up a shield. Attacks then bounce off the shield. This is why Delia can hide behind the shields and avoid being injured.**

 **Although some Pokémon are able to learn Protect naturally, it is also a Technical Machine. Through the Technical Machine, almost every Pokémon learn the move. Therefore, both of Delia's Pokémon knowing Protect is not far-fetched.**


	67. Camaraderie

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

66\. Camaraderie

Holly continued to run, her feet pounding on the floor. She didn't look to see where she was going, or if any others were chasing her.

All she wanted to do was to run until she couldn't anymore.

So she sprinted, the entire hospital a blur. Holly wondered if she could run forever, but she registered the sound of her own panting.

No matter how much she wanted to run, she had to stop.

So Holly grinded to a halt, fighting to catch her balance as she skidded across the floor. She managed to compose himself, and realized she had stopped in front of a room's open door.

Inside the room was Janine, and the Fuchsia Gym Leader stepped forward.

Holly could see Janine was still uninjured, but grief and frustration were present in her eyes.

She spoke in a quiet voice. "Hey."

Holly could only nod, breathless from all the running. Janine gestured to come in the room, and Holly followed.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader quickly filled up a cup of water, walking over to Holly. Holly quickly sat on the bed, and Janine brought her the filled cup. Holly took a sip from the cup as Janine spoke.

"I just wanted to say thanks. For what you did back there. If it weren't for you, I'm not sure would've been out to make it out of there alive and uninjured."

Holly's eyes widened. What was Janine thanking her for? She didn't do much of anything.

But Holly couldn't ask a question, as Janine continued. "I want to show my appreciation for the three of you helping me out. So I'm inviting you to the Gym before any other challengers, first thing tomorrow morning if you can."

Holly's eyes continue to remain wide. "But you're…"

Janine cut her off. "Still not injured. They brought me here just in case, I suppose."

"But your Pokémon…" Holly protested, but didn't get chance to finish her sentence.

"I have extras. All Gym Leaders do, in case something like this happens." Holly noticed grief was still in Janine's voice, but also a new resolve flashed her eyes.

Perhaps she was excited at the prospect of a new challenger, and a chance to return things to normal.

Or perhaps she had been expecting to take massive casualties from the rebels, and therefore did not take losing her Pokémon as hard as Holly thought she would.

Either way, another thought popped into Holly's head. "But your Gym Trainers are either dead or injured! And the Gym must be in shambles!"

A hard gaze entered Janine's eyes as she answered. "The ones that fought were _not_ my Gym Trainers. They were a group of people who banded together to defend Fuchsia on-call, hence why I called them defenders of Fuchsia. The warden is one, and thankfully, he survived. It will be a while before the Safari Zone is up and running again, though."

Janine paused before continuing. "Most of my Gym Trainers are young, and a lot of them are inexperienced. I'd never put them against ruthless enemies like the rebels. As for the Gym itself, the rebels thankfully did not get into the city. So it still standing, perfectly fine."

Holly nodded. At least there was one thing to be relieved about.

However, she couldn't help asking another question. "Why thank me? Kris did almost all the work…"

Janine's face fell as she responded. "I want to thank Kris too, but she doesn't seem ready to talk now."

Holly narrowed her eyes. All because of Anabel and the others! She wondered if Kris would ever talk, after what had gone on.

Holly glanced toward Janine, but noticed the Gym Leader seemed lost in thought.

Before Holly could ask what was wrong, Janine spoke in a pensive voice.

"It's odd, isn't it? How Kris recovered completely from such serious wounds, and with no answers as to why, or how."

Holly hesitated, wondering if she should tell Janine about what she had seen with Kris and the dark place. She promptly decided against it.

Kris had never broken a promise to her, and it wasn't fair to betray the disabled Trainer's trust.

Besides, it wasn't like she knew that much about this strange occurrence anyway.

She was torn from her thoughts as Janine began to speak contemplatively again. "I think I may know the reason why."

"Why, then?" Holly replied, not unkindly.

A dark look entered Janine's eyes as she responded. "Spirit speaking."

Confusion entered Holly's face. She had never heard of that word before, much less known anyone who was associated with it!

"Spirit speaking? What's that?"

Janine responded. "It's something that some supernatural power users practice. Spirit speakers can freely travel between the land of the living and the afterlife, talk to the deceased, and are also able to sometimes survive things that normal people can't. Just like what Kris did."

Holly cocked her head.

Spirit speakers?

It sounded outlandish, and no one had ever mentioned Kris having power like that! She may have had the _potential_ to be a strong supernatural power user, but the only thing anyone ever talked about was her psychic power!

Kris was hardly with Ghost Types! Azure had mentioned them helping her walk, but Holly had never witnessed one do that. The only Ghost type Holly had seen Kris use regularly was Mallory, and the bloodthirsty Mimikyu was clearly called on only for combat.

It didn't seem like something like spirit speaking could be possible with Kris, let alone possible with _anyone._

Holly wasted no time blurting out her thoughts. "Spirit speaking sounds like it's too good to be true! It sounds like something someone just made up!"

"It does." Janine admitted.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader rapidly continued.

"I've never seen anyone using spirit speaking powers, and from what I know, Kris has never used them either. My father, Koga, used to know a spirit speaker. However, he never witnessed her using her powers, so I've no idea how strong she was."

Holly nodded. Perhaps the whole thing was a sham!

Suddenly, her eyes went wide as she registered something else in Janine's sentence.

Holly resisted the urge to tremble at what Janine had really said.

Whether was from surprise or fear, she did not know.

However, she did know she had to ask another question.

Holly heard her own voice go quiet as she repeated. _"Used_ to know?"

Janine nodded.

"Former Kanto Elite Four member, Agatha. She loved to fight, even when she had been retired for years. So one day, when the League was in danger, she went straight into battle and died. She was pretty old even before then, so she probably shouldn't have been fighting. From what I heard, she was also unpopular with a lot of people, so I'm not even sure how many attended her funeral."

Holly hung her head low.

What happened to Agatha sounded horrible! If Kris really did have the powers of spirit speaking, would the same thing happen to her?

Janine also hung her head low, and Holly wondered if the Gym Leader was thinking about her defeat.

But what Janine said next had Holly's eyes widening in surprise.

"That was rather big of Kris, saving me. Considering I'm someone she dislikes."

Holly cocked her head in confusion.

Why would Kris dislike Janine? There wasn't anything bad about her, was there? And Kris had not indicated any dislike when the group entered Fuchsia.

"Why does Kris dislike you?" Holly managed to ask.

Janine answered matter-of-factly. "Probably because of the succession crisis."

Holly cocked her head again. "Succession crisis?"

She hadn't heard about this! What did Janine mean?

Now the Gym Leader was nodding, and her eyes were full of sorrow.

"When my father moved to the Johto Elite Four, there were two people left to inherit the Gym. One of them was me, and the other was my aunt, Aya. Aunt Aya is an experienced Trainer and well versed in the customs of Fuchsia. A lot of people expected her to inherit my father's position. So she had wide support, and Kris was one of her supporters."

Janine let out a sigh, and Holly wondered if she should tell her that she didn't need to tell the tale. However, Janine continued speaking, and Holly continued to listen.

"Unfortunately, there was another group of people that believed Pokémon Gyms needed fresh young Trainers to serve as an inspiration to other ones. This group threw their weight behind me. I could hold my own when it came to the Gym, but I was not as talented or experienced as some. My opposition, and Kris, knew it."

"So what happened?" Holly asked, almost dreading the answer.

Janine shook her head and her shoulders sagged. "The dispute raged on for a long time. Eventually, Aunt Aya grew tired of it all. She decided to head to other regions to continue learning the way of the ninja and pass those techniques down to others. It left me in charge of the Gym position, but that decision was heavily disliked. Leaving a young and inexperienced person in charge of the Gym was seen as a bad move on my father's part. So now there's a smear on his name."

Janine closed her eyes. "Kris has made it no secret that she dislikes me. Perhaps that's why she hasn't been in Fuchsia for a while. When the succession crisis was going on, Kris wasted no time taking the same point of view as some of my detractors. She believed that I only got the Leader position because I was Koga's spoiled daughter. Kris was sure that I'd done nothing to earn it. In reality, there was no one else who could take it. But of course, neither Kris nor the detractors would listen to that."

Janine clenched her fist, face hardening. When she spoke, there was more resolve than Holly had ever seen. "That's why… That's why I have to become strong! Strong enough to handle the position! Strong enough to defeat my father! Strong enough to defeat _anyone!"_

Holly couldn't help feeling a twinge of sympathy for Janine. To be forced into position she didn't want, and then to be hated by her own people…

Holly couldn't imagine living that way! No wonder Janine had tried so hard to protect Fuchsia during the fight! And now that she'd lost, her detractors would probably have even more reason to believe she wasn't worthy!

But still…

If Kris disdained Janine so much that she was willing to side with a group of detractors, then maybe the Gym Leader wasn't that great of a person… After all, Kris wasn't one to hate people for petty reasons.

Holly quickly shook her head.

She would reserve judgment for when she battled the Gym Leader.

But still, one question lingered in her head.

"Why did your father, Koga, move up to the Elite Four?"

A crestfallen look appeared in Janine's eyes as she responded. "Desperation, mostly. Agatha died, and one of the other Elite Four members, Lorelei, moved back to the Sevii Islands. Will and Karen moved to Kanto, but that left Johto underdefended. The Gym ran through my family, so our battling skills were well known. Consequently, there was a good chance my family members could defend Johto, and my father volunteered for the Elite Four. But after what happened with the succession crisis, many people think my father made a mistake."

Janine shut her eyes, gritting her teeth.

"I sure hope those people aren't right."

Holly nodded, yet her mind was spinning.

What could she say to Janine? She had never been a situation like hers! Holly didn't know what to think of the Fuchsia Gym Leader now, with so many different viewpoints!

All of a sudden, Janine looked up.

"Hey, could you tell Kris I said thanks? She'd be more willing to talk to you. I saw her go to her room looking furious, so I hope nothing terrible has happened. Unfortunately, I'd rather not take the risk of angering her further. Kris's room is the furthest one down."

Holly nodded, remembering she had wanted to talk to the disabled Trainer.

"All right. See you around, Janine."

Janine nodded back. "See you."

With that, Holly dashed in the direction of Kris's room, hoping she would get some answers at last.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, a bit about Janine's back story. Like with last chapter, a lot takes place offscreen. However, a variant of what happened will be shown in one of the other books, and I am considering making a companion story about Janine and her thoughts on everything later on. If I do, the succession crisis will be shown on screen.**

 **-The Gym Leaders having extra Pokémon in case of emergencies is my own interpretation. They spend their lives defending the regions, so I figured the Gym Leaders would have a chance of being in dangerous situations. Therefore, having extra Pokémon in case such a situation arises makes sense.**

 **-Spirit speaking has some basis in canon. In all Pokémon media, there are some people that can talk to ghosts. However, these people are never given a title. Some of the games referred to them as mediums, but this is only as a Trainer type showing up in the game's menu when they are battled. Furthermore, no one else calls them that. Later games called them Hex Maniacs, but once again, no one ever calls those who can talk to ghosts by that name. It is only used as a title when they battle the player. So I created my own name for them.**

 **The idea of Janine and Holly knowing spirit speakers exist but never having seen their powers also is inspired by canon. In the games, there are people who claim they can talk to ghosts, but no one ever sees them actually doing it. The closest the games get to is an optional conversation with Hoenn Elite Four Phoebe. If the player completes the main game, then heads up to Mt. Pyre, they can see Phoebe talking to what appears to be a ghost. However, there's no proof that Phoebe is actually talking a ghost (as opposed to, say, talking to a Ghost Type Pokémon, someone on the phone, or herself), the player doesn't see the ghost or even the other side of the conversation, Phoebe doesn't tell the player who she's talking to, and there's nothing to suggest she can even talk with ghosts other than her own word.**

 **The anime has a clearer example, with several people talking to a deceased woman known only as the Ghost of Maiden's Peak. However, it's revealed later they can only do this because a Ghost Type Pokémon, Gastly, hypnotized them, and not because of any special powers. Furthermore, others not under the effects of hypnosis can only communicate with the Gastly. Also, this Gastly has the ability to create illusions, so it's unknown if the ghost the others were talking to was even real.**

 **-Agatha dying is based off of a fan theory. In the games, Agatha does not appear after Kanto and its remakes. There is no explanation for what happened to her in any media, although the anime vaguely implies that she stepped down from the Elite Four to take the empty Viridian Gym position.**

 **The most popular fan theories are that she either retired from training completely, or passed away. In the setting of this RP, she retired from training. However, what happens after that is unknown. I thought Agatha dying in battle would be fitting for her, because she is both older and aggressive. Therefore, I couldn't see Agatha stop battling or defending the League just because she retired. Agatha's death was also way fusing the two theories. Agatha being unpopular with many people comes from her personality. She is a powerful Trainer, but also is not very pleasant and has a short temper. Therefore, I figured those traits could make her unpopular.**

 **-The succession crisis is my own interpretation and away to expand Janine character. I actually don't like Janine that much, mainly because of her personality and the circumstances surrounding her character. Janine's personality is rather shallow. She's shown to be a bit rude, really admires her father, and wants it stronger than both him and anyone who beats her. Other than that, there's not much to her. So I decided to expand on her bit.**

 **The other reason I chose to expand on Janine and have a succession crisis is because of another character. The one I mentioned before, Aya. Aya is an anime exclusive character, and Koga's younger sister. She challenges Ash and his group when they intrude in the Fuchsia Gym, being annoyed. Aya is a competent battler, but still loses to Ash. She is an interesting character, being one of the few heroic example that uses weapons (throwing stars). Aya also excels another ninja techniques, and is good with traps. Outside of ninja training, Aya enjoys poetry and things related to beauty. Eventually, she travels to Johto to learn more ninja techniques and pass those techniques down to others.**

 **Aya's character was created years before the Johto games were. So would make sense that this character would carry over and she would be the one to inherit the Gym.**

 **Except she isn't.**

 **Instead, it's Janine that inherits the position. But I have a problem with that.**

 **Janine's character was created years after Aya's, and the content before Johto doesn't even indicate that Koga has a daughter. The Kanto remakes tried to make a reference to her, but she was so obscure that her name was completely mistranslated. Furthermore, she's never seen interacting with Koga in the original Johto games. In the remakes, there was some one-sided interaction between Janine and Koga, but said interaction was limited to optional conversations after most of the game was cleared.**

 **What makes Janine's situation even more puzzling is that she has never appeared in the anime. This is despite the fact that every other Gym Leader has appeared in some way. Furthermore, the anime has visited Kanto and Johto several times, so there are many scenarios where it would make sense for Janine to appear. However, she does not. The same can be said for Aya and the games. Despite it making sense for Aya to at least be mentioned in the games, she never is.**

 **Therefore, Aya and Janine are never seen together, despite being both related to Koga. The Traveler series changes that, and that change leads to the succession crisis.**

 **-It's also worth noting that there is no explanation as for why Koga becomes a member of the Elite Four in the games. So I created my own explanation in order to expand Janine's character even further, and have some of her canon traits make a little more sense.**


	68. Taking Sides

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As usual, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

67\. Taking Sides

Holly hadn't taken one break since she ran off before.

Yet her search for answers outweighed exhaustion.

One thought filled Holly with energy.

She had to find Kris, and then the disabled Trainer would tell her everything!

It wasn't long before she found Kris's room, based on the directions Janine had given her.

Like Janine's room, the door was open.

Kris sat on the bed, Google beside her.

The disabled Trainer stared out the window, face expressionless.

She did not turn as Holly approached, but simply stated. "Come in, Holly. Please shut the door."

Holly did as she was told, approaching where Kris sat. Google didn't move, but nodded.

Kris let out a huge sigh. "Stupid hospitals… They'll probably want to keep us overnight. You know, "just checking". Even though there's nothing wrong with me… Just a machine that malfunctioned…"

Holly didn't exactly know how to respond.

Would Kris go back on her word?

Aware of her own voice trembling, Holly simply responded. "Kris…"

As if (or because) she could sense Holly's thoughts. Kris's face immediately softened.

"Relax, Holly. I said it would explain when we weren't in public, and I intend to keep my promise."

Holly finally found herself able to ask the question that had bothering her from the beginning.

"Kris, what happened before? In that dark place? With that creature?

Kris stoically focused on Holly. "I met with a friend."

Holly's eyes went wide. "A friend?"

She cocked her head.

That would certainly explain why Kris acted so casual during the time in the darkness!

But it didn't explain anything else.

Kris must've realized that, because she nodded and continued.

"I have a friend who heals me."

Holly couldn't resist asking. "Then why haven't you used his power before on others?"

Kris answered without hesitation. "My friend can only use his power for me, and can heal only the most severe wounds. Also, his method is a bit unorthodox, but it works. So, here I am."

Holly's eyes were wide.

To think that Kris had a friend that powerful!

She truly _was_ an incredible person!

"That's amazing!" Holly exclaimed.

Kris nodded, and a smile spread across her face.

"Isn't it?"

But questions still rattled in Holly's mind.

"Kris… What took place in the other hospital room… When you turned pale and could not lift your head… Why did that happen? What was going on?"

Kris grimaced. Holly figured what occurred in the other hospital room was just as unpleasant for the disabled Trainer to experience as it was for others to look at.

Nevertheless, Kris spoke evenly. "Because my friend's method of healing me is atypical, there are some unfortunate side effects. Like what you saw before."

Holly's eyes went wide, and she was aware of the sympathy showing on her face.

How horrible it must be to endure side effects like that, and all just to be completely healed!

The journey was only getting tougher…

Would Kris need her friend more often, and what would they do if that was the case?

The disabled Trainer's face softened, and she spoke in a relaxed tone. "Don't worry, Holly. My friend has other powers that he can use to protect me, so he does not need to heal. I should be all right as long as I don't get severely injured again. That way, my friend will not be forced to heal me, and you probably will not see the grotesque sight you saw before."

Holly nodded, letting out a sigh of relief.

At the same time, she couldn't help but wonder what type of healing could be so strong, yet produce such gruesome side effects.

Certainly, this wasn't any type of healing she'd heard of…

But then, Holly wasn't too knowledgeable about the world of magic.

Or any other supernatural powers, for that matter.

And her earlier conversation with Janine proved there were powers out there that Holly didn't know about.

So it was certainly possible that Kris's friend had some of these powers.

Holly never bothered to learn anything about supernatural abilities, anyway. She could barely understand basic psychic abilities, even when taught by the expert Sabrina.

So, Holly suspected that if she asked Kris to explain how her friend's power worked, she wouldn't understand one word.

Therefore, Holly decided against bringing up that subject.

Instead, she brought up another.

"Why haven't you told anyone about this friend before?"

Kris's face hardened as she responded. "It's mostly for the same reason I haven't told many people about Tulip. As you saw before, my friend is very powerful. I'm afraid others will abuse the power, or use it for their own selfish reasons."

The disabled Trainer grimaced, and what she said next sent shivers down on Holly's back.

"I've already met horrible people who want to take the power away. And there's no telling how many more will act like that if my friend's existence becomes public."

Kris shut her eyes, and Holly thought she could detect a bitter sadness in her voice.

"So it's best to keep my friend a secret, and fight off what little resistance there is, rather than face resistance from the entire world."

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

How horrible was the Kris could not tell others of her friend's power!

And how awful it was that she was constantly in fear of people discovering him!

How terrible was that people would try to take the power away!

Holly grimaced.

She knew people that would abuse that power.

Like Anabel, with her paranoia.

The betrayer would want to get rid of the power without a second thought.

No matter how beneficial was to Kris, or anyone else.

This time, Holly couldn't help making a fist.

It was people like Anabel that put Kris in danger.

No, it was people like that put _all Trainers_ in danger.

She had to stop all the people that were harming Kris, and protect her! Kris deserved to live without fear!

Holly had to stop people like Anabel!

For Kris's sake.

For her friend's sake.

For all Trainers sakes.

Holly was torn from her thoughts for the glance of concern Kris's eyes.

She felt like blushing in embarrassment.

Gritting her teeth and clenching her fist at nothing must've looked preposterous!

Yet Kris's gaze relaxed again.

"It's all right, Holly. I know what you are thinking about. Rest assured, Anabel and those like her will pay for everything they've done."

"How?" Holly wondered.

The time to punish Anabel must be soon, Holly thought. But how would they pull it off?

Kris smiled. "The answer is simple. We just use what they don't know and stay one step ahead."

Holly nodded. "Use what they don't know and stay one step ahead…"

It certainly sounded simple, but Holly imagined it was complicated inside.

As if sensing Holly's thoughts, Kris spoke soothingly.

"It really isn't all that complicated. You've done it already."

Holly's eyes widened. "Huh?"

Kris smiled even wider. "In the battle against Surge, remember? Neither Anabel nor Surge knew you had those evolutions. So by utilizing your new Pokémon, were using things they didn't know. And you were able to use your new Pokémon's moves to stay one step right of Surge, and Anabel, to a lesser extent. It was like that on the Silence Bridge too. You used your new power of Mega Evolution to win the fight, and those Dragon Tamers didn't even know you had it. It allowed you to stay one step ahead in battle, and defeat them easily."

"Okay." Holly nodded again, a grin spreading across her own face.

If she'd done this already, then it would be easy to do it again!

And Kris must've been a master at it in order to survive so long by herself!

She could teach her everything!

Stopping Anabel would be no problem at all!

Holly couldn't stop beaming, keeping her eyes on Kris.

Yet, Holly quickly noticed something that made her grin fade to bewilderment.

A light blue ribbon was tied to Kris's right wrist.

Holly cocked her head.

Kris had never worn a ribbon before, nor had shown any interest in them. The disabled Trainer had not even indicated she owned one.

So why was she wearing a ribbon now?

Holly rapidly pointed at the object, a questioning tone never leaving her voice. "Kris, what's that light blue ribbon?"

Kris responded with another smile.

"Oh, this old thing? It was a gift from the first friend I met on my journey, when I finally started. I usually wear only when I'm alone, though. It's too valuable to me to be destroyed."

Holly couldn't stop herself from blurting out another question. "Why wear it on your wrist, instead of in your hair or something?"

The disabled Trainer let out a laugh, and the smile never left her face.

"I suppose it looks rather odd, doesn't it? With all the moving around I do, I usually don't wear things in my hair. They tend to go flying. So I figured my wrist was a better place."

Holly nodded. That made sense.

Kris glanced at the ribbon, speaking again. "I found this while rummaging through the things I carried. I hadn't worn it in a while, so I thought I would put it on now. For hope, I suppose. I figure we need that, after that last battle."

Holly found herself clenching her fists again.

She would not easily forget what those rebels had done!

"Those rebels… Why were they attacking Fuchsia?"

Still concentration appeared in Kris's eyes as she replied. "Most likely because Janine is an easy target."

"What do you mean?" Holly asked rapidly.

She couldn't imagine Janine being an easy target, after the Gym Leader had recklessly dodged all those attacks on the battlefield!

Kris's stoicism remained as she responded. "Janine is by far the weakest of the Gym Leaders, and anyone who knows about the dealings of the League is aware of this. So the rebels stood chance of effortlessly taking her down, especially compared to anyone else."

Holly shuddered.

Perhaps Janine hadn't been dodging because she was skilled… Perhaps she had been dodging because she was desperate…

Another question popped into Holly's head. It may not have been one Kris knew the answer to, but Holly decided to ask anyway.

"Why did the rebels attack the Safari Zone?"

"I'd imagine it's because of everything that's there. The Safari Zone is rich in Pokémon and supplies, and the rebels need all the resources they can get. Plus those same resources make it ideal for scoundrels like Team Rocket. So the rebels can try to kill two birds with one stone. On top of that, the large amount of defenseless civilians in the Safari Zone means that it's the perfect place to draw their enemies out. Where the rebels can swiftly take care of them. And even if they can't, the Safari Zone is one of Fuchsia's main sources of income, so whenever it's out of commission, the city suffers a huge blow."

Kris's eyes narrowed, and Holly tried her hardest not to shiver.

"All in all, attacking the Safari Zone was a very good move for the rebels, because it weakens Fuchsia, and by extension, the League, no matter what happens."

Holly stared, eyes wide.

She had to do _something_ , _anything_ to stop bloodthirsty monsters like the rebels!

But what could she do?

Normal tactics wouldn't do anything against people who had no morals.

And they _certainly_ wouldn't do much against someone as skilled as Anabel.

Holly needed something special.

Something stronger.

Something… more brutal.

An idea formed in her head, and words left her lips almost instinctively.

"Kris, I need to get a weapon."

The disabled Trainer still responded stoically, but a look of confusion was present in her eyes.

"A weapon? Aren't you Pokémon enough?"

Holly shook her head furiously.

A determined gleam entered her eyes, and she spoke her response confidently.

"If I want to take down powerful people like the rebels and Anabel, I need something special. Something stronger. Almost everyone can use Pokémon, and people know how to battle and defeat them. The rebels… Anabel... They'll be expecting me to fight that way… But not everyone uses weapons, so my enemies won't see it coming. And that means I can do a lot more damage to them. Also, if I'm caught alone and without my Pokémon, I can at least stand a chance of surviving."

A look of sorrow flashed in Kris's eyes, and Holly wondered if she was regretting being unable to wield a weapon herself.

After all, that was one of the disabled Trainer's biggest weaknesses, and Holly knew that better than anyone.

But within a minute, the sorrow was gone, replaced by the same stoicism from before.

Despite what happened, Kris spoke evenly. "Well, do you know self-defense techniques at all?"

Holly shook her head. "Other than regular things, like punches and kicks, no. I tried to train with psychic powers once, but I failed almost from the beginning."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"What you saw near Cerulean was about the extent of my self-defense skills."

Kris simply nodded.

"I see. In that case, wait here."

With that, Kris darted to a PC in the corner of the room. The disabled Trainer rapidly typed in a few commands, and the machine hummed to life. Holly could hear the furious typing of a few more commands, and see the light of something materializing into Kris's hand.

The disabled Trainer turned, and Holly's face fell.

In Kris's hand was a Poké Ball.

Holly couldn't stop the disappointment from flowing through her voice.

"A Pokémon? That's not what I need!"

Kris shook her head, softly responding. "This is much more than just a Pokémon."

With that, Kris threw the ball.

It bounced on the ground before opening up. A creature appeared in bright white light, and Holly's eyes went wide.

The creature had one dark purple eye that gleamed like a gem. However, Holly could tell from the sharpness that it probably saw more than most people did with two. Holly could see that there were other parts that were purple too. Specifically, there was one area that looked like arms and a sword sash. The rest of the creature's body really was a giant sword, golden metal looking clear and polished. Holly could see the creature held a round shield in front of its blade. The shield was also gold, with a brown and white pattern that looked like three eyes.

Holly continued staring at the creature as it eyed her curiously.

She had never seen one, but she knew its name by heart.

Aegislash. One of the most powerful Pokémon in existence, possessing strength to be feared.

And now it stood before Holly.

What was Kris going to do with it?

The disabled Trainer noticed Holly's wide-eyed stare, and shot her a reassuring smile.

"This is Morgana, and your weapon, Holly."

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

How could a Pokémon be a weapon?

Kris kept the smile on her face as she continued. "There is a technique in which Aegislash is used like a sword and shield. And since I've asked my Pokémon to obey your commands, I figured you could use the technique to protect yourself."

Holly blinked, and her voice came out almost in a stammer.

"But isn't Aegislash heavy? And I don't know how to use a sword and shield…"

Kris continued fixing Holly with her relaxed gaze. "Morgana's powers as a Ghost Type will guide your hand. And the Type's ability to take a non-corporeal form means that Morgana can become much lighter than her frame suggests."

Kris gestured invitingly.

"Try to wield Morgana. Don't swing her around in here, though. You might break something. We will practice that outside sometime."

Holly still couldn't help feeling hesitant. "But I don't know how to equip a sword."

Kris replied confidently. "Don't worry. Morgana will show you how."

Holly nodded. She had trusted the disabled Trainer up to this point. There was no reason not to trust her now.

So she turned and faced Morgana, the Pokémon eying her curiously.

Holly's words came up slowly, but she still managed to speak. "Hello, Morgana. Let's work together."

The Pokémon let out a clanging sound, which Holly interpreted as agreement. It must've been, because Kris nodded.

Morgana floated over to Holly, and swiftly, her form changed. She had thrown her shield in her right hand, and her blade now was in full view.

Holly nodded.

This ability to change forms was precisely what made Morgana's species so dangerous.

What would the Aegislash do with that ability now?

Morgana continued to float until she was right in front of Holly. Her eye's piercing gaze was like a scanner, and Holly tried not to shrink back.

The Pokémon was clearly looking for something, but what?

All of a sudden, Morgana's shield detached itself. The shield then moved on its own, proceeding to strap itself to Holly's left hand. Holly took notice of the feeling, as the shield fit snugly yet comfortably on her skin. Morgana floated over to Holly's open right palm, placing herself underneath. The Pokémon looked at Holly expectantly, and Holly nodded as she closed her hand around Morgana's hilt.

Holly could resist flashing a massive grin.

She'd never done something like this before, and yet it was though she had equipped the sword and shield all her life. Holly knew she was really equipping a Pokémon made of pure steel, but it felt as light as a feather.

Holly grin grew even wider.

Kris was right.

Morgana would guide her hand.

Kris nodded approvingly. "The sword and shield… It looks good on you."

Holly vigorously nodded back. "Thank you, Kris!"

Kris immediately replied. "You're welcome."

Holly stood at attention as the disabled Trainer continued speaking.

"Morgana will travel in the shadows, remaining in secret but also by your side. If you require her strength, simply call her name. She is now yours to wield."

Holly gave another nod. "I will."

As Morgana disappeared into shadows, Holly couldn't stop beaming.

A weapon, a powerful Pokémon, and a good friend!

No one could defeat her now!

Holly glanced straight at Kris.

"Man, I feel like I could take on anyone, even if my opponents are Anabel and the rebels!"

Holly expected Kris to smile back, but instead the disabled Trainer's expression was unreadable.

What she said next sent shivers down Holly's spine.

"Those rebels… As barbaric as they are, they do make some good points."

Holly's jaw dropped open.

Kris couldn't possibly be siding with those irredeemable criminals! That made no sense!

Holly wasted no time shouting. "Kris, you can't possibly agree with those monsters!"

Kris shook her head, narrowing her eyes. The disabled Trainer's voice became dangerously low and quiet. Holly didn't have to listen long to detect the fury boiling beneath. "No, I don't agree with their methods. I never will. But I do agree with their points."

Holly found her own voice trembling as she asked.

"What do you mean?"

Kris's voice grew louder, filled with a mixture of passion and rage.

"Look at what the training system did to you. Look at what to me. The rebels have every right to bring it down. Authorities like the Elite Four do nothing when chaos strikes, then wonder why people are angry with them. What authorities there are constantly abuse their power, like Anabel. Ordinary Trainers are caught inside the mess, with no one standing up for them without taking away their freedom."

Kris clenched her fist and shook her head. Holly noticed the disabled trainer was fighting to keep her voice from trembling. "The system cannot stay like this. It needs to change. It _has_ to change. Of course, the rebels realized that, and they're willing to do anything to make that change happen. Even if it means of committing what's essentially acts of terrorism."

Kris was trembling with fury now, and her voice followed suit. "Eventually the powerful rebels will invade the League. The League will finally realize the mistakes it has made, but by then it will be _far too late._ "

Holly looked down, seeing that her hands were trembling. She couldn't look at Kris, not when the disabled Trainer appeared ready to set the room on fire.

So instead, Holly continued glancing in her hands.

Her thoughts drifted to her own troubles with the League.

First, there was Malva, clearly having ties to an evil team, yet allowed to run free… And threatening her and Kris, along with trying to force Kris to join a resistance movement she had no interest in…

There was Anabel, who put on an honest front, but was really a cruel betrayer who didn't care who she hurt…

There was Holly's adoptive mother Erika, who tried to prevent her from going on a journey… Even though she should've been gone years ago, and it was her right as a trainer to go…

And there was her mother's friend Sabrina, who only scolded Holly when she tried so desperately to prove herself…

There was the Champion Kahili, who did nothing but berate Kris and Holly, despite all the power she had…

Some of the worst offenders were Molly Hale and Caitlin, who willing to treat Kris like a criminal because of something she couldn't even control… And all the while singing the praises of a Trainer that probably didn't even exist…

Holly couldn't forget Will and Karen, tyrants whose first reaction was to criticize Kris, but do nothing to help her with her issues…

Even Misty was a problem, because the Gym Leader who refused to give Holly her second Badge… And then forced Kris into a battle she didn't want, all the while claiming to be her friend…

Holly clenched her fists.

The League and its officials had _plenty_ of crimes to answer for…

And _that_ was just Holly's experience with them…

She couldn't imagine the experiences of countless other Trainers that been wronged by the League…

And she couldn't imagine how many horrendous atrocities those corrupt officials had gotten away with…

Holly grimaced.

It made her sick.

Someone had to do _something_ , so the rebels taken up arms…

Holly nodded.

Even if the methods were extreme, Holly could hardly blame the rebels for fighting back against the system that was working against all honest Trainers…

Given what it happened, it was only justified…

Holly faced Kris, relieved to see the disabled Trainer had regained her composure.

Holly's voice came steady and strong, her confidence ringing through the air.

"If you put it that way, Kris, the rebels are in the right, and their cause is not so bad."

Holly narrowed her eyes, trying to look as serious as she could.

"Perhaps throwing our weight behind their cause might be our best chance at punishing Anabel and the other abusers. Even if we only do it temporarily."

Kris nodded, and Holly thought she could see an approving gleam within her eyes.

"So, ally with the cause and not the methods. That seems like the perfect response. It might give us a better chance at succeeding, considering the rebels can match the League and its officials blow for blow."

Holly nodded again, and managed a smile.

The plan sounded crazy, but it just might work!

Suddenly, concern shone in Kris's eyes, and Holly glanced curiously at her.

The disabled Trainer's next words made Holly's eyes widen. "You have the ability to feel others' pain, right? Did that ability bother you at all in the last battle?"

Holly shook her head, realizing it didn't. "No, I must've been concentrating on too many other things."

She closed her eyes, deep in thought. "It's been a while since that power activated… It's been getting less frequent, and more sporadic. Maybe... I can just continue ignoring it, assuming I'm in places where there's a lot going on."

A doubtful look crossed Kris's face. "You _could…_ But there's no telling might flare up. And if it flares up during a giant battle, it could spell the end of your life."

Holly gritted her teeth.

Kris was right.

The disabled Trainer suddenly continued.

"That power… Has ever really helped you?"

Holly was quick to shake her head.

The power never really did help her... All it did was make battles rather painful, and those battles were only getting harder… With the way things were going, she could constantly be in pain…

And there was no way Holly could fight major battles if there was even a _slight_ chance that she would constantly be in pain…

So she answered.

"The only time it ever really helped was when I had to take a sick Riolu to the Pokémon Center in Sable City. Other than that, it's just annoying."

Kris nodded. "You don't really need it, and you don't really want it, don't you?"

Holly couldn't help shouting. "Why would I want it? It's just a hindrance!"

Kris spoke softly. "Then maybe I can help."

Holly cocked her head. "How?"

Kris smiled again.

"That same friend of mine that healed me can also shut your power down."

Holly's eyes went wide.

"Really, he can do that?"

Kris nodded. "It's a lot easier for him than healing, actually."

Yet Holly couldn't help voicing her concern. "If your friend uses his powers here, won't he detected by the psychic monitor?"

Kris shook her head. "My friend bypasses the monitor. One of his many talents. I've nothing to worry about."

Holly nodded understandingly. Those cruel psychics wouldn't have their way after all!

"Let's begin immediately, then!" She shouted eagerly.

Kris nodded and closed her eyes.

Holly once again saw the dark aura orbiting around Kris, and heard the low cry.

Holly tried her best not to shudder.

The intimidating aura would probably orbit around her next.

Except it didn't.

Because I couldn't see it.

She could _feel_ it.

Holly found the sensation indescribable, unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

And yet…

She could _feel_ the aura changing her.

 _Cleansing_ her.

 _Liberating_ her.

Holly inhaled deeply, savoring the feeling like a sweet scent, or perhaps the sensation of heaven itself.

Perhaps this _was_ heaven, even though she had not died.

Holly didn't know.

What she did know was she had never felt anything so peaceful.

She could stay like this forever.

How much time had passed?

Seconds?

Minutes?

Hours?

Holly wasn't sure.

However, she eventually registered the pleasant sensation leaving.

She wanted to reach for the sensation and pull it back, or cry out.

But she didn't, not wanting to disrupt her last few moments of serenity.

So instead, Holly let the sensation depart, trying not to be too mournful that it was leaving.

Her thoughts were quickly directed elsewhere as she heard the low cry again. After that, the dark aura disappeared around from Kris.

The disabled Trainer opened her eyes, and a huge smile spread across her face.

"It is done. You are free from your bonds, at last."

Holly rapidly returned the huge grin.

It didn't matter how long she had been there.

Or that the pleasant sensation had gone away.

Or that the same creature responsible for it was rather clumsy at healing.

What mattered was that she was free from her unwanted powers.

That she could now fight without pain.

Holly resisted the urge not to scream the words. "Thank you, Kris!"

Kris nodded approvingly. "You're welcome. Oh, one other thing."

Holly looked up, concern in her eyes. "Something wrong?"

Kris shook her head. "From now on, when we are alone, please call me Kristine."

Holly's eyes went wide. "But that name is reserved for people close to you, right?"

Kris nodded. "Yes. But we are close friends, so it's only natural."

Holly nodded back, a smile making its way onto her face.

"All right, Kristine."

Kristine smiled back as she replied. "You must be exhausted. It might be a good time to return to your room. Yours is the one closest to the door outside. You probably woke up in the bed earlier."

Holly quickly replied. "Thanks for the directions, and you're right. I should get going if we are staying the night here. And Janine says we can challenge the Gym first thing in the morning."

Kristine laughed. "Well, you should definitely get some rest for that!"

Holly nodded in agreement. "See you later, Kristine."

With that, Holly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Just before she started back to her own room, she saw a shadow in the distance.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

It looked like a person was moving down the hallway, but she couldn't make out who it was.

Holly shook her head.

It didn't matter anyway.

What mattered being rested for the Gym battle tomorrow.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this chapter. It was quite different in the original drafts. In the original drafts, Kris didn't mention her friend until Holly makes the decision to remove her powers. Since Holly didn't see Kris's healing on screen, she's much less determined to find answers. When she does try to ask at the beginning of the scene, Kris simply states that she will explain it later. Holly decides how Kris healed isn't important and is simply relieved that she's still alive. Therefore, Holly does not pursue the matter any further.**

 **I changed the events to having the Kris's healing being shown on screen and Holly searching for answers simply to have said revival make a bit more sense. Furthermore, it was a way to have Kris's friend appear in the story a few times before the event where Holly loses her powers. With the extra scenes, the inclusion of Kris's friend would seem more natural. This would also continue to make Kris's healing easier to understand.**

 **Also, a scene that was present in the original draft was taken out. In the original version of this chapter, Kris was supposed to talk about the trainer Silver, the origins of the rebels, and a bit about her connection with them. I took that out because most of that was discussed in the confrontation with Malva, and just be repeated information. Furthermore, I couldn't go too much into Kris's past without spoiling something in a later chapter. Unfortunately, the only way to give new information was to go into Kris's past. And I didn't want to spoil the event early. So I chose to exclude the scene entirely.**

 **-Janine being the weakest of all the Gym Leaders comes from the games. Janine is encountered midway through the second half of the Johto games. However, she has Pokémon that are** _ **weaker than those found in the first half.**_ **For reference, the other Gym Leaders in the second half have Pokémon that are in the mid-40s or higher, around the level of the Trainers that are fought at the end the first half of the games. In contrast, most of Janine's Pokémon** _ **are low to mid 30s.**_ **This is around the level many opponents will be at when the last quarter of the first half of the game starts (around the time of the seventh Badge). Janine was given a significant level increase in the remakes. However, she still has the lowest leveled Pokémon of all the Gym Leaders in the second half. Janine acknowledges her weakness in optional conversation in the remakes, where she states that there are many Gym Leaders who are stronger than her.**

- **Wielding Aegislash as a sword and shield is inspired by hack called Pokémon Reborn. In this hack, someone gets into a desperate situation surrounded by enemies. That person has an Aegislash, and decides to wield it as though it is a weapon. She uses the Pokémon like a sword and shield, and her method turns out to be is incredibly effective. This is despite the fact that the person has no prior experience with swordplay, and Aegislash weighs well over 100 pounds. Unfortunately, it's never explained how the Trainer manages to wield her Aegislash. Therefore, I came up with my own explanation for this story.**

 **-So, a bit more about the rebels. Most of Traveler's story a deconstruction of the Pokémon world, and the rebels are no exception. They are a take on a deconstruction of the Elite Four.**

 **In the games, and to a lesser extent, the anime, several disasters occur. Some of them affect a large population, others affect entire region, and some are so severe that that they are at risk of threatening the entire world. In the games, the Elite Four don't do anything despite these disasters. The anime has some exceptions, but they are few and far between. In fact, many members don't even appear there. It's worth noting that the mangas are mostly a constant exception, with the Elite Four almost always being actively involved in conflicts. It's also worth noting that a lot of the mangas are darker, so the Elite Four may be doing this out of necessity.**

 **In the games, no one seems to mind that the Elite Four not resolving issues, although occasionally a person wishes that they would just come down and solve everything. One member in Pokémon Black and White mentions that the Champion asked them to remain neutral during the crisis in Unova. Why the Champion says this is unknown, but given the story's setting, it's likely that the League didn't realize how dangerous the conflict would become. It also turns out to be a good move in long run, because the Elite Four are able to slow the instigators of the conflict down enough that the player can eventually catch up to them.**

 **Unfortunately, not all situations are as blissful as canon portrays.**

 **And Traveler is one of those.**

 **The rebels are basically an idea about how someone would** _ **really**_ **act if there were several major conflicts happening, and those in charge of defending the defenseless didn't do anything (or were otherwise incompetent). Put simply, it would lead to a lot of people being angry, and seeing the government and other authorities as the ones to blame. If the situation goes on long enough, people might decide to change it and replace it the system with a different one.**

 **And in a world where anyone can become powerful at fighting, things get** _ **very ugly very fast.**_

 **The result is the rebels, and the bloody war they instigated.**

 **A war which probably won't end well for either side.**

 **But I will get more into the consequences of the war in other books.**

 **-As for Holly's and Kris's take on the rebels, it was actually an idea I had while I was browsing through some of the chapters I'd already written. I realized that, throughout the story, most of Holly and Kris's interactions with authorities were negative. Therefore, it would make sense the two would want to side with a group that would take the authorities down.**

 **-For those curious as to why Holly had her power is removed, it has to do with something that occurs later on. The reasoning will be explained at that time, other than any requests for spoilers.**


	69. Effortless

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

68\. Effortless

As Kristine feared, the group had to stay overnight in the hospital. Luckily, the morning came quickly enough.

Janine rapidly took leave for the Gym to get ready for the promised battle. Of course, Holly and Kristine told Anabel what was going on.

For once, the betrayer did not protest. Her two Pokémon were still injured, but the nurses that said they would survive, and the Anabel could pick them up at the nearest Pokémon Center when they were healed. Since none of Kristine's and Holly's Pokémon were injured, the group could continue to the Gym right away.

Well, _almost_ right away.

It seemed like Delia, Caitlin, and Molly Hale were finished with their discussion. Either that, or they knew it was pointless to continue it further. Regardless, the three left shortly after Janine did.

Holly let out a sigh of relief.

Hopefully this would be the last she'd see of them.

Besides, Holly couldn't think about those troublemakers now.

It was long past time for a Gym battle.

Holly ran up to the old-fashioned Gym building. It looked unassuming, with a pink roof of slanted tile. The rest of the building followed suit, with a simple design of light brown and white.

If I didn't know better, she would've thought she'd just stopped at a local restaurant.

Yet Kris's voice in her head snapped her out of those thoughts.

" _Believe it or not, this is Fuchsia's Gym. Don't let your guard down. Janine has traps all over, like invisible walls and having every Gym Trainer disguised as her. There are other traps too, but Janine is not using them now."_

A smile crept on Kris's face, and a new air of confidence entered her voice.

" _I'll guide you through the traps. I've been to Fuchsia many times, so I know all of the city's tricks._

Holly nodded, brimming with her own confidence. This would be effortless!

The inside of the Gym was simple, too. It had shiny wood floors, and plain brown walls.

Holly couldn't resist the urge to smirk.

There was nothing to fear! The next Badge would be hers before she knew it!

A new spring entered Holly's step as she strode into the Gym. However, almost as soon as she started walking, she felt something grab her shoulder. Holly yelped as she was stopped in her tracks, and almost fell over. Luckily, she regained her footing just in time.

Holly whirled around to see Kristine right behind her, the disabled Trainer displaying her usual stoicism.

Holly could help not letting annoyance fill her voice as she spoke through thought. _"What's the big idea, Kris?"_

The disabled Trainer simply stated matter-of-factly. _"Stick out your hand."_

Holly did as she was told, wincing as her palm hit something hard.

Her eyes were wide as she realized what it was. _"A wall?"_

Kristine nodded. _"Remember those invisible walls I mentioned earlier? That's what these objects are. Watch your step."_

Kristine's voice took on a dry tone. _"Many an unfortunate Trainer has run into those invisible walls. I don't want you to be one of them."_

Holly cringed.

Invisible or not, running into a wall would hurt!

A sudden thought struck Holly, and she was quick to voice it out loud. "I'm going to let Kris lead the way. She seems to know the traps better than anyone."

Kristine nodded approvingly. "Of course."

Holly stopped walking, letting Kristine take the front.

As the disabled trainer did so, Holly noticed Annabel's eyes blazing with anger.

Holly resisted the urge to shoot in the Anabel a dirty look.

What was betrayer angry about now? Was she going to try and stop Kristine from taking the lead?

Yet if Anabel wanted to stop Kristine, she made no move to do so.

Instead, the betrayer simply stood in the middle, as Kristine moved to the head of the group. But even as Kristine signaled to start walking again, fury still burned in Anabel's eyes.

Holly frowned.

Leave it to Anabel to sour the mood!

But Holly quickly decided that she did not care.

The betrayer could just stay lost in her own paranoid thoughts, while the rest of them dealt with reality!

But Holly didn't have time to think about Anabel. Kristine headed to the right of the invisible wall Holly had found.

Holly's eyes went wide.

There, right in front of them, was Janine.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader stood calmly waiting for a challenge, although there was a playful smirk on her face.

Holly couldn't contain her excitement as she shouted. "Look, it's Janine! We've found her already!"

Yet Kristine shook her head, once again grabbing Holly's shoulder before she could proceed any further.

She rapidly spoke through thought. _"That is not Janine. It one of her Gym Trainers. Janine has a certain air about her that her underlings don't."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

She didn't know what this "certain air" was, but she was glad Kristine could detect it!

She eagerly replied using her own thoughts. _"Wow, you're amazing, Kris!"_

Kristine simply responded. _"Thank you."_

Holly listened well as the disabled Trainer continued to explain. _"As long as you don't initiate a battle, Janine's Trainers will not attack you. So unless you're eager for extra fights, we can avoid wasting time by going around them."_

Holly clenched her fists.

The stupid Gym Trainers weren't important! The only fight that mattered was Janine!

Holly cried boldly. _"I'm only after the leader!"_

Kristine nodded. _"Fair enough."_

With that, the group proceeded past the fake Janine without another look back.

Other than going around all of the traps (and eventually, the entire inside of the Gym), the journey was uneventful.

This was easy…

Almost _too_ easy…

Holly hoped Janine wasn't hiding her weakness with traps and bravado.

Holly narrowed her eyes. She would find out when she battled the Gym Leader.

Glee flooded Holly when Kristine stated. "A bit beyond here, and Janine awaits."

Holly pumped her fist in the air.

She would _finally_ get her Fuchsia Gym Battle!

Suddenly, Holly was stopped by Anabel's voice. "Hold on."

Holy couldn't help expressing her annoyance. "What now?"

She was steps away from her battle! What right did Anabel have to stop her?

The betrayer cast a stern gaze at Kristine, and her voice was icy cold. "Kris, you navigated those traps as if you were seeing right through them. I can't help but be a little suspicious."

Holly put her hands on her hips.

Did the betrayer have to be suspicious of _everything?_

Yet Kristine was ready with a response. "I've been to Fuchsia many times. I know its Gym well."

Anabel narrowed her eyes. "I've been to Fuchsia lot as well, but I can't navigate traps like that."

Holly couldn't help shouting. "Well, you must not have been to _the Gym_ a lot, Anabel!"

The betrayer closed her eyes and shook her head, but did not say anything.

Holly did not take another look back as she walked forward.

Janine stood waiting for them at the center of a room, and the Fuchsia Gym Leader's eyes widened in surprise.

"You came quickly."

Holly nodded, beaming. "Yep, Kris helped us with all the traps."

Kristine took a step forward, and Janine's eyes narrowed.

"Just like before… You got through all the traps as though you knew them all your life... And no one has any idea how…"

Janine's eyes suddenly narrowed with a deadly focus, and Holly cocked her head.

"Mind telling us your secret?"

Holly wondered if Kristine would respond to the verbal challenge, but the disabled Trainer remained nonchalant. "As a ninja, you should know that a trap navigator never reveals their secrets."

Janine simply cringed, and Holly couldn't resist smirking. The Gym Leader must've known Kristine was right.

Kristine gestured at Janine before speaking again. "Now then, I believe you have a Gym Battle to fight."

Janine simply nodded. "Right, as promised."

Holly quickly took her place at lower part of the battlefield. Janine stood across from her, tension showing in her face.

Holly blinked.

What did Janine have to be so tense about? She had been fairly relaxed and eager to battle the day before.

Perhaps the Fuchsia Gym Leader just didn't want to lose. It would make sense.

Yet Holly did her best to keep her glee from overflowing.

Now the next Badge would be hers!

Yet what was happening the battlefield quickly brought her back to reality.

Janine now held a Poké Ball, and she tossed it into the air.

"Go, Ariados!"

A mirror image of one of Janine's Pokémon from the battle the day before appeared on the field.

Holly knew this but one was different from the one that had died brutally in combat, yet she couldn't help shuddering.

Would Janine become strong enough to fight monsters like the one she saw in the Safari Zone?

Would Holly?

Regardless, Holly shook her head.

She couldn't focus on that now.

Rapidly, Holly tossed her own Poké Ball through the air.

"Go, Raichu!"

The electric mouse appeared in a flash of white light. It quickly stood at the ready, eyes narrowing as it faced its opponent.

And Holly wasn't about waste any time.

"Raichu, Psychic!"

Raichu's eyes glowed as it was surrounded in a blue aura. Before it could make a move, the opposing Pokémon was also surrounded in the aura. The Ariados screamed as Raichu picked it up like a feather. Holly's Pokémon let out a cry, and it slammed the opponent into a wall.

Janine's face went pale as she watched her Ariados slide down the wall.

However, Holly simply waited.

She waited for the pain of the attack itself…

The pain of hitting the wall…

The pain of the Ariados's sorrow and fear…

Or even the pain of Janine's own…

But there was nothing.

No more pain…

No more fear…

No more restraints…

No more holding back…

Holly grinned.

Now she could fight as hard as she wanted!

She glanced towards Janine.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader had recalled her Pokémon, and there was a hard look on her face.

Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Was Janine a sore loser?

Holly shouted. "What do you think of that, Janine?

Janine shook her head, ignoring Holly's question.

Instead, the Gym Leader flung anothor Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Weezing!"

Another Pokémon appeared in bright white light. Holly narrowed her eyes as she looked at it. This Pokémon was purple, and constantly emitted tiny wisps of white smoke. It appeared to have two heads, and they had teeth and fangs. Both of the heads also had white eyes with tiny black pupils, although one head was smaller than the other. The larger head had a white circle and cross bones on its body. Its smaller counterpart just had a circle. Holly knew both heads were plenty dangerous, though.

Which is why she wasn't surprised when Kristine chimed in.

" _You can use Exeggutor now. It might be wise to give Raichu a break after an attack like that, and Exeggutor isn't as weak to Weezing as it is Janine's other Pokémon. It also knows a move called Psyshock, which will be helpful in this fight."_

Holly nodded, calling out. "Raichu, return!"

Her Pokémon disappeared in a beam of red light, and Holly wasted no time throwing another ball.

"Go, Exeggutor!"

Holly's Grass and Psychic Type Pokémon burst forth in a flash of bright white light. Although it had a goofy grin and appeared to be dancing, Holly knew it was formidable.

And she was just about to prove _how_ formidable.

Holly pointed at her opponent.

"Exeggutor, Psyshock!"

A massive orb appeared in front of Exeggutor. Holly could see it was different shades of blue, and the orb had a little purple on the inside. Exeggutor launched the orb, sending it flying in its opponent. Weezing howled as it was pushed back, and the orb exploded on impact.

The explosion kicked up so much smoke and dust that Holly couldn't see anything. However, she could hear Janine coughing, and wondered how the Gym Leader was faring after the powerful attack.

Holly got her answer as the dust cleared.

Janine's face fell, glancing downward as her anger turned into sorrow.

It was easy to see why.

The Gym Leader's Pokémon lay on the ground, showing no signs of getting up.

Janine silently recalled it and turned to Holly.

Holly noticed the light of desperation burning in Janine's eyes, but couldn't help grinning ear-to-ear.

Two Pokémon down, and she hadn't suffered a single blow! She really _was_ getting stronger!

And Janine must have really wanted to win!

Either that, or she just did not deal with loss very well.

Regardless, the Gym Leader was on the ropes, and she knew it.

Janine's eyes grew hard, yet Holly could still see a flicker of fear.

What did Janine have to be afraid of? Was she really _that_ much of a sore loser?

Holly assume such was the case, as the Gym Leader's next words came out in a snarl.

"Venomoth, turn this around!"

The purple winged insect burst from its Poké Ball. It was different from the one that had been killed by Zinnia's Salamance, but that didn't mean Holly could not pay attention.

Yet, she couldn't help smirking.

There was no turning things around now!

Surely Janine understood that!

But if she didn't, Holly would show her!

"Return, Exeggcutor!" Holly recalled her Pokémon, then held another gleaming Poké Ball.

It was time to end this battle.

"Go, Raichu!"

Raichu appeared again, as focused and confident as it had been before.

And Holly knew it was just as powerful.

So she wasted no time giving her command. "Raichu, end this with a Psychic!"

Raichu let out a screech as the blue aura surrounded it again. For a second time, the opponent was engulfed before it could move. Venomoth let out an earsplitting shriek as Raichu used its psychic power to smash the purple insect into the ceiling.

The blue aura then disappeared, and Venomoth plummeted to the ground.

As the opposing Pokémon slammed on the floor, Holly grinned.

Venomoth didn't move at all.

It was clear who the victor was.

Holly pumped her fist in the air.

She had no idea Gym battles could be that easy, or that Gyms could be so simple to navigate!

She was so strong now that maybe they would _all_ be like that!

Holly kept her wide grin as she faced Janine.

Unfortunately, the Gym Leader did not share her enthusiasm.

Janine's face was still pale, and twisted into a grimace. The Gym Leader clenched her fist, and Holly wondered if Janine would punch something.

Holly put her hands on her hips. "Hey, are you just a sore loser?"

Janine grimaced even harder, and she shook her head. "No, it's not that."

Holly could help shouting. "Then what?"

Janine didn't answer the question, instead grabbing an item.

She walked over, presenting it to Holly.

Holly noticed the item was a symbol in the shape of a small, pink, heart.

She nodded eagerly.

This was the Soul Badge.

Yet Janine shared no joy, her words coming out hollow.

"Take this. It's rightfully yours now."

Holly took the Badge from Janine's palm, wondering if her grin could grow even wider.

Janine didn't even meet her eyes, instead looking away.

Holly glared at the Gym Leader.

She knew just what type of person Janine was now!

And she may as well tell the others!

Holly took a deep breath, stating coldly. "I guess Kris and the other detractors were right about you. You really are weak, and not worthy of the Gym position."

Janine balled up her fist so tightly Holly could see it turning white. The Gym Leader also shook her head, but did not turn around.

Out of the corner of right, Holly noticed Anabel's eyes going wide with shock.

"Holly…"

Yet Holly wasn't about to give the betrayer a chance to finish her sentence.

"Let's just go."

Kristine nodded. "We're done here."

With that, Holly didn't take one look back as she followed Kristine out of the Gym.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Holly's thinking that the Fuchsia Gym resembles a restaurant is based off of the anime. James is surprised when Team Rocket finds the Fuchsia Gym, and remarks that it looks like a Chinese restaurant.**

 **-Janine having invisible walls and every Gym Trainer described as her comes directly from the games. At the beginning of Fuchsia, it was mentioned that the RP requires having these Gym traps. In contrast, the traps that Kris refers to are those seen outside of the games. Some of them include hordes of Voltorb that fall from ceilings and hide in corners, smoke explosions, trick doors, Trainers with throwing stars and other weapons, and even slanted floors. These traps will make not an appearance in this book, but they in will be other ones.**

 **-Kris easily finding her way through Fuchsia's traps is partially based on the games. In original Johto and Kanto, there were lines on the floor where the invisible walls were. If one knew where to look, one could actually see the invisible walls. This was fixed in the remakes, where the walls were not visible. However, if one is familiar with layout, they could just walk around the entire Gym to the Leader.**

 **It's almost the same thing with Janine's imposters. Janine is at the center of the Gym, and the player can just walk around to find her. There is a little bit of an added component, however. Just like in the story, Janine's Trainers will never battle the player unless they try to speak to them. Presumably, this is to avoid breaking the disguise, because Gym Leaders will never fight the player before being spoken to. However, if the player memorizes Janine's location, it's possible to walk around all of the Gym Trainers without fighting any of them.**

 **-Holly completely wiping the floor with Janine is because of two reasons. One of which is Janine's weakness that I talked about a previous chapter. The other is because of Holly's team at this point. Holly has three Pokémon that can do super effective damage against Poison Types (Raichu, Exeggutor, and Nidoqueen although she hasn't learned a super effective attack yet), one Pokémon that is doubly resistant to it (Nidoqueen) and one Pokémon that is completely immune (Mawile). So I knew as soon as this battle came up that she would have an easy time with it.**

 **-Holly's Exeggutor knowing Psyshock is based on the games. Exeggcute can learn the move at level 27, and it is possible to encounter the species at that level. So I got the idea that Holly's Pokémon would know that from the start.**


	70. Sight

**Hello, and welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! After a long absence, this story has finally returned! As to why this absence occurred, there is a reason. Those of you who have been keeping up may know what it is already, but for those who haven't, I will say here.** **Holly Rising's RP, A Kanto Adventure, has been completed from start to finish. That means I will be porting chapters continuously until the entire story is done.**

 **As for why this happened and I didn't do much updating here, it has to do with the original RP. When the RP started out, I was doing it alongside the RP's leader, Wizardmonfan, and another person. However, the other person eventually decided to drop out. When that happened, I've asked if I could continue the RP on my own, and have all areas posted at once. Permission for that was granted, and all areas were posted to the RP shortly after. However, I decided that since there were so many areas within a short period of time, it would be easier to finish the RP itself before porting all the remaining areas here. Now that the RP is finished, this is exactly what I am doing. For those curious, the RP ended on April 2, 2019.**

 **Also, for those wondering, the other person's characters and scenarios will not be used in the Traveler series.** **The main reason is that I had written Holly Rising, and by extension the Traveler series, to stand on its own. As a result, the other person dropping from the original are RP does not affect the Traveler series in any way.**

 **Now with all that being said, it's time to get to the fun part! But first, I do not own Pokémon, and all prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan. Also, check the author's notes for details.**

 **With that, on to the prompt!**

 _Route 18 is a small route to the west of Fuchsia. It has a patch of grass were wild Pokémon and Trainers gather. A gate to the west of the route serves as the marker for Cycling Road. From there, the road becomes a short bike path, with Route 17 to the north._

* * *

70\. Sight

Route 18 was a short distance from the city. However, one look forward made Holly wonder if it could stretch on forever. She could see a house that served as a gate between routes in the distance. Further on, there was a seemingly endless path, and Holly heard the shouts of people.

One person in particular caught Holly's attention.

And that person was nowhere near the path.

Familiar brown hair and gray eyes contrasted clearly against the tall green grass near the route's gate.

Holly couldn't resist adopting a hard glare.

Ivy.

What was that annoying Trainer doing here anyway?

Holly figured she may as well find out.

She motioned to go deeper into the grass, and the others followed.

However, before Holly could say anything, Ivy met her gaze.

Yet there was none of the bouncy joy Holly had seen all the times before.

Instead, Ivy's gaze was one of fear, and she looked like she was trying to stop herself from trembling.

The other Trainer's eyes were wide, and Holly resisted the urge to roll her own.

What was that wimp afraid of all the way out here?

Ivy quickly answered that question. "Come to hurt me? Come to yell at me, like you did in Vermillion?"

Holly answered in a hard tone. "Where'd you get such stupid thoughts, Ivy? What even makes you think that?"

Ivy hesitated, glancing over to Kristine as well. For the first time, Holly heard her slowly choosing her words.

"What I heard happened in Lavender, about how you and your friend almost hurt and killed many people… And then there was the incident in Fuchsia, with so many wounded and dying… And you and your friend's Pokémon were partially responsible for those injuries…

You acted like you didn't even care… That's not even counting all the other stories I know of, and they're all awful…"

Ivy's voice became shrill as it took on a desperate tone. "Please tell me what I heard wasn't true! Please tell me you didn't do all that! That you're not the kind of person!"

Holly narrowed her eyes. "What's it matter to you, Ivy? You're not a good friend anyway!"

Ivy looked like she was about to cry, and Holly couldn't miss the blazing fury in Anabel's eyes.

Holly ignored both as she continued. "What are you doing out here?"

Before either could answer, a Pokémon hopped up beside Ivy.

Holly took a moment to stare at it.

The Pokémon was a bird. It had a huge green head with two equally huge black eyes. The creature had stubby small wings, and Holly doubted it could fly. It hopped on red talons, and occasionally shook its patterned wings. The wings had yellow on them, but also designs that were black and red. Holly could see there was also a red feather on top of the bird's head.

A Natu, Holly knew.

But where did Ivy get one?

She didn't look like she could even catch one Pokémon!

Before Holly could speak again, Anabel stepped up.

"Who is that, and where is your Litten?"

Ivy rapidly responded. "This is Jake. I caught him on this route, so he's doing some training. Alex is the Pokémon you saw before. He was helping, but got tired. I'm letting him rest in his Ball now."

Anabel suddenly looked like she was deep in thought, and Holly resisted the urge to slap her forehead.

What could the betrayer be thinking about? There was nothing complex here!

Unless the betrayer planned to harass Ivy, too.

If Anabel wanted to berate Ivy, she gave no indication.

Instead, the betrayer simply start speaking again.

"You found your Natu here? But Natu is usually only found in a specific area in Johto…"

Holly resisted the urge to throw up her hands.

Was Anabel going to berate Ivy's Pokémon instead?

Yet the other Trainer now looked a bit downcast, and Holly wondered if she was expecting a reprimand.

Ivy gave no indication as she slowly responded.

"Well then, this must be because of the foreign Pokémon mystery."

Holly's eyes went wide, and she responded. "Foreign Pokémon mystery? What's that?"

Ivy looked straight at Holly as she replied. "It happened 15 years ago, probably before either of us were born. Something strange occurred, but no one knows exactly what. The only thing anyone does know is that Pokémon non-native to certain regions were appearing in them. It wasn't long until they were everywhere, and all the regions had Pokémon from others mixed in with their native species. Nobody can figure out why it happened, even after all this time. So I guess everything will just remain unsolved."

Holly couldn't respond, her mind whisking her back into the past.

There were her own foreign Pokémon…

Mawile, and its powerful Mega Evolution…

Mightyena, with its varied moves…

Torracat, her very first Pokémon…

Even her Raichu, evolving into the unnatural Alolan form…

Were they part of the mystery too?

Did they know anything about it?

Could they help solve it?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as Jake continued to hop forward. The Natu chirped loudly, curious eyes staring straight at Kristine.

Ivy's own eyes widened as she responded.

"It looks like Jake is interested in the famous Kris!"

Holly cocked her head. "Huh? Why?"

Anabel replied in a puzzled tone. "Perhaps it just wants an autograph?"

Kristine ignored the questions, instead stepping forward.

"I'm not surprised Natu is interested in me, considering my history with Pokémon."

Holly blinked.

Kristine had met many Pokémon, on both her previous journeys and this one. Yet Holly had never heard of one walking up to her like that.

She couldn't resist blurting out.

"What you mean?"

Kristine calmly replied. "Natu has the ability to see the past and the future, although it can't do it as well as its evolved form, Xatu."

As if on cue, Jake's eyes glowed blue with psychic power.

Holly shuddered.

Kristine has been so secretive about her past, and nobody knew anything about her future.

What would Jake see?

It must not have seen much, because almost as soon as Jake's eyes lit up, the psychic power disappeared.

Ivy's voice filled with concern, and that same concern was reflected in her eyes.

"Jake, what is it? Is something wrong?"

Jake hopped back to its Trainer, making several chirps. Holly expected Kristine to translate, but the disabled Trainer just expectantly waited for Ivy.

Yet Ivy's eyes went wide, gaze conveying more than all the words she could ever say.

Holly tried to keep her own eyes from going wide.

Had Jake finally found out something about Kristine's past or her future?

Was it awful?

It seemed like an eternity before Ivy finally spoke.

There was no missing the confusion in her voice as she directed it at Kristine. "Jake… He can only see you as a young girl. Younger than Holly, even… I've no idea what that means… Jake's never done something like this before…"

Holly's eyes narrowed.

That didn't make any sense!

Was Ivy only trying to lead them astray?

Holly stepped forward, but Kristine spoke first.

"The Pokémon probably made a mistake. It is still young, and has not evolved."

Ivy opened her mouth to answer, but all that came was a yelp.

Her face went pale, and she howled.

"I feel like there is something on my shoulder, but there is nothing here!"

Holly blinked.

Was Ivy seeing things?

She couldn't be that stupid!

Yet suddenly, Kristine stepped up, staring straight at Ivy's left shoulder. The disabled Trainer took on a hard, analytical gaze.

There was no mistaking the serious tone in the disabled Trainer's voice as she spoke to Ivy. "The white hand on your shoulder… What is it doing here?"

Ivy's voice came out as a shriek. "White hand? I don't see a white hand anywhere!"

Holly was alerted to the sound of her own shouting as she added. "Kris, what are you talking about?"

The disabled Trainer did not respond, and Anabel yelled angrily. "Kris, why would you frighten Ivy like that? What's gotten into you?"

Yet there was only a questioning tone in Kristine's voice as she continued speaking.

"I could've sworn there was a white hand on your shoulder… Perhaps I'm the only one that can see it…"

Ivy let out another yelp, too terrified to speak.

Before Holly could rush to Kristine's or Ivy's defense, Anabel snarled.

"That's enough, Kris!"

She rapidly turned to Ivy. "Apologies for scaring you."

Ivy managed to choke out. "Apology accepted. I think the sensation is gone now."

Anabel nodded. "Then let us be on our way."

The betrayer gestured and Holly followed, relieved to finally be away from Ivy and Jake.

However, Holly noticed Anabel's hand had rapidly tightened into a fist.

Holly's eyes narrowed.

The betrayer be angry about now? Surely she couldn't be that upset over what happened to Ivy…

Holly thought back to what Kristine had said.

She knew the story of a white hand on shoulders was something used to scare people. It was particularly popular in Lavender, and Holly was grateful she never got the chance to hear the tale. Rumor had it the child's horror story passed into legend, but Holly didn't know the details of it. She doubted it was real.

And Kristine did seem to know about a lot of legends and the like. Knowing the disabled Trainer, she probably hated Ivy as much as Holly did. Kristine was probably just trying to give Ivy a scare to make her go away. If that was the case, it had worked.

Besides, it's not like the encounter mattered anyway. Regardless of Kristine's intention, they were free of Ivy now.

Holly instinctively found herself traveling behind the disabled Trainer. No matter how she felt, Kristine could offer her some protection. It was certainly better than traveling close to Anabel the betrayer!

Yet Kristine came to a sudden stop, and Holly almost banged into her.

The disabled Trainer seemed to take no notice of Holly. Instead, she stared straight ahead.

Kristine's next words came out almost a whisper, but Holly could still hear them. "I won't miss the winters or the fragile world. I like hiding in the white forest with the hollow tree."

Holly opened her mouth to ask Kristine meant, but the disabled Trainer was already moving on.

So instead, Holly cocked her head.

What had Kristine been saying? It seemed like it came out of nowhere…

Of course, that might not be entirely the case.

Holly knew that there was a secluded area in Unova called the White Forest. There was also a place within the White Forest called the White Treehollow. According to rumors, many tough Trainers gathered there, and many rare treasures could be found. Unfortunately, Holly never had chance to see for herself.

But Kristine probably had, and she most likely enjoyed the place. Perhaps she wanted to go back to it, and maybe stay there for a long time.

Holly didn't know what Kristine meant by winters and fragile things, but they were probably just concepts she disliked.

Regardless, the disabled Trainer started moving again.

Holly nodded firmly.

Kristine's words were probably nothing, and they didn't really matter.

After all, there were more important things to focus on.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this chapter is a short one, but there is a lot to unpack!**

 **-Anabel's comment about Natu usually only appearing in a specific area in Johto comes from the games where Natu was first introduced. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and their remakes, Natu could only be found in an area called the Ruins of Alph. The Ruins of Alph had many puzzles, and could be difficult to get through. Combined with the fact that there's not much of a reward for solving all the puzzles and none of the rewards that are there are not necessary progressing through the games, players could choose to ignore the area entirely.**

 **However, to make things even more confusing, there's a separate area in the Ruins of Alph that leads to an outside part. In this area, there are quite a few Pokémon that can be found nowhere else. One of these Pokémon is Natu. Unfortunately, the outside area can only be accessed after the player can use the moves Surf and Strength to traverse the world outside of battle. The player gains these abilities much later in the games, long after they can first visit the Ruins of Alph. Between there being no hints about the outside area and the Ruins of Alph not having anything noteworthy otherwise, it's entirely possible for players not to realize that the outside area and the Pokémon within even exist, and bypass the secret place entirely.**

 **-The foreign Pokémon mystery actually has to do with the mechanics of the RP itself. In the early parts of the RP, players were given a list of Pokémon they could catch on the route. Some of these Pokémon were from later games, and therefore not native to the Kanto region. However, they still appeared alongside native Kanto Pokémon as if they had always been there. There was no explanation for that in the RP itself (although one could say it was to allow players variety in their catches, but that was never confirmed either), so I created an in-story reason for those Pokémon appearing.**

 **It's worth noting that in the actual games, Pokémon not native to the region the player is playing in do appear alongside native species. However, the amount of non-native Pokémon available is usually limited (if there are any at all). To get more non-native Pokémon to appear, the player must fulfill certain requirements. Usually, the requirement is only beating the main story, although that is not always the case. Also, like the RP, the games offer little to no explanation as to why more foreign Pokémon suddenly appear after certain gameplay requirements have been fulfilled.**

 **-Natu having the ability to see the past and the future is based off of something in the games. In Xatu's Pokédex entry, it is stated that one of its eyes views the future, and the other views the past. Natu is Xatu's pre-evolved form, but it's never stated if it also has this power. Therefore, I thought it would make sense if it had it, but as a much weaker version. It's also worth noting that I had considered having Ivy obtain a Xatu at this point instead. However, that was changed because of something else that comes up later.**

 **-The white hand talked about in this chapter comes from an optional event of the games. Upon entering Lavender, the player can speak to someone in front of the Pokémon Tower. This person will ask the player if they believe in ghosts. Should the player answer yes, the person will simply muse that there are believers. However, if the player replies they do not believe in ghosts, the person will mention that there is a white hand on the player's shoulder. However, the other person will quickly say that the white hand is not real, and the conversation ends there.**

 **This conversation inspired many horror stories and urban legends. There were rumors the players could somehow encounter the white hand and engage it in battle. Even though these rumors turned out not to be true, the story of the white hand still made its way into popular legend. This is why Holly thinks that the story is popular in Lavender, and that it was a child's horror story that became a legend.**

 **-White Forest and White Treehollow are actual locations from Pokémon Black and White and their sequels. After the player completes the main game, they can visit White Forest. White Forest is home to many merchants that sell rare items, and a few wild Pokémon found almost nowhere else in the game. However, come the sequels, the wild Pokémon are gone. In their place is an area called White Treehollow. This place is home to one of the hardest challenges in the game, with some of the most powerful Trainers as opponents.**

 **To complete White Treehollow, players have to enter several floors. Each floor had countless different paths a player can take, with many different rooms. Each room has numerous different paths players can travel, with one path leading to a boss Trainer and the exit. Beating the boss Trainer and finding the exit will allow the player to return to the lobby, where they will receive prizes and healing. They will also have access to the next floor, and can revisit cleared floors at any time for training.**

 **What makes White Treehollow so difficult is that standing in the player's way are countless Trainers, and many are more powerful than anything else in the game. The Trainers' Pokémon and locations are randomized, so the player doesn't have much of an idea what to expect. In addition, one of the randomized Trainers is called a gate Trainer, and the player must beat this Trainer to open up the pathway to the boss Trainer and the exit. Opposing Trainers' Pokémon will also become stronger the more floors the player clears. Furthermore, the player has very limited access to healing. Players are only allowed to heal by finding doctors and nurses that rarely show up on floors.**

 **These doctors and nurses must be battled and defeated before they will heal the player's party, and they can only be used once. On the flipside, unlike other doctors and nurses in the game that heal the player automatically after being beaten and can heal an infinite amount of times, the ones in White Treehollow will ask players if they want their Pokémon to be fully healed. If the player declines, they can come back later provided the healing services have not already been used. The only other way to heal is to leave the floor, but the player must find the entrance themselves. Doing so also forfeits the challenge on the current floor, and the player must start again from the beginning if they attempt the floor again. The player must also find the entrance to the floor manually, and there are no maps at all. Any experience earned is kept even if a player does not clear floor's challenge, but any money won is forfeited.**

 **White Treehollow is typically exclusive to Pokémon White and its sequel. Pokémon Black and its sequel have their own variant called Black City and Black Tower. However, players of Pokémon Black and its sequel can access White Forest and White Treehollow provided data from Pokémon White and its sequel are transferred over. The reverse also holds true for Pokémon White and its sequel. In the Traveler universe, White Forest and Black City exist simultaneously.**


	71. Hidden Eyes

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes for details. This is a new area, so there's a new prompt. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the new prompt!**

 _Route 17 stretches north of Route 18. Known as Cycling Road, it's a favorite hangout for bicyclists. So much so, the guards won't let people pass without a bicycle. Wild Pokémon live in the grassy area to the side, but not every bicyclist is interested in catching them. Water is also on the route, but most people ignore it. Instead, they prefer to feel the rapid thrill of riding down Cycling Road's steep downward slope._

* * *

71\. Hidden Eyes

As the group trudged toward Route 17, Holly hung her head low.

The others were quick to notice, and Kristine responded.

"What's wrong, Holly?"

Holly rapidly replied. "Oh, it's just that Route 17 is a well-known bike path, and I don't have a bike…"

Kristine was quick with another response. "Well, you're doing better than me. I can't even _use_ a bike."

Holly could tell the disabled Trainer was trying to cheer her up, but it did nothing to solve the problem.

Nor did Anabel's sharp glare.

What could the betrayer possibly be angry about?

Kristine was simply stating a fact!

Unless the betrayer thought that Kristine could somehow miraculously use a bike to get them all across…

With that, another thought popped into Holly's head.

She looked at Kristine as she voiced it.

"Couldn't you just use your psychic Pokémon to float over the area?" As Holly stated her words, she glanced over at Google.

The Delphox simply waited patiently, not even shifting at the implications of Holly's words.

Its Trainer wasn't quite as calm, though.

Kristine shook her head fiercely.

"Without me and my Pokémon getting smashed into by bikers? I don't think so. The only safe way for me to get across a bike path is by floating so high I skip it completely. And since you're trying to get as strong as you possibly can, Holly, that defeats the purpose."

Holly hung her head low. She should've known it wouldn't be that simple…

Holly snapped her head back up when Kristine spoke again.

"There's another area below for those that don't want to or cannot use bikes. Unfortunately, it takes a lot longer to traverse."

"It doesn't look like we have much choice, then." Holly sighed.

At least they _had_ a way through!

Kristine nodded. "Then let's go."

Holly quickly found out Kristine was right when she said the path took a lot longer to traverse. Before long, night had fallen, and the group stopped to rest.

Yet Holly couldn't sleep. A frown was etched onto her face.

She'd barely made any progress at all! If only she had a bike!

Yet Holly's anger was replaced by surprise as she looked towards her arm.

There was something on her wrist.

It appeared to be some sort of watch, but it wasn't any kind Holly was familiar with.

The device looked like a black wristwatch, and Holly noticed a space at the bottom. It looked like a space where someone would put a recording device, like a small microphone. But Holly didn't think anyone would put a microphone on the watch. Holly studied the machine a bit more, and realized the screens were bigger than a normal watch's. It reminded Holly of the screens someone might use to watch videos, but she wondered who would view videos on a watch. Holly ran her hand across the device, noticing something dark pink on the back. She cocked her head, wondering why anyone would combine dark pink with a black wristwatch. Maybe the developers just thought it looked good…

Nevertheless, Holly blinked.

The watch wasn't here a little while ago!

So why was it here now?

And what did such a bizarre device do anyway?

Holly cocked her head.

Had she forgotten to put her wristwatch away at the Safari Zone?

No, it didn't look like those watches, and she would've noticed earlier…

So where did this come from?

Holly's attention was suddenly directed elsewhere as she heard movement. In another minute, Kristine sat up. The disabled Trainer's eyes were wide, and with a jolt, Holly realized that Kristine had the exact same watch on her right wrist.

Holly resisted the urge to tremble as Kristine's voice entered her head.

However, the disabled Trainer did not speak to Holly, instead uttering a chilling command.

" _Google, destroy the devices."_

Before Holly could react, Google's entire body glowed with psychic power. The psychic power rapidly engulfed the watches. Instantly, Holly heard a small crunch.

She gasped as she watched the device slide off onto the ground, mangled and broken.

Kristine's own watch had fallen right beside her, but she made no move to pick up.

Instead, the disabled Trainer gestured to Google, and Holly's watch was lifted into the air. Rapidly, it flew and landed in Kristine's hand. She seized hold of Holly's watch, grip tighter than Holly had ever thought possible. With all her strength, Kristine flung the watch to the left. Holly heard a splash, and realize that Kristine had most likely tossed the item into the nearby pond. Trainers were forbidden from traveling there, so was unlikely anyone would find the device.

Holly's guesses were confirmed as Kristine rapidly grabbed the second watch. She wasted no time doing the same as she had with the first. The sound of the second splash filled Holly's ears, and this time, Holly had no doubts as to where the device had gone.

But why had Kristine acted so violently?

Holly had never seen her behave like that!

What did those watches even mean?

Holly shuddered, realizing her voice had abandoned her.

Maybe she didn't want to know the answers to her questions…

Yet still, Holly faced Kristine. The disabled Trainer had a grave expression on her face, waiting patiently as Holly finally found the courage to speak.

Holly managed to stammer through thought.

" _Kristine, what were those devices, and why did you react like that?"_

Kristine's eyes narrowed, and there was no mistaking the icy tone in her voice.

" _Those were tracking monitors, Holly. Normally, tracking monitors only show one's location, but these watches are much more complex. They're specially designed have a microphone, and means to transmit peoples' journeys as images to the original owner. It's similar to a video camera, only much more precise. I'd compare it to having a psychic digging around in your head, and then projecting your memories for all to see."_

Holly shivered, and she knew it wasn't because it was cold.

Who would use something so horrible?

And why?

Holly could hear her voice becoming desperate as she howled.

" _Who did this?"_

Kristine's voice remained steady, and Holly could hear it become dangerously quiet.

" _Janine."_

Holly could feel her blood run cold and her eyes go wide. "The Gym Leader from Fuchsia? How can that be?"

Kristine's voice was still eerily stoic as she replied. _"The devices weren't on us at the hospital, at any other point on our journey, or during the recent Gym Battle. So Janine must've somehow put them on after that."_

Holly cocked her head.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing!

A question formed on her lips, one that Holly knew she probably already had the answer to.

Nevertheless, she asked it anyway.

" _Couldn't Anabel done this?"_

Kristine shook her head.

" _After what happened in the Safari Zone, Anabel knows better than to try anything. And if she had access to the devices, she would've used them long ago."_

Holly clenched her fist as she came to a grim realization.

" _Was this why Janine was so upset when she lost the Gym battle?"_

Kristine wasted no time replying. "I don't doubt it. She probably wanted stop the journey if you lost, and use the tracking monitors if you won. Obviously, she got the worse situation of the two."

Holly gritted her teeth, and her eyes blazed with anger.

The person she saw running down the hallway at the hospital… It must've been Janine…

To think that the Fuchsia Gym Leader would do something as crooked as this!

After she had been so kind to Holly and Kristine!

After the two had helped her at the Safari Zone, and Kristine had probably saved her life!

Holly clenched her fist.

Janine was as much of a betrayer as Anabel!

Holly's anger filled her voice as she put forth another question.

" _To use these tracking monitors without our consent... Isn't that illegal? Shouldn't Janine get in trouble?"_

Kristine's gaze remained hard.

" _Technically, it is. But Janine most likely has clearance from the League to track people if something is amiss."_

Holly gritted her teeth.

" _Did Anabel brainwash her too?"_

Kristine shook her head.

" _Probably not. I doubt Janine and Anabel ever talked, or they would've said something at the Gym. Even if they did, Janine is not that easily swayed. She may be young, but she is streetwise."_

The disabled Trainer continued, voice eerily even.

" _Janine was probably never on our side to begin with. She and I were once enemies, and as far as the League is concerned, you're a threat to all Gym Leaders."_

Holly clenched her fist so hard it turned white.

How dare the League and some stupid succession crisis turn Janine against them!

Holly's voice filled with rage as she shouted. "We should punish Janine along with Anabel!"

Kristine shook her head. _"No, Janine should be punished now. With all the techniques and traps she has, it will be easy for her to find out that the monitors have been destroyed. And when she does, Janine will find another way to strike."_

Holly nodded in agreement.

Due to her history with Janine, Kristine probably knew the Gym Leader better than anyone.

Yet Holly couldn't resist asking another question.

" _How will we punish Janine? She's back in Fuchsia…"_

A confident smile spread on Kristine's face. _"Oh, don't worry. I have my ways."_

Holly immediately relaxed.

Kristine had never let her down before.

With two treacherous betrayers on the loose, she certainly wouldn't now.

Kristine continued beaming as she stated. _"You should rest and get some sleep. I will handle everything. I know Janine well, after all."_

Holly nodded again. _"Good night, Kristine."_

Kristine warmly replied. _"Good night, Holly."_

Holly lie down and closed her eyes.

She was aware of her frown being replaced by a giant grin.

Anabel would pay.

Janine would pay.

All of the people against Holly would pay.

And by the time they tried to fight back, it would be far too late.

All because of Holly's alliance with Kristine.

Holly wasn't sure what was going to come next.

However, she did know two things.

The alliance between her and Kristine was unstoppable.

And their enemies would learn that the hard way.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Kris's comment about being unable to use a bike is based on something in real life. Due to my cerebral palsy, I cannot ride a bicycle. The reason for this is that while I can use bicycles for a little while, I cannot ride them for any sort of distance. This is because my cerebral palsy weakens the strength and stamina in my legs. As a result, I can't keep the pedals moving long or fast enough to get the bike to really go anywhere. Since Kris has the same condition, I figured she wouldn't be able to use a bicycle either.**

 **-Bicycles are a standard mode of faster transportation in the Pokémon world, and the player can obtain them in almost every main game in the series. However, Holly did not obtain one, simply because I didn't think of it. By the time this place came up, it was too late to go back (since bicycles are only obtained far earlier in Cerulean). However, in the Kanto games, obtaining the bicycle is completely optional. Furthermore, it's possible to skip Cycling Road entirely, and not have any issues with the game's progression. To do this, the player must enter Fuchsia using the routes south of Lavender, then return back to Lavender using the same path. Therefore, it's feasible for someone to also completely skip obtaining the bicycle and not have any problems later.**

 **-The idea of there being a separate path that takes longer to traverse comes from the Hoenn games (Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald) and their remakes (Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire). The Cycling Road is near the city of Mauville, but there are actually two ways to traverse the area. One is to go the traditional path through Cycling Road, the latter which is above everything else. The other way is to head to the path below Cycling Road and walk to the city. However, the second path is full of many wild Pokémon and Trainers, who will not hesitate to attack the player. Between this and the lack of movement speed from the bicycle, traversing this path is much slower. Unfortunately, the player is forced to traverse this path the first time through, because they have to get to the city in order to get a bicycle.**

 **-I decided to have two paths because I figured not everyone would have a bicycle. There would be those that couldn't or didn't want to, as Kris stated. There's also the chance of a bicycle being damaged or even destroyed during the journey. This happens to Misty, May, and Dawn in the anime. Furthermore, injuries and certain disabilities would make a bike impossible to ride (no matter how rare the latter case is). Finally, there's the issue of a bike hardy enough to survive a Trainer's journey simply being too expensive. Ash encounters this problem during The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, and is severely disappointed.**

 **-The Pokémon Yellow remakes Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee actually did create an alternative path through Cycling Road. The bicycle is unobtainable in those games, and the player can ride Pokémon instead. As a result, Cycling Road has lost its bike path, being renamed Pokémon Road. Many people walk on this road with their Pokémon beside them, and the player is encouraged to ride theirs through it. Wild Pokémon still appear on the road, and the player can capture them like any other place. However, Pokémon Road does not appear in the story due to the Let's Go games being unreleased at the time this chapter was written. For those wondering, Pokémon Let's Go will eventually see representation in Holly Rising, but it will not be until much later due to many chapters being written before the games' release.**

 **-The tracking devices Janine uses are inspired by tracking devices in real life, although the related equivalents are nowhere near as powerful and sophisticated as the ones Janine has. However, in a world where magic and Pokémon powers exists, I figured it wouldn't be that far-fetched to have technology be more advanced.**

 **In real life, tracking monitors are used in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons. The most well-known is probably GPS monitors used to track someone's location. However, other types of monitors exist, such as monitoring social media activity, or tracking activity on someone's cell phone.**

 **-Unfortunately, just as Kristine states in the story, using tracking monitors without consent is often illegal. For example, putting a tracking monitor on someone's car without consent is usually illegal, despite that commonly being depicted in fiction without any problems. Situations like this is why Holly asks whether the tracking monitors are even legal, and Kristine replies they are not.**

 **However, there are several ways to legally use tracking monitors. One of the ways is with specific GPS tracking devices made for those who are prone to wandering (such as from a medical condition, like dementia). Certain websites, forms of social media, and other types of technology allow parents to legally track what a child is doing when that particular piece of technology is used. The parents can then intervene if anything is alarming. In some cases, police can use tracking devices to track criminals, including those serving specific kinds of sentences that only allow them to go in certain areas. Janine being able to legally track Kristine and Holly with League clearance is based off of the above situations, particularly the last one.**

 **-Tracking monitors do exist in the canon Pokémon world, although they are basic and not used often. In the movie Jirachi: Wish Maker, Butler's Mightyena places a tracking device on Diane's car. This allows him to track both her and Ash's group. It's particularly notable because this is when Butler realizes Diane has betrayed him.**

 **In the game Pokémon XD, after the main story has been cleared, the Cipher minions Trudy and Folly place a tracking antenna in Mirror B's hair. This allows them to track Mirror B's location so they can slack off while he is not around. However, the player can use the tracking antenna against them. They can also track Mirror B's location as he wanders around Orre. The player can then battle Mirror B. repeatedly for chances to capture any Shadow Pokémon they have missed during the main story. Capturing all previous Shadow Pokémon leads to one last fight with Mirror B., and he will have the final Shadow Pokémon in the game. After this Pokémon has been captured, Mirror B. will discover the antenna and destroy it.**

 **The final instances of a tracking device being used is in the game Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs. Ben or Summer (depending on whether the player chose to play as a boy or a girl) is kidnapped by one of the main evil organizations, and secretly puts a location tracking device on one of their machines. Using information from the device, they are able to rescue their trapped Pokémon, and take steps towards ending the organization for good. Later on in the same game, the young scientist Nema is also kidnapped. She uses a tracking device to alert the others where she is and try to speak to them. However, Nema's kidnappers catch her with the device, and she isn't able to reveal much.**

 **-Trainers being forbidden to go to a pond near Cycling Road comes from the Kanto games. In these games, there is a small pond on Cycling Road. Players can ride up to it, but attempting to surf on the water yields the message that the player's character is too busy enjoying cycling to surf. Originally, one could fish there, but the later Kanto games also removed that option. There's no real explanation for these removals, so I decided to create my own by explaining that Trainers are not allowed to go near the pond in the first place. Even though this chapter's pond isn't actually on Cycling Road, I figured it was close enough to make a reference.**


	72. Pinnacle

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. This is a new area with a new prompt, so all prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan and are summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 16 is a very long route with many trees. It is west of Celadon, and north of Route 17. The route is also a part of Cycling Road, so many bikers like to gather here. Beyond the area where the bikers gather is a gate. Passing through the gate leads to a short grassy area, and by continuing west, Trainers will arrive in Celadon._

* * *

72\. Pinnacle

Holly quickly found out Kristine was right when she said they needed to rest the night before.

The route continued to stretch on, and despite starting out early in the morning, it was night when the group finally reached the end.

Holly let out a sigh of relief when the group passed through the gate, before quickly heading to the other side.

At the same time, her frustration returned.

She had been traveling the whole day, and still hadn't gotten to the city!

Gym Leader's daughter or not, she could just sprint right in!

Yet just before Holly could do so, a hand stopped her.

She turned around and glared when she realized the hand belonged to Anabel.

"What you want now? We are almost to the city!"

The betrayer shook her head.

"It's late. We should rest. Celadon can wait until tomorrow."

Holly clenched her fist.

Leave it to Anabel to ruin everything!

Suddenly, Kristine chimed in.

"Actually, I was thinking of heading to Route 7. It's on the other side of Celadon, and only a quick trip through there. It's full of powerful Pokémon, and ones that will be useful to Holly. We got to head there now, because all the strongest Pokémon come out at night."

Holly pumped her fist in the air.

"Yeah, I'll need as many strong Pokémon as I can! I'm going to head there right now!"

Holly tried to run, but nearly tripped as Anabel's hand shot out.

She whirled around to see the betrayer's stern face.

Annabel shook her head.

"No, you're not. It's far too late."

Holly opened her mouth to fire a retort, but Anabel spoke before she could.

"First thing in the morning, we will head out for Celadon. And then, whenever we're done in the city, we can move onto Route 7."

Holly's eyes narrowed.

How dare Anabel decide her journey for her! She wouldn't listen to anything the betrayer said!

Kristine stood her ground, fixing the betrayer with hard gaze.

"And miss a valuable chance for training and more Pokémon? Don't you want to Holly to get stronger?"

Anabel did not even flinch, meeting Kristine's eyes with an icy glare.

"Holly is plenty strong. She doesn't need more Pokémon, and she should be fine for the city's Gym battle."

Holly clenched her fists.

She always needed more Pokémon, because she was never strong enough!

Holly opened her mouth to argue back, but Anabel dismissively waved her hand.

"That's enough. I am going to sleep. If you want to be well rested for Celadon tomorrow, you should too."

Before either Kristine or Holly could protest, the betrayer grabbed a blanket, lay on the ground, and immediately shut her eyes.

Holly thought the betrayer was simply resting, until she heard Annabel's even breathing.

How could Anabel fall asleep so quickly, when the betrayer hadn't been through half the things her victims had?

Instead of lying down, Holly put her hands on her hips.

Resting was the last thing she wanted to do right now! It was important that she got as strong as she could before heading to the city and its Gym!

Couldn't Anabel understand that?

Holly quickly looked at Kristine, noticing the disabled Trainer had narrowed her eyes.

Kristine glared at Anabel and spoke through thought.

" _"Going to sleep", she says? We'll see about that."_

Before Holly could ask what Kristine meant, the disabled Trainer coldly commanded.

" _Google, Hypnosis."_

Psychic power radiated in Google's eyes, as the Delphox focused on Anabel.

Red rings shot out of the Pokémon's eyes, heading straight for the betrayer. Anabel was now in the center of the rings, yet didn't even stir. Instead, the betrayer cringed slightly, but did not wake. In less than a minute, Anabel lay still. The psychic power disappeared from Google's eyes, and Kristine nodded approvingly.

Holly's eyes went wide as she tried to register what just happened.

How did Google know that attack? She hadn't heard of any Delphox using it…

And had Kristine done something horrible to Anabel? If so, what?

Holly attempted to keep her voice from shaking as she spoke through thought. However, she rapidly realized she was unsuccessful.

" _I… I didn't know Delphox could learn that move."_

Kristine appeared unruffled as she responded. _"Some are born with it. They can only learn the move if their parents pass it down to them."_

Holly nodded. She had heard of that happening before.

Another question popped into her head, and she was quick to ask.

" _What did you do to Anabel?"_

Kristine replied nonchalantly. _"Oh, I just put her into a much deeper sleep. She won't be awake until morning, at least. It's not a tactic I use often, because it is risky in such dangerous times. However, right now, we have no choice."_

Holly nodded.

Anabel could get attacked like this, and not even notice. But, after all she did, who cared what happened to her? She didn't even deserve what probably would be a peaceful death!

Kristine suddenly gestured to a group of trees in the north.

"Let's head there, away from prying eyes. _There is usually a Snorlax in the way, but it seems to have headed up the mountains now."_

" _Not like we need a Snorlax now."_ Holly scoffed, looking disdainfully back at Anabel.

Kristine chuckled quietly as Holly followed the disabled Trainer into the trees.

Before long, the two stepped on the pavement again as they were in open air.

Holly didn't have a chance to register the change, because Kristine wasted no time.

The disabled Trainer spoke through thought again.

" _I took care of Janine. She won't bother us anymore."_

Holly simply nodded.

She didn't ask what "took care of" meant, but it was a relief to know that Janine wouldn't be causing any more trouble.

However, Holly's relief soon turned to bewilderment at Kristine's next words.

" _Holly, please let Torracat out of its Poké Ball."_

" _Um, okay."_ Despite the affirmation, Holly couldn't help letting a questioning tone enter her voice.

They weren't in battle, so why would she need Torracat now?

Knowing Kristine, the disabled Trainer must have had her reasons.

So, Holly picked up Torracat's Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. Her Pokémon appeared in a flash of bright white light, entire body alert.

And then the light came again.

Only this time, it wasn't from a Poké Ball.

Holly glanced away from the light, yet she could not help smiling.

When Holly looked back, her first Pokémon had changed.

The creature that was in Torracat's place stood proudly on two legs. Its entire body was a dark red, aside from a gray torso. The new Pokémon had black stripes all over its body, along with other black designs on its ears, torso, and tail. Powerful flames burned on its waist, seeming like they would never go out. Razor-sharp claws glinted in the moonlight, and Holly could see orange paw pads. Yellow eyes glared at the two, but Holly knew they held no malice.

So she let her grin go even wider.

This was Incineroar, a beast that personified fire itself.

Kristine shared Holly's smile as she spoke in warm tone.

" _Torracat responded well to my training, so evolution is its reward."_

Holly could barely contain her excitement as she replied. _"Thank you, Kristine!"_

Holly took one last look, long, look at her new Pokémon, before recalling it into its Ball.

Holly's smile was replaced by a look of confusion, and another question escaped from her mind.

" _Hey, did you lead me here just evolve my Pokémon?"_

Kristine's face suddenly grew serious. _"No, I led you here to help."_

Before Holly could ask any more questions, an orange light surrounded Kristine. Holly heard Tulip's high-pitched laugh, and saw the outline of the strange Pokémon. Kristine thrust out her fists, and her eyes became focused on seemingly nothing.

And then…

Something happened that was unlike anything Holly could ever describe.

Power erupted from Kristine, slamming into the sky.

Blinding light filled the air, and Holly knew she should look away.

Yet she could only stare at what was unfolding.

The blinding light turned into a giant, gaping, hole. The hole was light blue, and Holly could also see rings of purple. White lightning bolts flew everywhere, but somehow, they didn't hit anything.

Tulip's laugh only grew louder, and Holly thought she would go deaf. Kristine didn't even seem to notice Holly, eyes narrowed in concentration. The disabled Trainer seemed to be staring straight into the hole at something only she could see.

And then Holly heard it.

There was another shrieking cry, although it wasn't anything Holly recognized. Tulip's laugh grew louder than Holly ever thought possible. The other cry came again, and it sounded almost like a scream.

Holly wondered what was truly going on, but she didn't have time to wonder long.

For suddenly, a creature emerged from the hole. Holly couldn't really see what it was, but she knew the creature probably wasn't anything she'd ever seen before.

Holly didn't have time to ponder that much either, as the light started to fade. Within minutes, it faded completely and the hole closed. The orange light around Kristine disappeared, and Tulip melted back into her body. The disabled Trainer unclenched her fists, letting them fall to her side. The narrowed gaze left her eyes, replaced by a calm expression once more.

Holly could finally get a good look at the creature.

It floated in front of Kristine, rage blazing on its face. Holly could see that the creature had bright blue eyes without pupils. It had a mouth the same color, its expression twisted into a snarl. Most of the small creature's body was purple, and it had looked like a helmet on its head. Parts of the helmet were red, and Holly could see gray needles sticking out of it. The creature also had a red face, and there was also some red on its torso. Holly could see tiny arms and legs, and wondered if the creature knew how to throw punches and kicks. A purple tail lashed around, red on the tip.

Holly shuddered.

She had no idea what this creature was, but it certainly didn't look like it was up to anything good.

The creature let something that sounded like a hiss, diving towards Kristine.

Holly's eyes went wide, realizing that she would not be able to call on one of her own Pokémon in time.

Kristine didn't have any battling Pokémon with her!

The disabled Trainer was doomed!

Yet Kristine only smirked expectantly, not even moving away as the creature targeted her.

There was only a telepathic, icy, command.

" _You know what to do, Google. Hypnosis."_

Psychic power once again radiated from Kristine's Delphox. For a second time, the red rings shot of Google's eyes.

Yet there was nothing peaceful here.

Instead, the creature screamed, frozen in flight. Its eyes went wide, yet it was hopelessly trapped in the center of the red rings. The creature's eyes suddenly drooped, and then shut. Holly wondered if it would fall out of the sky, but psychic power orbited around it, as Google kept the creature suspended in the air.

That same psychic power radiated around Kristine. The disabled Trainer spoke evenly as she faced the creature.

" _Now then, I want you to help Holly complete her journey and win at the Pokémon League. From now on, you will obey her every word. Oh, and be friendly to her and her Pokémon. I'm sure they will treat you well if you act nicely."_

Holly blinked.

How could Kristine talk to the creature if it was asleep?

And how could it understand what she was saying?

But Holly couldn't ponder anymore as the psychic power around Google grew even stronger. The Delphox drew its flaming stick, pointing it at the creature. The psychic power engulfing the creature intensified as well.

Suddenly, the creature stirred.

Holly flinched back.

Would the creature attack again?

Would it be even angrier than before?

Would it go after her too?

The creature slowly opened its eyes.

Holly resisted the urge to gasp.

The creature was completely docile, not a hint of the malice from before in its eyes.

Psychic power disappeared from it, Kristine, and Google. Finally free to move, the creature flew towards Holly.

Yet there was still no rage, and the creature eyed Holly curiously. A giant grin soon spread across its face, and it expectantly floated in front of Holly.

Holly glanced toward Kristine for an explanation, but the disabled Trainer simply tossed Holly an empty Poké Ball.

Holly heard Kristine's voice in her head, and there was no mistaking the command.

" _Catch it, Holly."_

Holly rapidly nodded.

She might not know what this creature was, but at least she now understood it was a Pokémon.

With that, Holly threw the Ball. The unknown Pokémon didn't even resist as the device hit it on the head. It disappeared in a stream of red light as it was sucked into the Ball. The ball fell to the ground, but not before emitting a sound that signaled the Pokémon was caught.

Holly quickly picked up the Ball, but could not stop the question rattling in her head.

So, she voiced it immediately.

" _What type of Pokémon is this?"_

Kristine evenly replied. _"It's called a Poipole, and it is one of the gods. Poipole is also from another world, and unlike most of the legendary Pokémon, it can evolve. Its evolved form, Nagadangel can use the powers of poison and dragons, and is one of the strongest Pokémon in existence. So, Poipole will serve you well."_

Holly couldn't stop her eyes from going wide.

To think that Kristine was so strong that she could completely calm an angry god!

Yes, that must've been why she was using Hypnosis before!

She was putting Poipole into a trance so it would settle down and she could talk to it!

Holly had heard Hypnosis could be used to help people relax, so that would make sense!

But as soon as Holly had her answer, another question popped into her head.

" _That day I met Malva… You were talking about a poisonous dragon… Was that…"_

Kristine nodded as she finished the sentence.

" _Yes, that was Nagadangel. I didn't want to mention it in front of Anabel, since both it and Poipole are Ultra Beasts."_

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

The Ultra Beasts has such immense prowess…

There was the horrific power of the Guzzlord…

And then all the strength Tulip had displayed, even though she didn't battle…

If Holly had that power herself…

Then she could use it to protect others, and punish those who would target the innocent…

She could be as strong as the rebels, Team Rocket, even Anabel!

If not stronger!

Holly was jolted back to reality as Kristine asked her a question.

" _Would you like to switch out your Pokémon?"_

Holly rapidly nodded.

" _Absolutely! I will switch out Nidoqueen for Poipole."_

Kristine smiled as she responded. "All right."

With that, Holly tossed Nidoqueen's Poké Ball to Kristine. She rapidly placed Poipole's on her belt, unable to resist the urge to smile as she put it there.

However, Holly also couldn't resist another question.

" _So, what did you do before?"_

A smile spread over Kristine's face.

" _Ah, that's one of my many wonderful talents. Or rather, one of Tulip's wonderful talents."_

The disabled Trainer's voice became serious again, and Holly listened intently.

" _Tulip has the ability to summon Ultra Wormholes with help from me. However, even with the two of us together, the task is still extremely difficult. It also only works if emotions are running high, like my desire to help you overpowering everything else."_

Holly shuddered.

This sounded like one of the powers that people would try to take away…

Another reason for Kristine to live in fear, and never show her true ability to the public!

Yet what Kristine continued to say made Holly's blood run cold.

" _Another problem is that Tulip cannot use the power by herself, or it will instantly kill her. Even with my aid, the power is risky, because it still uses up all of Tulip's strength."_

Holly quickly clenched her fist.

Kristine and Tulip had now risked their lives to ensure that Holly and her Pokémon were strong enough to continue.

The power they had was constantly being used for the good of everyone!

Why couldn't others understand that?

Holly found herself shouting, but didn't care. _"You and Tulip have helped me so much! And you can help other people, too! If only Molly, Anabel, and everyone hating that power could see that!"_

Kristine let out a sigh. _"If only."_

Holly thought she had never had the disabled Trainer sound so dejected.

She had to lighten up the mood somehow…

It wasn't long before the perfect topic came to mind.

" _So how are we going to punish Anabel, anyway?"_

Kristine's face immediately brightened, and she replied confidently.

" _Simple. We will just use their tactics against them. The others want us to go to Saffron, so we will go to Saffron. That's where we'll make our move."_

Holly cocked her head. _"What do you mean?"_

 _The smile never left Kristine's face as she responded. "Saffron is the biggest economic center in Kanto, which means any attack on it will be a huge blow to the authorities we are trying to put down. Furthermore, Sabrina operates something similar to prison for supernatural power users who cannot control their abilities. If I am deemed a threat to others because of my own power, that is where I will go."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

"That's awful!"

Kristine nodded. _"It is, but if we can obliterate the place…"_

Holly's face brightened. _"Then no one will have to suffer!"_

Kristine nodded again. _"Indeed, and there's another reason too."_

Holly couldn't help asking another question at this. _"What's that?"_

Saffron's status as Kanto's largest city makes the prime target for troublemakers like Team Rocket and the rebels. They were our enemies before, but they're our allies now.

Holly's eyes went wide, and it took all her strength to keep from shouting. _"How is that possible?"_

Kristine's voice stayed even as she responded.

" _The groups are working to take down the League and its corrupt system. We want that as well. So, however temporarily, we are all together."_

Holly nodded, realizing Kristine was right.

She continued to listen as the disabled trainer went on. _"Besides, we have a distinct advantage. Our enemies don't know that you have access to my Pokémon, or that you have Morgana now. They don't even know that we are allying with the rebels and Team Rocket. Those against us are not been aware that you have so many powerful Pokémon, right on your team. With all the factors going for us and against our enemies, as well as the fact that our plans are kept secret, our opponents will have no idea what is going on, until it is too late."_

A giant grin spread on Holly's face. _"Use what they don't know, and stay one step ahead."_

Kristine had her own giant grin as she replied. _"Exactly."_

Suddenly, a thought struck Holly's mind. She quickly decided to voice it.

" _If we ally with Team Rocket and the rebels, wouldn't they eventually run wild?"_

Kristine replied nonchalantly. _"Don't worry. After Saffron, our next step will be gaining control of the League, if not the Championship. And when that happens, we can do whatever we want and turn against the rebels and Team Rocket. We will be so strong we can eliminate them easily, and anyone that chooses to ally with us afterward will be the same."_

Holly nodded vigorously.

The plan sounded perfect! There was no way they could lose!

She rapidly exclaimed. _"The plan sounds great! I can't wait to put it into action!"_

Kristine nodded in agreement. " _Then you will need as much training as you can get. Let's head to Route 7. Powerful Pokémon await you there."_

Holly nodded, unable to wipe the smile from her face.

 _"Let's."_

Without further ado, the two dashed out of the trees and to the west of the city.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **-Kristine's comment about the most powerful Pokémon in Route 7 coming out at night comes from the Johto games. In these games, the player can eventually head to Kanto and visit Route 7. If it is daytime in the game, the route is fairly unremarkable. But once day turn to night, the route hosts several Pokémon that can be found nowhere else. Also, up until the remakes, Route 7 was one of two places in Johto where one could find wild Dark type Pokémon (the other being either Mt. Silver or the Ice Path, depending on the game). This is also why the group takes the entire day to get past Route 16, because in order for Route 7 to be relevant, Holly and Kristine have to traverse it at night. It's worth noting that this is not the case in the actual Kanto games and their remakes, because the day and night system does not exist in those games.**

 **-Route 7 is an interesting route because getting to the place requires heading through Celadon if the player comes up from Cycling Road. However, it is possible to simply head to Celadon without doing anything in order to get to the route, and then head back the way the player came. As a result, this is exactly what Kristine and Holly do.**

 **-Google knowing the move Hypnosis, as well as Holly not realizing it does, comes from the games. Delphox can learn Hypnosis in the games, but not through normal means. In order for the move to be obtained, one or both the Delphox's parents must know that move. When those parents are bred and produce an egg, the baby will know the move automatically upon hatching. Moves learned this way are called Egg Moves, and many other examples of them exist in the games. For example, Holly's Torracat starts off with Revenge, which can only be obtained as an Egg Move. Holly's Mightyena also knows Egg Moves, in the form of the elemental fang attacks. In older games, only male Pokémon could pass down Egg Moves, but from Pokémon X and Y onward, both male and female Pokémon could do that. Newer games also introduced ways of getting Egg Moves without breeding. The catch was that each Pokémon would only know one Egg Move, when the player could obtain multiple Egg Moves on a single Pokémon through breeding.**

 **-Kristine's comment about there usually being a Snorlax in the way and it returning to the mountains comes from the Kanto games. In these games, Snorlax blocks several areas in the region, one of those being the end of Route 16. In order to get Snorlax to move, the player has to use a Poké Flute to wake it up. After that, the player will be thrown into a battle and have a chance to capture or defeat the Pokémon. Should the player defeat Snorlax instead of capturing it, the game will simply say that Snorlax returned to the mountains. Since Snorlax isn't relevant to this story, I chose to act as though it had been defeated prior, or otherwise choose never to come down to the route.**

 **-So Torracat finally evolves! Interestingly, I was originally planning not to have Torracat evolve at all in the story. However, I realized it would actually be more relevance of the plot if it evolved. Therefore, when I was given the chance in the RP to evolve it on this route, I decided to. Furthermore, from what I can remember, Torracat's evolution was the last one that required confirmation in the RP itself before said evolution could be written. What this means is that any future evolutions will happen much sooner.**

 **-So Poipole joins the team! It was originally supposed to join a bit later on, and have a different role in the plot. Here, it joins earlier, and still plays a plot role, although it doesn't bear much similarity to the one it was originally supposed to have. The reason why Holly captures Poipole (other than story reasons revealed later on) has to do with how the games were released. When this story began, Sun and Moon were the latest games. However, after that, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were released. These games contained new story elements, new characters, new areas, and new Pokémon. One of these Pokémon was Poipole. I thought it was a cool addition to the games, but I wasn't sure if and how I could fit it into this story. However, around the time that I was answering the prompt about Dragalge, I realized Poipole could fit perfectly. Thus, it's captured here. Poipole's capture is also why I chose not to capture the wild Dratini earlier on in the story, since Poipole's evolved form Naganadel is also a dragon.**

 **-Something worth noting is that in the original games, fans weren't sure whether Ultra Beasts were legendary Pokémon or not. They shared a lot of similarities with the latter, but also a few differences. Finally, the developers themselves said that Ultra Beasts were not legendary Pokémon. However, many fans had taken to calling them that, and worth dissatisfied with the official answer. Even with that answer, some fans still called Ultra Beasts legendary Pokémon anyway. I am one of the fans that was dissatisfied and had taken to called them legendary Pokémon. Therefore, in the traveler series, Ultra Beasts are classified as legendary Pokémon.**

 **-Google using Hypnosis on Poipole the way it does comes from various different sources. The original explanation for the move Hypnosis is that the user utilizes the power of suggestion to lull the target into a deep sleep. However, real-life hypnotists use Hypnosis and the power of suggestion to have their audiences do a multitude of different things. So it made me wonder if the move Hypnosis could be used to suggest the target to do things other than simply going to sleep. Add that to the fact that Poipole would probably never listen to Holly after it was snatched from its home, and this idea was born.**

 **The canon Pokémon world does support the use the latter interpretation of the move Hypnosis, although not very often. In the anime, Misty is hit by a Hypno's Hypnosis, and believes she is a Pokémon called Seel. Several children were also unintentionally hypnotized by the move and go missing, believing they have become Pokémon. Pokémon hit by this version of Hypnosis appeared to lose their energy, as if they had been hit by damaging attack. However, it's outright stated this was not the intended purpose of the move. Instead, the energy drain was just a side effect from the Hypno being trained to use Hypnosis on people. Also in the anime, Ash gets hit by Hypnosis from a wizard named Melvin's Exeggutor. Instead of putting him to sleep, the Hypnosis forces Ash to respond to Melvin's every whim. An interesting example occurs when Team Rocket members Butch and Cassidy amplify the Pokémon Drowzee's Hypnosis attack with a machine. They then use the move to hypnotize large amounts of Pokémon and force them to maliciously leave their Trainers.**

 **Hypnosis being used for things other than putting targets to sleep also happens in the games, although it's a less clear example there. In Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, the villains use various machines to hypnotize Pokémon and make them do their bidding. However, whether these machines are simply an amplified version of the move Hypnosis or something completely separate from it is not explained.**

 **-Ultra Wormholes are seen being summoned in the Alola games, but it's never really explained where they come from in general. Thus, things are bit more complicated in the Traveler universe. In the games, a few Pokémon can summon them, but those Pokémon are very powerful and rare. Furthermore, Ultra Wormholes start appearing in the Alola games long before the Pokémon that can summon them do (with no indicator that these Pokémon even exist prior to their own appearances). Therefore, Kristine's explanation is my attempt to expand and explain Ultra Wormholes.**

 **The idea of Tulip dying upon summoning an Ultra Wormhole is based off of something in the games. In the Alola games, there is an Ultra Beast that can summon Ultra Wormholes. However, if it summons too many, it dies. Furthermore, the Pokémon can only summon the Ultra Wormholes if it is under extreme stress, and the summoning puts it a massive strain on its body. This is why Kristine states Tulip can only summon Ultra Wormholes when experiencing extreme emotions. More details about Ultra Wormholes, in both the canon and Traveler universe, can be found in the companion story Safety.**

 **-Sabrina operating a building for supernatural power users that cannot control their powers is inspired by the anime. In the Pokémon anime, she turns part of the Gym into a school for psychics to train. This school is intimidating and eerie, however, as Sabrina as long since lost control over her own psychic powers. With her psychic powers unrestrained, Sabrina commits horrible acts against the people of the city, including her own family. She eventually regains control of her psychic powers, but it's unknown what happens to the psychic school after that.**

 **Although Sabrina never loses control of her psychic powers in the Traveler series, as a powerful psychic in a high position, it was not far-fetched to think that she has seen situations where others have lost control or otherwise experienced discomfort. From that came the idea that she would never want anyone to suffer because of supernatural powers, and built the place because of that.**


	73. Dark Skies

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon and read the author's notes for details. This is a new area, so there is a new prompt. All prompts are the property of Wizardmon, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 7 is a short route in between Celadon and Saffron. On this route is an underground path that eventually connects Celadon to Lavender. The rest of the route is rather unimpressive, but there is a large patch of flowers and tall grass to the north. Rumor has it that the latter hosts Pokémon exclusive to the route._

* * *

73\. Dark Skies

Holly felt like she had grown wings as she followed Kristine through the night.

A giddy grin never left her face.

Finally, she could become stronger, and no one tell her otherwise!

Especially not the treacherous betrayer Anabel!

Holly was so consumed with her thoughts that she almost banged into Kristine as the disabled Trainer suddenly stopped.

Kristine gestured in front of her while speaking through thought.

" _This is Route 7, Holly. It's the place where you can find the strongest nocturnal creatures."_

Holly steadied herself, taking a closer look at what Kristine was had stopped in front of.

There was a small area with dark green grass. It didn't look that impressive.

But if Kristine said the strongest Pokémon were here, then there had to be more than meets the eye!

So Holly took a step forward, gaze focused.

She noticed a large shadow on the horizon, but she couldn't make out what it was.

Nevertheless, her face brightened.

This must be one of the powerful Pokémon Kristine was talking about!

And it was finally time for Holly to catch one!

With that, she dashed into the grass, not even pausing to look to see Kristine's reaction. The grass seemed to stretch on for miles, crunching below her feet and tickling her legs.

Yet Holly didn't care.

Her mind was on a single track as she charged toward the shadow.

She would catch those powerful Pokémon!

She just had to!

As the shadow came into focus, Holly's eyes went wide.

She halted abruptly, grateful that there was no one to run into.

But now there was the shadow to contend with.

Or rather, what the shadow had been.

The shadow was a huge bird, angrily glaring at her with pitch black eyes. Black wings flapped furiously, and Holly could see a bit of red underneath. The bird had something black on its head that looked like a hat. The rest of its body was black too, aside from something white on its chest that looked like a scarf. Wicked black talons contrasted with gleaming white tips. A white face had a pointed yellow beak on the end.

Holly shuddered.

This was a Pokémon called Honchkrow.

It was long regarded as a bringer of ill will, and feared whispers called it the Summoner of the Night.

Who knew what this creature could do to Holly?

Her face hardened.

If she could catch it…

Then there was no telling how much fearsome power she would wield!

But before Holly could even think about calling on one of her other Pokémon, the Honchkrow screeched.

The bird became a black blur again as it dove at Holly, talons extended.

Too late, Holly realized there was no avoiding the assault. Even if she dodged, the bird was fast enough to launch another strike. This time, there were no allies to distract her opponent.

Too swift to call on her Pokémon, and too swift to get out of the way…

Holly wondered there was nothing to do but just stand and meet her fate, as the ominous talons loomed closer and closer…

Yet in a split second of desperation, Holly remembered a name.

The name quickly left her lips, and she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Morgana!"

Everything happened in an instant.

Holly was aware of shadows appearing nearby, yet didn't even blink. She could feel the sword and shield attaching to her hands, but she didn't so much as glance at them. Holly's right arm moved on its own, but the move was accompanied by an unnatural stillness. Holly didn't flinch as her arm was brought out in front of her, sword parallel to her face.

She tried not to cringe as she heard the screams.

Upon staring forward, Holly realized where they had come from.

The Honchkrow's eyes were wide with surprise, black talons drenched red with blood. Holly could see that Morgana had slammed into the center of the Honchkrow's talons.

She had stopped the opposing Pokémon's attack in its tracks.

Morgana did not waver, eye glaring sharply at her opponent. Blood also stained the edge of Morgana's blade, but she didn't seem to care. The Ageislash didn't make a move as blood from the talons continued dripping on to her blade.

The Honchkrow tried to fly away, but pain was still present in its eyes.

Perhaps this would be the end of the scuffle.

Yet that was only wishful thinking.

The Honchkrow circled around, flying directly in front of Morgana.

Holly felt a prickle of dread.

The opposing Pokémon hadn't been flying away at all.

It was just preparing for another attack.

Yet the attack never came.

Instead, Morgana glowed light blue. Holly's arm once again moved without her consent as Morgana slashed at the opponent. A ripping sound mixed with the Honchkrow's screams as Morgana tore into its chest.

Holly expected to be doused in blood, yet all she could see was blackness.

She was dimly aware of shadows pulling her into them. Holly traveled unwillingly in the dark place, letting out a huge gasp of air as she surfaced.

Holly blinked, panting as the world slowly came into focus.

Familiar green grass and night sky filled her vision. Holly was aware that Morgana was still attached to her hands. She stole a glance at the Pokémon, realizing blood had bleached her blade red. Another glance at herself showed that there was not even a speck on her clothing.

Not even a speck, despite all the blood before…

And this was despite the fact that Morgana was covered in the sticky red substance, despite clearly not being injured…

And then there were the shadows that surrounded her in blackness, seemingly coming from nowhere…

Holly's eyes went wide as she realized what this meant.

Morgana must've used the attack to take her away before she could see the kill, or be doused in the Honchkrow's blood.

Perhaps Kristine had told her Pokémon that Holly didn't want to see any more deaths of innocents…

Or maybe Morgana didn't want anything to give away where Holly had been... It would be difficult for Holly to explain why she was mysteriously covered in blood, after all.

Holly didn't know how Morgana could use two different attacks so fast, but it wasn't unheard of. She had been told about a secret technique that linked two attacks together, so Pokémon could use them simultaneously. And then there were skilled Trainers who taught the Pokémon how to combine attacks…

Judging by how powerful Kristine was, something like that would be beyond her…

Holly might not have known how Morgana used two attacks, but she did know she had something to say to her.

Holly quietly spoke a simple message. "Thank you."

Morgana made a clanging sound, which Holly interpreted as accepting the message.

Holly nodded, not daring to look back at Morgana's handiwork.

Instead, she continued to walk forward.

There had to be strong Pokémon somewhere...

Kristine had said so, and she had never been wrong!

Suddenly, another shadow caught Holly's eye. Slowly, Holly crept towards it, every part of her on alert since her frightful encounter before.

Upon walking closer, however, she immediately relaxed.

The shadow was another bird, one that didn't appear to see her behind it. It had a black hat with a tail of black rounded feathers. There was a little red where the tail attached to the rest of the bird, and it reminded Holly of a broom. The bird had yellow feet and a black body, contrasting with tiny white claws. Holly could not see its face, but was sure it had a yellow beak and red eyes.

Because this was a Pokémon, a Murkrow. The pre-evolution of the Honchkrow Holly fought earlier.

And if Honchkrow was that powerful, then Murkrow was surely worth catching!

The bird hopped around, dipping its head into the grass. The Pokémon seemed to be searching for something, oblivious to the human nearby.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

What would a lone Murkrow be doing here, and what was it searching for?

Holly quickly decided that didn't matter.

What mattered was catching it!

Holly carefully whispered to Morgana. "Morgana, please attack the Murkrow in front of us. But be gentle. I want to catch it."

Morgana let out another clanging sound, although this one was muffled.

Holly guessed the Pokémon agreed to her commands, but was trying to be quiet as well.

Nevertheless, Holly felt her legs moving on their own as she continued creeping closer to her target. When she was almost on top of the Murkrow, Morgana suddenly flipped over.

The Murkrow didn't even have a chance to squawk before Morgana struck it in the head with the back of her blade.

Holly nodded approvingly.

False Swipe.

A move that weakened, but never defeated foes.

With all the Pokémon Kristine had, it would make sense that one of them knew the technique.

Holly glanced at the Murkrow, now sprawled out on the grass unconscious. She rapidly grabbed a Poké Ball, and tossed it at the creature. The device snapped the Murkrow up in a flash of red light. It then fell to the ground, making a clicking sound as it signaled the catch.

Holly nodded approvingly, gazing over at Morgana.

"Thanks again for the help. I can take it from here."

Morgana made another clanging sound, one which Holly now knew was agreement. She felt the sword and shield slowly detach from her hands. Within an instant, Morgana was floating in front of her. The Pokémon performed what looked like a bow, before disappeared into the shadows.

Holly couldn't resist letting out a huge sigh of relief.

She couldn't wait to tell Kristine her weapon was working, but she hoped she would never have to encounter another situation where she'd have to use it again!

Holly was just about to head back when she noticed something shining in the grass.

She rapidly ran towards the object, and her eyes widened.

The item was a stone, and it was mostly purple. However, Holly could see rings of black that grew darker and darker as they reached the stone's center.

This was a Dusk Stone. The item used to evolve Murkrow.

Was this what the wild one had been looking for?

Regardless, it was Holly's now. She slipped it into her pack and glanced around again.

However, something odd entered her vision.

Holly stood up and narrowed her eyes, as if trying to convince herself what she was seeing was real.

Her eyes went wide as she realized it was.

Holly couldn't stop shivering, even though the night wasn't cold. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to walk away, but morbid curiosity propelled her forward with shaky steps.

So she crept closer…

And closer…

And closer…

Until she was standing right in front of the strange sight.

Holly could now clearly see what had made her so distressed.

It was a small iron cross in the ground, countless flowers adorning it.

Holly's eyes went wide, as she remembered something her mother had told her.

That iron crosses could sometimes be used for headstones…

If that was true, then…

She had just stumbled onto someone's grave!

Holly opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

Had she just disrespected the dead by coming here?

Would friends and family arrive?

Was the person a vindictive spirit, just waiting for a helpless victim?

Was there a skeleton beneath the grass?

Holly's face blanched as she tried to step away.

Yet she couldn't.

Couldn't tear herself away from the grave.

And yet…

There was only silence…

No friends and family came running up…

There were no skeletons, or even bones…

No spirits floated in the air, looking to inflict punishment…

And no one shouted that she disrespected the dead…

Holly felt color return to her face, and she was able to close her eyes.

However, she popped them open again as she realized something odd.

There was no name, no stone, or even a date…

No sign that anyone had ever died…

Holly had heard stories of unmarked graves and unknown soldiers…

But this didn't appear to be either…

Why was the grave like that, then?

Clearly someone came to visit, with all the flowers…

But wouldn't they have known the deceased? Or at least, tried to find information about them?

Wouldn't they have told others about the lonely place?

And why would someone have a grave on a remote route?

Pokémon were usually buried in Lavender's Tower. If they couldn't be, they were given a grave there and identified anyway.

As far as humans were concerned, Celadon was right next to this route. And that place was a giant city. So a person could just be buried there.

So there was no reason why a grave should be out here…

And yet, here one was.

With no explanation…

Or even a single person around…

Not even a wild Pokémon came to the grave…

So why? Why was it here?

Holly finally found the courage to shake her head.

She wouldn't get answers just staring at the grave.

And there was no one to give them to her anyway.

Certainly, Kristine was still here.

But the disabled Trainer probably didn't know anything. If she did, she probably would've said something.

Holly decided quickly decided not to tell Kristine about the grave.

It was far too eerie, and knowing Kristine, she would most likely just have a horrid reaction…

Besides, in all her travels, the disabled Trainer had probably seen this place at least once already…

Holly nodded.

There was no choice but to head back.

So she dashed through the grass again, and soon, the grave was nowhere in sight.

Holly scanned the area, looking for Kristine.

Luckily, Holly didn't have to wait long.

Kristine came sprinting up with her Delphox, relief shining in both her and Holly's eyes.

The disabled Trainer's voice sounded in Holly's head. _"Holly, I'm glad you're okay!"_

Holly tried to keep herself from shouting as she responded. _"Kristine, with Morgana, I…"_

There was no scolding in Kristine's tone as she replied. _"Got tangled up with a Honchkrow, didn't you? Don't worry, I disposed of the body."_

Holly wondered how Kristine had disposed of the bird Pokémon's body, but thought the better of asking.

Instead, she replied. _"Thanks for giving me Morgana, Kristine. She saved me back there!"_

Kristine evenly responded. _"My pleasure, and Morgana's too."_

Holly could feel a grin spreading across her face.

Kristine was so much nicer to her than Anabel!

She didn't even scold her for running off!

And she certainly wouldn't even think of tethering her, or doing any of those horrible deeds Anabel had done!

Things would be even better when the betrayer had been dealt with!

But Holly couldn't let herself get distracted now.

In order to make a better future, she had to focus on the present.

So Holly shouted. _"I caught a Murkrow, and I found a Dusk Stone!"_

Kristine flashed a huge grin. _"Excellent! Would you like to evolve your Pokémon now?"_

Holly couldn't grinned back. _"Yes, I would!"_

Kristine continued. _"Then you would you like to switch it out for?"_

Holly responded without hesitation. _"Mightyena."_

With that, Holly tossed Mightyena's Poke Ball to Kristine. She seized hold of Murkrow's and tossed it into the air. The bird still lay on the ground when it emerged, and Holly could see it wasn't moving.

Luckily, Kristine didn't seem too concerned.

" _Your Pokémon is still injured. Let me fix that."_

With that, the disabled Trainer grabbed a pink and white spray bottle.

A Hyper Potion, Holly knew.

Kristine tossed the Hyper Potion into the air as though it was a Poké Ball. Like a Poké Ball, the Hyper Potion opened. Instead of light, liquid spilled out. This liquid was quick to run all over Murkrow. The empty bottle landed on the grass, showing not even the slightest sign of breaking.

Holly blinked, focusing on her new Pokémon.

Within minutes, Murkrow began to stir. The Pokémon slowly opened its eyes.

Holly narrowed hers.

She wasn't going to give her new catch time to protest.

With that, Holly seized hold of her Dusk Stone and dropped it on top of Murkrow.

The Pokémon didn't even have time to squawk as it was surrounded by bright white light.

Holly glanced away, only looking back once the light had cleared.

And there, flying in the air, was the same Pokémon that had attacked her before.

But now there was no malice, only strength.

Now, the Pokémon waited obediently as Holly recalled it.

A huge grin flashed on Holly's face.

She finally had her flying Pokémon, a team so powerful they could beat anything, and the ability to hold her own with a weapon.

The rest of the journey would be no problem now!

Glee entered Holly's voice. _"Thank you so much, Kristine!"_

Kristine nodded approvingly. _"You're welcome."_

After a slight pause, the disabled Trainer continued. _"We should be getting back. You've got a powerful Pokémon from here, and we really do need to rest for Celadon."_

Holly nodded back. _"Let's get going."_

With that, Kristine led the way back towards where the group had been before.

Despite it being late at night, a new spring entered Holly's step.

Nobody could stop her now!

Not her mother.

Not Molly Hale.

Not even Anabel.

Holly would complete her journey, and show them just how strong she really was.

And she would do it with her Pokémon and Kristine by her side.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Honchkrow being called Summoner of the Night and bringing ill will comes from the games. In the Pokémon's Pokédex entry, is stated that it uses deep cries to make many Murkrow gather quickly. This ability is what gave it that name. Bringing bad luck actually comes from Murkrow's Pokédex entry. Since Honchkrow is evolved form of Murkrow, I thought it would make sense if Honchkrow also had that superstition surrounding it.**

 **-The fight was originally going to be a little bit different. Originally, Holly was going to face a swarm of Murkrow. She would then use Morgana to scatter them and injure some, eventually capturing one. However, I realized that it was extremely unlikely that Holly would be able to fend off a swarm of Pokémon and not get injured, even with Morgana's power. There's also the matter Morgana herself getting injured, since Murkrow are fast and she is weak to some of their attacks. Even with all the strength Morgana has, she also probably would not escape the attack unscathed. Therefore, the fight was changed was single Honchkrow instead, with a Murkrow found directly after it.**

 **In the original version the fight, I wasn't sure if anyone was going to die. However, in the revised version, it made sense that Holly's foe would be killed. That would give a chance to show off Morgana's strength, as well as taking into account that Holly was fighting a foe that would likely severely injure or even kill her. At that point, it was feasible that Holly would take the foe's life in self-defense.**

 **-The idea of Pokémon linking attacks comes from all the games and other media. Linking can be done in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. The player can head to the main town and pay a small fee to link attacks together. Linked attacks are used in succession with each other, and are treated as a single move. Thus, the foe cannot react until the entire linked attack is over. However, if at least one linked attack runs out of uses, the link is broken. Link moves will award an experience boost every time the foe is defeated with them, and can be manually broken any time. In the anime and manga, several Trainers develop techniques that link their Pokémons' attacks together. However, linking moves in these contexts appears to be a part of a Trainer's individual battle style, rather than something anyone can learn and do.**

 **-False Swipe works exactly like Holly describes it here. There is a slight difference, however. In the games, the opponent will always keep attacking after False Swipe because False Swipe cannot defeat foes. I thought it would be difficult to write Murkrow attacking constantly while Holly tried to catch it. So I just had False Swipe make it stop attacking by knocking it unconscious instead.**

 **-The Dusk Stone is unfortunately not found in the Kanto games or any of its remakes. In the case of the original game and the first remake, it is because Honchkrow and others evolving from the Dusk Stone did not exist yet. In the case of the Let's Go games, it is because no Pokémon beyond the original 151 (aside from different forms of those Pokémon) were implemented. Most stones are described as shining, and even though the Dusk Stone is not, I figured it wouldn't be far-fetched if it was shining as well. Combining that with the fact that Murkrow is drawn to shiny things and usually not that great in battle until it evolves led to decision to put the Dusk Stone right next to it.**


	74. Lucky Vice

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. This is a new area, so there is a new prompt. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Celadon, also known as the City of Rainbow Dreams, is one of the largest cities in Kanto. Fittingly, it also has many buildings. These buildings include a giant department store, some apartment complexes, and a casino. Celadon City is led and protected by Erika, the Grass Type Gym Leader of Kanto._

* * *

74\. Lucky Vice

The sun was high in the sky when Holly awoke. She didn't know what time it was, but she knew a lot of it must have passed between this day and the events of the night before.

Holly looked around, seeing Google help get Kris to her feet. The disabled Trainer flashed a smile, and Holly couldn't help smiling back.

However, Holly's smile quickly turned into a frown as she heard Anabel yawning.

The betrayer slowly got up, rubbing her eyes. "I feel like I slept forever!"

Holly shrugged her shoulders.

Anabel didn't know half of it!

Regardless of what she knew, the betrayer spoke again.

"Let's get to Celadon. It's a large city that will take time to explore, so we'd best not arrive too late."

Holly nodded.

For once the betrayer spoke sense.

After only a short walk, the massive city engulfed the group.

Alertness pierced Holly's senses as she took in all of the familiar places.

There was the Pokémon Mart, famed for being the largest in Kanto… It towered over almost all other buildings as people scurried to and fro…

And just as large was the apartment buildings… Holly hadn't really been interested in them, but they always seemed to be occupied by a lot of people…

Holly could see hotels, no doubt filled with the city's countless visitors…

A little pond flowed near the center of the city… Holly knew an old man lived on the other side… She didn't understand why, seeing as he didn't have any Pokémon to carry him across the water, but she knew he was always there…

Pleasant music flowed from another large tower in the city… Holly recognized it as the Radio Tower, although she had no reason to go there now… Perhaps this was where the Pokémon Tower got their radios from… Seeing as the two cities were right next to each other, Holly didn't doubt it…

Enormous trees and the scent of greenery formed the path that led to the Celadon Gym… Holly was tempted to go there now, but another place caught her eye…

Compared to the rest of the city, it couldn't have belonged worse. The purple building loomed ominously, unnatural flashing lights almost drowning out the city's natural sources. The sounds of pinging machines disturbed the quiet and peaceful tranquility.

Yet it was music to Holly's ears.

For this was the Game Corner.

Where people could test their luck…

Where they could play thrilling games of chance…

And people could win fabulous prizes, seen almost nowhere else…

Best of all, anyone who was an official Trainer could play!

Holly couldn't resist grinning.

She had to head to the Game Corner right away!

Yet she stopped at the sound of Anabel's voice.

"I'd like to head to the Gym right away. Holly needs to get her next Badge, and there's something I have to do there."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Did Anabel still think she could dictate her journey?

She wouldn't let that happen!

"Well, I'd like go to the Game Corner! There's lots of fun games to play, and really cool prizes! I heard there's even rare Pokémon!"

Anabel's eyes narrowed.

"Need I remind how dangerous gambling is, Holly? You could get yourself in serious trouble. And gambling is for adults; it's inappropriate for a child like you."

Holly snarled.

"I'm not a child, I'm a Trainer! And Trainers of all ages can play!"

Holly resisted the urge to smirk.

Surely Anabel won't be able to argue with that logic!

Indeed, the betrayer couldn't, as she shut her eyes and gritted her teeth.

And that's when Kristine took the opportunity to step in.

"How about I take Holly to the Game Corner while you head to the Gym? I'm an adult, so I can make sure Holly doesn't run into any problems."

Anabel threw up her hands.

"Do you think I would forget what happened the _last time_ I left you two alone?"

Holly clenched her fists.

Anabel had no right to talk when she had caused all the trouble in the first place!

Was she going to use that as an excuse to not let them go?

Yet Kristine smoothly responded.

"So we just visited a few places and went to the Safari Zone. The only bad thing that happened was the rebels, and that was out of anyone's control. If you're worried about Tulip, the Game Corner is not a place for battle, so she won't be in danger."

Holly nodded, gazing fiercely Anabel.

No matter what twisted ideas the betrayer had, she must have understood what Kristine was saying!

It was the truth, and Holly was sure Anabel knew it!

The betrayer must have, because she opened her eyes and spoke reluctantly.

"All right. But please be careful."

Holly gleefully replied. "Certainly!"

Kristine responded calmly. "Of course."

Anabel didn't take another look back as she headed off towards the Gym.

Holly and Kristine didn't even wait for the betrayer to go out of sight before making their way towards the Game Corner.

Once the betrayer was out of earshot, Holly couldn't help voicing her concerns.

"Was it really a good idea to let Anabel go off go off alone like that? After what occurred the last time…"

Kristine kept her calm demeanor as she replied. "We never wanted to accompany her before, and both of us hate having her as a traveling companion. If we insist on going with her now, Anabel and the others will most likely suspect something is wrong. Our plans must be kept secret at all costs."

Holly nodded.

It made sense, and they couldn't afford to blow their cover now!

Otherwise, everything up to this point would be for nothing!

So, Holly ceased conversation as she and Kristine headed into the Game Corner.

Once there, Holly's concerns evaporated.

A bright orange floor welcomed her in. The floor was almost the same color as the many machines. Holly could still hear them pinging and beeping, and smiled as she savored their sweet music. There were countless people sitting in blue chairs, and Holly was sure each one of them shared her passion. Holly could see two women, smiling as they handed out prizes to lucky winners.

Holly beamed.

Today she would be one of those!

She spoke confidently.

"All right! Time to play and win a prize! I'm not leaving until I get one of those rare Pokémon I have heard Game Corners have!"

Yet Kristine suddenly responded, through thought.

" _Hold on."_

Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

She was so close to getting to the covenanted slot machines!

Why did Kristine have to stop her?

Holly resisted the urge to snarl as she spoke.

" _Why should I hold on?"_

Kristine rapidly replied. _"Because I want to show you something really cool about this place. Something that hardly one else knows about. After that, you can gamble to your heart's content."_

Kristine flashed a smile, and Holly smiled back.

Gambling was exciting, but finding hidden places was even more so!

Holly's mind filled with all the possibilities…

A place that no one else knew about…

A place where she and Kristine could meet without anyone telling them what to do…

A place where they could hide from the world…

Just the very thought thrilled Holly to her very core!

Between this and the gambling, she couldn't wait to get going in the Game Corner!

Holly quickly nodded.

" _Discovering secret areas sounds like fun!"_

Kristine smiled even wider.

" _Doesn't it? That's why I want to show you this place."_

Holly was filled with even more joy as she shouted. _"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"_

Kristine nodded. _"Indeed."_

With that, the disabled Trainer walked past the unsuspecting gamblers and to the far right corner of the place. Rapidly, she fiddled with a poster that was hanging on the wall.

Holly cocked her head.

Why would anyone be playing around a poster? It wasn't like posters did anything…

All of a sudden, Holly heard a clicking sound.

Her eyes were wide, and she stifled a gasp.

In front of her feet appeared a set of stairs. The stairs led down, but to where, Holly didn't know.

She cocked her head.

Her mother never mentioned anything like this, and Holly thought she knew everything about Celadon!

What was this strange place that even Gym Leaders didn't know about?

Holly guessed she was about to find out, as Kristine walked over to the stairs and gestured for her to follow.

Holly slowly walked down the stairs, shuddering as the place got darker and darker.

Suddenly, light filled the room as Kristine turned it on somewhere.

Holly turned away and squeezed her eyes shut.

The light was so blinding, it hurt. Didn't Kristine realize how painful suddenly bringing a bunch of light into a completely dark place was?

If the disabled Trainer saw Holly's distress, she gave no indication.

Instead, Holly heard another clicking sound and something moving nearby.

She slowly turned around and let her eyes adjust to the light.

Holly couldn't resist letting out a gasp.

The place looked like an office building, but it was clear from the nonworking computers that no one had been here in some time. Holly could see leaves on the floor, but it didn't look like there had been any plants in a long time. The floor was brown, but the paint had long since dulled. Holly noticed the walls were white, but they also appeared faded. She could see another set of stairs, but she didn't know where they led.

Holly cocked her head.

What kind of place was this, and why did it remain hidden?

Before she could ask, Kristine responded.

" _Well, this is it."_

The disabled Trainer turned to Holly.

" _What you think?"_

Holly finally found her voice as she responded.

" _I've never seen anything like it. Where are we, anyway?"_

Kristine replied in an even tone. _"This is the basement of the Game Corner. A lot of people used to come through here, but that was years ago."_

Holly's eyes continue to go wide as she asked.

" _So why don't people now know about this place?"_

Kristine responded evenly again.

" _This switch behind the poster upstairs is the only way in, and it's long since been defunct. Luckily, I found a way to make it work, but it still doesn't agree with me sometimes. The switch that I just passed before hides the stairs again, so no one can come after us. But it's best not to go down here without me. It's easy to get lost, and I don't know if the switch would work for others after being inactive for so long. I'd rather not take the risk that it doesn't."_

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

A place that no one could find…

A place with almost no hints as to where it was…

In an area only Kristine could access…

It was all so surreal and mysterious…

Holly thought she had walked into a mystery movie…

Or maybe a horror one.

Regardless, a question still rattled in her head.

" _Why not show this place to anyone else? Why only me?"_

Surprisingly, Kristine let out a laugh.

" _Would I really want the public to know about my Secret Base?"_

Holly's eyes went wide at the words Secret Base.

She had heard of the places, in trees, in caves, even underground… Apparently, there were places where Trainers could make hideouts for themselves, like homes away from home. Part of the fun was finding others' Secret Bases, and some Trainers even battled there. Others were sneaky and planted traps. Holly didn't know if Kristine was one of those, but she wasn't sure she wanted to find out. Holly rapidly remembered that there was some competition involving secret bases and flags, but hadn't ever seen one.

Maybe Kristine would hold one here sometime, if she decided to make this place open to the public.

The disabled Trainer didn't seem to be ready to hold any competitions now.

Instead, she gestured to Holly.

" _Come on, I'll show you my room!"_

A wide grin spread over Kristine's face as she led Holly to a small elevator. She brought out a small key, turning it tightly in the elevator's keyhole. Holly heard another click and the doors opened.

Kristine gave another confident nod as the two walked inside.

The disabled Trainer rapidly pressed a few buttons on the elevator.

Holly nearly jumped out of her skin as the elevator gave a jolt. Holly could hear gears creaking as the device traveled downward.

She couldn't resist letting her eyes go wide.

Was it even _possible_ to travel further down?

Apparently so, as the elevator grinded to a stop.

Holly desperately looked to Kristine for an explanation, but the disabled Trainer did not appear to be bothered.

Instead, she calmly walked off the elevator, patiently waiting for Holly to do the same. Once out of the place, Kristine rapidly continued down a long hallway.

Holly was quick to follow.

The last thing she wanted to do was get lost in this place!

Yet as soon as Kristine stopped, Holly forgot her worries.

Instead, her eyes widened, and she gasped in surprise.

There, right front of her, was a room that looked like one for someone to live in.

There were small cots, and one of them looked like it had been used at least a little. However, both beds appeared to be dressed neatly, and Holly couldn't help but admire the neatness.

She was always horrible at cleaning her own room! It drove her mother crazy!

And Holly argued back that it was her own space, and that she could do whatever she wanted with it!

Unfortunately, her mother never seemed to understand the logic…

At least Holly knew that Kristine would never invade anyone's private space!

Holly quickly focused on the other aspects of the room.

There was what looked like a small refrigerator plugged into a nearby electrical socket. Holly wondered where Kristine got electricity from, but maybe the upper floor provided some. Holly could see a plain table with chairs, and like the rest of the area, the table looked rather clean. A bookshelf stood in one corner. Holly noticed countless books, but couldn't make out what they were. The last thing that caught Holly's eye was a blue couch. Unlike the other objects, it looked worn, and Holly wondered how old it was.

She was snapped out of her ponderings as Kristine stated. _"Well, what you think?"_

Holly couldn't stop herself from blurting out.

" _I think it's amazing, Kristine! That something so clean and pretty could exist somewhere so decrepit, and that it could stay secret down here without anyone knowing!"_

Kristine beamed back.

" _Incredible, isn't it? I thought this area was lonely down here, so I decided to fix it up. And the fact that no one knows about it makes the perfect place for privacy, too."_

Kristine sat down on the couch, and fished around in her items. She finally came out with a gold case that reminded Holly of a purse. The disabled Trainer rapidly tossed the item to Holly, and Holly could hear something jingling inside.

Before Holly could ask what the purse was, Kristine spoke.

" _This is a Coin Case, with some coins inside. You can use this to play at the Game Corner."_

Holly couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice.

" _You're not coming with me?"_

Kristine shook her head. _"I'm not fond of casinos, so I'm just going to veg here instead."_

The disabled Trainer smiled reassuringly.

" _Don't worry. I'll still be in contact, and make sure you won't get lost."_

At Kristine's words, Mickey appeared.

The Hoopa floated over to Holly with an almost friendly air.

Holly may not have known what Kristine was planning, but she was glad Mickey considered her a friend.

Luckily, Kristine voiced her plans with her next words. _"Mickey can guide you out of this place, even without using the switches. It can also move discretely and communicate quickly, because barriers mean almost nothing to it. Use Mickey to alert me if you need anything. It will also protect you if anything goes wrong."_

Holly nodded, shuddering at the implication.

The last time Mickey had protected her was at the Safari Zone's Secret House…

Where all the chaos had taken place…

Regardless of whether it was wild Pokémon or Trainers, the Safari Zone was a battlefield…

This was just an attraction in the city…

How bad could things get?

That same reassuring tone entered Kristine's voice.

" _I wouldn't let you go if I was putting you in any danger."_

Holly nodded, this time with confidence.

Kristine was right.

She had nothing to fear.

With that, Holly let Mickey take the lead as the Hoopa took the elevator to the upper floors.

Once there, Holly heard the stairs moving as Mickey pressed the switch.

Yet none of the gamblers even stirred as Holly walked the hidden staircase. No one so much as looked in Holly's direction as Mickey pressed the switch behind the poster a second time.

Holly cocked her head.

Wouldn't people notice something odd happening, and react?

Then again, this _was_ a casino, and odd things often took place in those.

Maybe the people gambling were just used to it.

Regardless, she turned to Mickey.

" _I think I'm fine on my own now. I'll call if I need you, though."_

Mickey quietly nodded, before disappearing back into the shadows.

Yet still there was no reaction.

A god just appeared and disappeared in front of a bunch of people!

Wouldn't the patrons realize that this wasn't something they saw every day?

But it may as well been, because no one made a motion.

The people just sat their seats, lost in music of the casinos.

Holly cocked her head.

Casino sure were strange places.

But then she rapidly shook her head.

Holly couldn't worry about others' feelings right now!

There were more important matters at hand.

And it didn't take her long to delve into them.

Holly ran to the closest seat and rapidly sat down.

The machine came to life with many beeps and sounds. A giant grin spread on Holly's face, as she eagerly tossed three coins into the machine.

The machine lit up with reds, blues, and greens. White numbers flashed among the colors.

And then the slots in the machine began to spin.

The grin never left Holly's face.

She tried not to jump off her chair from excitement.

Adrenaline surged through her body, filling her from head to toe with its thrill.

The little red cherries, looking like they could be eaten right off the screen…

The cute Pikachus, so much like the one she used to own…

Squirtle, the blue tiny turtle of Kanto's starters…

Staryu, the brown star-shaped Water Type…

There were black Poké Balls that looked so real Holly could just snatch them from the machine…

Finally, the red 7s flashed in front of her… Getting triple led to the covenanted jackpots, and prizes beyond Holly's wildest dreams…

Holly's smile never faded

There were so many symbols, yet they all led to one outcome.

Coins, prizes, and rare Pokémon.

So Holly heard the jingle of the coins as they were fed to the machine.

The slots spun and spun, yet somehow, Holly didn't get dizzy.

The colored lights stayed lit up, enslaved to Holly's commands.

Yet despite all this, Holly frowned.

Not enough coins were coming!

Sometimes she wouldn't get any at all!

Holly scowled.

She _would_ get a prize!

She _had to_ get a prize!

Rapidly, she reached down into her coin case, and felt only emptiness.

Holly couldn't be out of coins now! She was just getting started!

Holly glanced around, hoping someone would notice her plight.

Luckily, Holly noticed an attendant giving people coins.

With that, she sprinted over to the attendant's desk.

Holly didn't remember her conversation with the attendant, or how much money she handed to the woman.

Only that she greedily snatched the sparkling coins as soon as they were laid on the desk.

And so the machine kept making noise…

The numbers kept flashing…

The lights stayed completely lit…

The slots kept spinning…

The symbols kept showing…

Holly lost count of the amount of times she ran back and forth for more coins…

Eventually, the machine came to a stop…

And this time, Holly smiled.

She could barely lift her jingling Coin Case, as its shiny cargo threatened to spill out onto the floor.

Yet she made her way back to the Game Corner's desk, and the attendant simply smiled at her.

Holly spoke to the attendant, yet the words coming out of her mouth may as well have been silence.

Instead, the only thing she focused on was the attendant going to the back of the desk, and plucking a Poké Ball from the shelves.

Holly rapidly emptied the contents of her bloated Coin Case onto the desk, and the attendant scooped it up.

However, Holly didn't care, seizing the Poké Ball without so much as one word of thanks.

She walked over to the center of the place, and tossed it into the air.

A creature emerged from bright white light and looked around curiously. It was entirely made out of shapes, specifically polygons. The polygons on the front of its nose, legs, front of its chest, and tail were light blue. Yet there were other, pink, polygons, making up the creature's face, and the rest of its body. Black and white eyes continued staring at the world around it.

The other gamblers were still oblivious, but Holly couldn't have been more focused.

This was Porygon, one of the rarest Pokémon in existence, often found only in casinos.

And its final form was said to be one of the most powerful.

Now was finally Holly's!

She quickly recalled her Pokémon, beaming.

Holly couldn't wait to show Kristine what she had won!

Yet before she could make a move, a shrill voice rang across the building.

"Holly, what on earth are you doing?"

Holly stiffened and cringed.

It was a familiar voice, but she knew it wasn't Kristine's.

This wasn't anything friendly at all!

In fact, it was one of the worst things in the world!

Worse than Team Rocket!

Worse than the rebels!

Worse than Anabel the betrayer!

Holly couldn't help continuing to cringe as she recognized the person that stood in the doorway.

The person was a woman, with short black hair. The hair was held in place with a red headband, and it matched the design on the woman's clothing. The rest of the clothing consisted of a long kimono and brown sandals. Said kimono was a dark gold, with red designs that resembled autumn's leaves. Brown eyes were stern and narrowed, gazing straight at Holly.

Holly wanted to say that she didn't know the person glaring daggers at her.

That she was as distant to her as she was to all the other gamblers here.

But she couldn't.

Because this person was Erika, Celadon's Gym Leader.

And Holly's adopted mother.

Now Erika walked forward, and Holly readied a retort.

But before she could speak, Erika shouted.

"What are you doing, Holly? You know you're not supposed to be here!"

Holly's eyes hardened.

How dare her mother not acknowledge everything that happened!

Well, she would remind her!

Holly yelled back. "I can be here if I want! I'm a Trainer now, and all Trainers can come here! Besides, I was just getting another Pokémon!"

Holly clenched her fists.

Wasn't that what Trainers did? Surely that would satisfy her mother!

Yet Erika only shook her head.

Her mother's voice took on a dangerously low tone.

"Were you getting a new Pokémon, or were you gambling away all your money?"

Holly threw up her hands. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The slot machines didn't use _real_ money, only coins! Of course, one could buy coins, but they weren't that expensive!

Had her mother gone crazy?

Of course, she was rather crazy to begin with, so maybe the craziness was just showing itself early…

Yet Holly's eyes went wide as she suddenly felt Erika rummaging through her belongings.

Holly tried to squirm away, or lash out. However, her mother's free hand firmly held her in place.

What was Erika doing, tearing through Holly's belongings? Didn't her mother realize that was an invasion of Holly's privacy?

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Erika would get in trouble for this! Holly could guarantee it!

Yet all thoughts of getting her mother into faded away as Erika came out with the place where Holly kept her money.

It was completely empty.

Holly resisted the urge to keep her eyes going wide.

She could've sworn there was money in there when she started, and she couldn't have spent that much…

Before Holly could remark on the situation, her mother spoke in a grave tone.

"Holly, do you have any idea how much money you spent?"

Admittedly, Holly didn't know. But it wasn't like it was important. After all, Kristine seemed to have a lot of money, so she could just give her more. Besides, all the money she spent was worth it.

So Holly sent a fierce glare in her mother's direction.

"No, what does it matter? I'm a Trainer now, so I can spend as much money as I want!"

That was what Trainers did, didn't they? That was constant money from battles, so Holly never had to worry. And they could do other things too!

Trainers could get all the money they wanted, provided they had strong Pokémon!

And Holly had a full team of those!

Her mother probably knew that better than anyone!

Holly glanced back at Erika, hoping she would understand.

Yet her mother let out a sigh and shook her head.

"You _still_ don't understand, do you?"

With that, Erika grabbed Holly's right arm.

Holly screeched and tried to pull away, but her mother held her in an iron grip.

Holly's eyes went wide.

What was her mother doing? She had no right to drag her out of here!

Yet Erika didn't do that.

Instead, she marched Holly over to the desk where she had bought her coins.

Erika continued in the grave tone of voice from before. "Ask the receptionist to find out how much you spent, and print out a copy of the transactions."

Holly cocked her head.

What was the point?

Regardless, Holly did as her mother said, barely registering the exchange.

It wasn't worth arguing over something that ultimately had no point, after all.

When a few minutes had passed, the receptionist placed a small sheet of paper into Holly's hand. The paper was white and had a lot of numbers, but Holly still didn't see the point.

If it would make her mother go away…

Holly reached over to hand the paper to Erika, but her mother shook her head.

Erika's gaze was still a blazing glare as she grabbed a pen from somewhere. She quickly opened it and drew a black circle over something at the bottom.

An angry finger pointed at the circled object, and her mother spoke coldly.

"This is how much you spent, Holly."

Holly quickly glanced at the number, trying not to show surprise.

She had never seen a number that large! She wondered if she could even read it!

But it still didn't matter. Her mother was just making a big deal over nothing!

Yet Holly's blood ran cold as Erika spoke again. "And this is how much you owe me."

Holly's eyes went wide, but that was quickly followed by blazing rage.

"It's _my_ money that I spent, and I can use it however I want! I don't owe you anything!"

Erika shook her head furiously, looking like she could burn the whole place down.

"No, that's not your money. You didn't earn any of it. Other than the occasional battle, you've never made any money in your life. _I'm_ the one that has a job and an adult life, so _I'm_ the one earning money. On top of that, I'm using my money to support you, and pay for the things you want and need. _I'm_ the one who got the money from the professor and the study you ran off to. So that means that any money you earn is actually _mine._ Therefore, you have to pay me back."

Holly couldn't believe what she was hearing! Her mother truly had gone crazy! What she was saying wasn't making any sense!

She just wanted to find some excuse to punish her, Holly decided.

In that regard, her mother was just like Anabel!

But she wouldn't simply submit! Her mother would have to try harder than that!

Holly's next words came out a snarl. "I refuse!"

Erika's gaze was like ice as she growled. "You won't be able to."

Holly howled. "What you mean?"

Erika took a deep breath, and a commanding authority entered her voice. "With the power of Celadon's Gym Leader, I'm exiling you from all of Celadon City until you can pay back the money owed."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Erika couldn't do that! She'd be putting her own daughter in danger, and exposing an innocent Trainer to harm! The latter went against the very rules of the League!

Holly let her rage overflow, and she was sure the entire city could hear her.

"Where will I eat, sleep, and take shelter if I'm not allowed in the city? What about healing of Pokémon?"

Erika's cold tone did not waver. "Saffron is nearby. Go there if you have to. Although I don't think Sabrina takes kindly to money wasters."

Holly clenched her fists. How could her mother just kick her out into an entirely different city?

Didn't she realize she was doing this to her own daughter?

Plus, there was one fatal flaw in her mother's logic.

Holly wasted no time pointing it out as she yelled. "How am I supposed to make money now if you say I've never earned any?"

Erika narrowed her eyes, and slapped something into Holly's hand.

The object looked like a white circle with a blue Poké Ball.

Erika icily remarked. "This is a Vs. Seeker. It calls Trainers over for matches, and recharges as you walk. If you constantly win battles, you can make enough money to pay back what you owe."

Holly shot her mother a death glare.

She wouldn't agree to this absurdity, no matter who told her to do it.

Yet Erika did not back down, hands on her hips. "Well, get going. The faster you make the money, the faster you'll be let into the city."

Holly shook her head.

She wouldn't let her mother boss her around like that!

Yet Erika only let out a sigh.

Holly's mother showed no sympathy as she grabbed her by the arm again.

For a second time, Holly realized she couldn't get free.

She screeched and lashed out her legs, but it had no effect.

Holly continued thrashing as her mother dragged her out of the city. Somehow, Erika never lost her grip.

When she reached the edge of the city, Holly's mother tossed on the ground without a touch of gentleness.

Holly gazed in front of her, realizing that this was Route 7, where she had been before. She scrambled to her feet, glaring at her mother.

Yet Erika simply stood stoically at the entrance to the city, blocking Holly's only way back.

Holly spat. "You won't get away with this!"

Erika simply uttered a single word in the same commanding tone. "Leave."

With that, Holly threw her mother one last scowl before fleeing into the distance.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, finally at Celadon! One of the major changes from the original Pokémon world is that the Radio Tower is here rather than Lavender. In the canon Pokémon world, the Radio Tower replaces Kanto's Pokémon Tower. However, in Traveler, both the Pokémon Tower and Kanto's Radio Tower exist simultaneously. Therefore, the Radio Tower was moved to Celadon. I felt it made the most sense because Celadon is a huge city and a lot of people would find the music popular. On the contrary, Lavender is small and has a bit of a morbid reputation, so that wouldn't be the ideal place to build a Radio Tower even if the Pokémon Tower still existed. However, Lavender still gets radios from Celadon for the Pokémon Tower, as a reference to where the Radio Tower is in canon.**

 **-In real life, only those who are legal adults can play at casinos. However, the Pokémon world handles the situation oddly. The player character can gamble freely at casinos (known as Game Corners), despite being around 10 years old. No one blinks an eye, or shows even a hint of concern. This is despite the fact that several adults are there. The odd part is the game never explains why the player character can gamble to their heart's content and no one notices. Therefore, I decided to go with the idea that official Trainers of all ages can play. However, Annabel's concern is based off of real-life regulations, and also the issue of gambling addiction (something which is only vaguely hinted at in the Pokémon games).**

 **In Pokémon the Let's Go games, due to Game Corners being completely phased out, only adults are seen playing the casino. Several of the patrons show concern and explain that the Game Corner is only for adults if the player walks in. However, they do not stop the player from engaging in a luck -based minigame of picking hidden items up off different spots of the floor. These items respawn once per day, but will still change if the player resets the game before picking up an item.**

 **-The concept of Secret Bases comes from the games, and they work exactly as Holly describes. The one difference is that the player cannot make a Secret Base in a city in any of the games. However, Kristine's Secret Base is located in a city for story reasons. Originally, Kristine's Secret Base wasn't going to be in the chapter at all. In fact, I wasn't even sure she would** _ **have**_ **a Secret Base. However, the decision to give Kristine is a Secret Base and having it in Celadon will be explained later on.**

 **-The slot machines the Holly plays at look and function exactly the same in the games as they do in the story. One thing worth noting is that the player can actually bet one to three coins, with three coins giving the best chance of winning something. Since Holly is just going for trying to win as much she can, she just tosses three coins into the machine.**

 **-Up until the Game Corners were phased out, Porygon was notable for being the only Pokémon exclusive to the Game Corner. Other Pokémon could be obtained later on in the game or in other versions of the player did not wish to gamble, but Porygon could never be found anywhere else. Even more notable was how notoriously difficult Porygon was to get. In order to obtain one, the player had to max out the amount of coins in their Coin Case, at 9,999. What made this so difficult was that the maximum amount of coins one could receive at once was 777, and the chance of getting that number was very low. Furthermore, other quantities of coins the player could get weren't even close to that number, meaning the player would have to spend a lot of time gambling in order to get Porygon. Later games increased the maximum amount of coins the player could hold, but getting the amount of coins required for Porygon was still a lot, and took a long time.**

 **Once Game Corners were phased out, Porygon still couldn't be found in the wild. Instead, the Pokémon was available as a gift after certain conditions had been met. However, there was typically no hints as to what those conditions were, and the gifts were difficult to find. It wasn't until Pokémon Let's Go,** _ **more than two decades**_ _ **after Porygon was first introduced,**_ **that the Pokémon could finally be found in the wild. However, capturing it involved very specific conditions, with no hints as to what those conditions were and where Porygon could be found. Players could instead opt to receive Porygon as a gift later on in those games. Unlike previous Porygon gifts, this one was fairly obvious, with Porygon standing right next to a man that gives it out after the conditions had been fulfilled.**

 **-So, anyone remember that negative gambling trait Holly was said to have at the beginning of the RP?**

 **It rears its ugly head here.**

 **When first creating Holly's character, I decided I wanted her to be the daughter of a Gym Leader. This was based off of the Hoenn games and their remakes. In these games, the player character is the son or daughter of a Gym Leader, Norman. However, other than a few minor references, the games never really do much with it. I decided I wanted the Traveler series to approach the issue differently, and have it be a major factor in things. I thought Erika would be the most likely Gym Leader to have a child, although she seemed too young. Furthermore, she did not seem to have any interest in marriage, or anyone that would be compatible with her. Therefore, Holly was adopted instead. Regardless, this meant that Holly started off her experiences in Celadon, a place with a casino despite gambling being looked at negatively.**

 **So when the requirement for negative traits came around, I knew an issue with gambling, even indirectly, would be perfect. Suffice to say I pretty much had this scene planned out from the beginning of the RP itself.**

 **-What happens to Holly is based off of the games and the real-life situation surrounding them. Eventually, Europe enacted stricter laws against gambling, and this included gambling in video games. The idea was that lawmakers wanted to protect children from gambling and the dangers that come with it. Therefore, there was a request for Pokémon to remove casinos from the games, or otherwise up the rating of these games.**

 **The makers of the Pokémon games initially responded by removing casinos from European versions of their games (and later on, other versions that were not the original Japanese ones as well). However, since it was unfair to deprive entire regions of one feature and keep it in others, the Pokémon game creators opted to remove casinos entirely. Instead, they were replaced by mini-games that were not based on luck, and used a different means of awarding the player currently. The player could still win exclusive prizes from these games, so they effectively served the same function as the old Game Corners had.**

 **It's unknown if the decision to remove the Game Corners had an effect on young players gambling in video games, especially considering gambling in video games is still an issue. However, I decided to use Holly as an example of what might happen if the European lawmakers' fears were realized. Furthermore, Holly's situation is a dark take on what would really happen if a typical child was allowed to gamble freely and unsupervised.**

 **But there's something else that the situation is based off of.**

 **And that is the Pokémon games themselves.**

 **In these games, the player started out with a small amount of coins, and could play in the casino to earn more. But there was another way of getting coins.**

 **And that was by buying them with the currency used for everything else in the game. The player can also buy a lot of coins at once this way, almost equivalent to the maximum amount of coins that could be awarded via the slot machines. So buying coins was often more productive unless one was extremely lucky.**

 **Thus, it was entirely possible (and perhaps even likely) for the player to** _ **run themselves out of money at the casino, just like Holly does in the story.**_ **This could be done either by buying coins excessively until there was no more money to spend, or buying coins, losing it all at the slot machines, and then buying coins until the player runs out of money.**

 **After that, there's only one option left.**

 **The player that has no choice but to** _ **exile themselves**_ **from Celadon (or whatever city the Game Corner is at) in order to earn back the money that they spent. This is particularly harsh because by the time the Game Corner is first introduced, there's usually a fair amount of the game left. Which means that the player still has the spend money on other resources needed to finish the game. Adding insult to injury is that typically, the only Trainers that can be re-matched are in the Pokémon League at the very end of the main game (and sometimes, even later than that).**

 **Which means that the player will effectively receive the same punishment as Holly.**

 **-However, the Kanto remakes attempted to solve that problem. They introduced an item called the Versus Seeker. The Versus Seeker works exactly as Erika describes, allowing the player to rematch almost any Trainer in the games an infinite amount of times. The Versus Seeker needs to recharge after each use, but it recharges as the player walks and the recharge time is very short. The catch is that Trainers must be on screen in order to be called for a battle. If the player walks offscreen from where the Trainers are or goes to another area, any battles that have not been fought will be gone, and the player must try to call those Trainers again. Even with these restrictions, the player can still use the Versus Seeker to gain as much money as they need to purchase items at game corners, or otherwise regain money that was spent. Players that are also not into gambling can utilize the Versus Seeker to gain items and Pokémon from the game corner without the casino. Either way, battling the same Trainers repeatedly is still very tedious, and the player will likely be running back and forth fighting for a long time. Along with the situation described above, Holly's exile is based on this concept.**

 **-In the games, Erika's personality is laid-back and constantly kind. However, the anime and the Pokémon Special manga show that she has a harsher side of the situation calls for it. In the anime, Ash insults both Erika and her perfume while visiting her store. Erika decides to kick him out of the store after that. The Gym Trainers later decide to also kick Ash out of Erika's Gym, since the Gym is one of the places where the perfume is manufactured. It's unknown if Erika was aware of this happening, or if she even ordered it to happen. Fan interpretations are the Gym Trainers are acting on their own, since Erika states she has a duty to challenge Ash regardless of what happened. In the Traveler series, Gym leaders** _ **do**_ **have the ability to ban trainers from their Gym there is a valid reason for it, and this is slightly based off of what happens with Erika in the anime.**

 **-In the Pokémon Special manga, Erika is a stalwart ally, but it is difficult to earn her trust. In her first appearance, she sends Red to find an Eevee that could change at will between its then-known three elemental forms. It's later revealed this is from being modified during the Team Rocket experiment. After Red captures the Eevee, Erika threatens to kill it by removing it from the healing machine Red had placed it on. Red elects to save the Eevee anyway and Erika reveals that she is simply testing his character. After that, she also reveals that she an ally, and Eevee joins Red's team.**

 **Even though the harsh side of Erika's personality is not shown in the games, I figured it would make sense for it to appear in the series. Because of Erika's kindhearted nature that is in the games, she would want to protect Holly and keep her safe. However, since Holly is naturally defiant, that would lead to a few clashes between them, which in turn would bring out Erika's sterner side.**

 **-Erika's logic comes from an idea I had about the Pokémon world. In the Pokémon world, children are sent out to journey, making money from battles as they go. In some regions, there are other things they can also do, but not always. Strangely, no matter how bad the battles get or however much a player has to buy, they always still have money or can make some more. This extends into necessary items, like clothes and food, which are never shown being bought (aside from optional customization clothing, and the game presents it as though it's not necessary).**

 **What strikes me as odd is that battling alone would not service a sufficient income, with money coming on and off, or not at all if a player isn't skilled. Furthermore, realistically, a child would not be able to earn any money from a regular job, or be expected to (unless the child got very lucky in a position of fame, such as a child actor). In many cases, it's illegal for children to work until they reach a certain age (and even then, the amount of jobs they can do and hours they can work are still limited). Since child Trainers are not seen earning money from others, the most logical conclusion is that they are usually living off their** _ **parents'**_ **money.**

 **The one support for this theory in the games is in the Johto games, the player's character's mother will offer to save money from battles for them, acting as an in-game bank. She will also buy items for the player occasionally, with some of these items being able to be found almost nowhere else. However, this feature is completely optional, and there are no consequences if the player chooses not to use it. Several adult Trainers are shown to have jobs outside of training, implying that jobs are available for Trainers that have reached adult age, and that it expected for a Trainer to work at that age.**

 **Therefore, I thought it would make sense that Holly was really living off of** _ **Erika's money**_ **. And due to certain concepts explained in later chapters, Erika would be forced to support her no matter what. Of course, Erika doesn't realize that Kristine was the one that lent Holly the Coin Case and allowed her to gamble, or that Holly had plans to simply ask Kristine for more money. However, the concept is the same. Even though Kristine is not related to Holly, she is still an adult and an authority figure Holly respects. Therefore, it would not be impossible for Holly to have plans to live off of Kristine's money, and spend in the same way that she is currently spending Erika's.**


	75. Exile's Choice

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. There is no prompt this time, and there won't be any for a while. So, onward with the chapter!**

* * *

75\. Exile's Choice

Holly never realized that training could be so exhausting.

There weren't any Trainers on the small Route 7, and Holly didn't want to get run over by the bikers in the other direction…

So instead, she headed to the route west of Lavender, knowing there were probably many Trainers there…

Holly knew she could heal at the small town, but that eerie place was the last location she wanted to go to…

So she trudged to Saffron, hopeful that the enormous city could heal her Pokémon…

They could, but the inhabitants didn't even so much as look at Holly… Not even Sabrina came out to say hello…

Perhaps Saffron already knew what happened…

Or maybe she was just another passing Trainer to them, living a lonely existence…

Holly thought about using Morgana to easily win the fights…

But she pushed those thoughts away, not wanting to use her weapon against innocent people…

Besides, it was better that the public didn't know she even had a weapon…

So Holly moved back and forth continuously, trying to call anyone who would be willing to battle her…

Sometimes she got lucky, and other times, not so much…

There was only one thing Holly knew for certain…

Fatigue was her constant companion…

Holly's entire body drooped, and her feet dragged. She wondered if she could even feel her feet anymore. Accompanying the sound of Holly's dragging feet was her own heavy panting. Her arms shook, and she doubted she would be able to even hold Morgana now. Holly could feel herself teetering as she fought to keep her balance. It took all of her effort not to collapse on the ground.

The only thing that kept her going was that she had to get into Celadon.

For Kristine, for herself, and for her Pokémon.

Not that they were doing much better.

Holly didn't think her Pokémon could move another muscle, despite the constant healings. She wondered if she would even be able to continue battling.

Holly had to look no further than Incineroar as proof.

She had kept her fateful starter Pokémon out of its Poké Ball. Holly didn't exactly know why she did that, considering it was harder on Incineroar that way.

She did it for comfort and security, she supposed. A way of easing the loneliness.

Yet now Holly could not help feeling a twinge of regret.

Incineroar's shoulders slumped, and it drooped just as much as she did. Its tail dragged on the ground, and the Pokémon made no effort to pick it up. A few times, Holly had asked if Incineroar if it wanted to go into its Poké Ball. However, Incineroar always shook its head, and stoically continued walking.

Perhaps Incinaroar needed to protect her as much as she needed it comfort.

Regardless, there was one thing her Pokémon could not comfort her about.

She glanced at the money she had acquired, scowling.

It wasn't even a fraction of what she needed!

And this was after walking around and fighting all day!

How long would the punishment go on?

Holly stopped, glancing up.

The ominous night sky cast shadows over everything, and Holly shivered as a cold wind bit into her skin.

Yet despite her fatigue and the late hour, Holly didn't even think of going to sleep.

Instead, she simply sat down on the ground, Incinaroar doing the same beside her.

Yet Holly didn't even notice her fateful Pokémon, or the frigid ground that chilled her entire body.

Instead, she became lost in thought.

How dare her mother cast Holly out from her own home!

Especially when Holly hadn't anything wrong!

And why was her mother angry that Holly was back?

She should've been elated that Holly had been able to return, particularly if her mother had heard of all the things that had befallen her since!

And her mother was the one who forced Holly to run away in the first place!

Holly's face hardened, and her hands balled into fists.

Was Anabel the _real_ reason for this?

Was _that_ why the betrayer had gone to Celadon Gym?

To sway another person to agree with her twisted thinking? To gain another ally in her diabolical schemes? To brainwash another innocent into believing her paranoia?

Yes, Anabel must have coerced Holly's mother, just like the betrayer had coerced Lusamine!

Holly would never forgive Anabel for this!

But if Erika had somehow came to her conclusion on her own…

Then her mother was a betrayer too!

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she heard something rustling in the nearby tall grass. The rustling then moved to the trees separating the tall grass from the rest of the route.

Holly cocked her head.

Who would be running around in the grass at this time of night?

She got her answer as a person leapt out of the trees.

Holly couldn't really see the person in the dark, but she could register two things.

One was that the newcomer had a long braid tied in the back of her hair.

The other was that she had a knife that gleamed brightly in the darkness.

The newcomer lunged straight for Holly, and she let out a gasp.

Holly didn't know who the other person was, or why she wanted to stab her.

However, Holly knew she had to run for her life.

Fatigue forgotten, she jumped to her feet.

Adrenaline surged through Holly as her feet pounded on the ground. The pounding of her feet matched the pounding of her heart. The latter beat so much Holly thought it would burst from her chest. Holly's face went pale, her eyes wide. Her panting filled the air, betraying her desperation. Everything was a blur as Holly sprinted faster than she ever thought possible.

She knew one thing for certain, though.

Holly's attacker was following behind them, furious footsteps striking the ground as she spared no effort to catch up to her targets.

Holly's eyes went wide as she was aware of another presence close to her.

Incinaroar was beside her, sprinting faster than Holly had ever seen it. Its paw-steps didn't pound on the ground, but they were just as frantic. The air was filled with Holly's Pokémon's own heavy panting, and she suspected adrenaline was also the only thing keeping Incinaroar going. It must have still had the desire to protect Holly, but she could see fear written in her Pokémon's eyes.

Suddenly, Incinaroar growled, and Holly didn't know why.

She thought it had to do with her pursuer, but Incinaroar seemed to be focused on something in front of them.

Huge buildings loomed ahead, and Holly could see them even in the distance.

Normally, they would be something she detested, but now it was a welcome sight.

Saffron! They were closing on Saffron!

If Holly and her Pokémon could just get to the city, someone there could help them!

They were so close… They couldn't lose now…

Holly focused all her strength on moving faster. Her lungs and chest burned hotter than fire, and she gasped for air.

But she couldn't stop now!

She had to make to the city!

For Kristine!

For her own Pokémon!

For safety!

Yet suddenly, Holly felt her feet become tangled.

She screeched as she realized she was tripping over herself.

The ground came rushing down to meet her, and it was far too late to do anything.

Holly winced as she slammed down onto the ground, feeling like her entire body screaming in pain.

Yet she still heard her attacker leap off the ground, aiming for Holly's back.

There was nothing Holly could do except lie there helplessly, pain overwhelming her ability to fight back.

Holly cringed and bit her lip to prevent tears from flowing down her face.

Perhaps this was how she would die.

Alone.

Unwanted.

Nothing.

Yet suddenly, Holly heard an earsplitting roar.

She was dimly aware of her starter Pokémon stepping in front of her.

Incinaroar really did have a desire to protect her, it seemed.

Yet a desire was not enough.

An agonized scream pierced Holly's ears, accompanied a tearing sound. Something sprayed onto Holly's back, and she swallowed frantically in hopes that she wouldn't vomit.

The screaming was rapidly replaced by a deafening crash, as Incinaroar toppled forward onto the ground.

Although Holly couldn't hear much, she registered the sound of footsteps growing distant.

Those were fleeing footsteps.

Now was her chance to get to safety! Maybe Holly could even chase the attacker, and turn the tables on her!

Yet every muscle in Holly's body protested, and she tumbled back on to the ground.

She was aware of her hand slipping in something, but only blinked.

There wasn't anything slippery before…

So what was on her hand now…

Holly quickly brought her hand closer, turning her palm upright.

She rapidly realized that have been doused in something red. In another instant, Holly registered that the same red substance had covered other parts of her body.

Red… There wasn't anything red on the ground before... So why was there red now…

Holly tried to figure out what happened…

There was the exile… The battling… Being chased... Hoping desperately that she wouldn't be stabbed with a knife…

Holly's eyes went wide.

A knife…

A knife could make red…

It must have…

But that would mean this substance was…

And the only place it could come from was…

Holly's eyes went even wider as she found her voice.

It came out as a strangled scream.

"Incinaroar! Incinaroar!"

But the only answer to Holly's cries was the chilling night wind that brushed across her face.

Holly's vision blurred as she let stinging tears fall freely.

She could hear the sound of frantic footsteps coming closer, but she could see nothing as her vision swam.

As her rescuers drew nearer, only once occupied Holly's mind.

Too late.

After that, a long time must've gone by, but Holly couldn't register any of the passing time.

The only thing she recalled was waking up in a bed with sunlight streaming through the windows.

Until she saw two people at the side of her bed.

Holly's eyes widened.

These people were not the crazed, knife wielding, pursuer from before.

They were familiar faces.

One of them was her mother.

And the other was Annabel.

Holly blinked.

What would those two doing here?

One moment Holly was on the ground…

And the next…

Before Holly could speak, her mother cried out.

"Oh Holly, I'm so relieved you are okay!"

Annabel quickly chimed in.

"Thank goodness you are awake! I was getting worried!"

Holly's eyes were wide as she realized something.

They hadn't mentioned Incinaroar! Why was that?

Holly glanced around wildly, but she saw no sign of her starter Pokémon.

She shouted. "My Incinaroar! Where is it? What happened to it?"

A grave look entered Erika's eyes, but Holly could detect sadness in her gaze.

That sadness overflowed into her mother's voice as she answered.

"Holly, I'm sorry… Your Incinaroar… is dead…"

Holly's face went pale and her eyes wide.

She flashed back to the graves in Lavender…

How empty they had been, just names that represented someone no longer in the world. Sometimes, they had a lifeless husk underneath, but that was all…

Holly quickly remembered Kristine… How upset she had been when she saw the graves… How the angry ghosts had gathered around her… And how Kristine had become so distraught that she endangered the lives of everyone with her…

Incinaroar _couldn't be_ just a name and a lifeless husk…

It _couldn't be_ reduced to something for others to get angry or sad about…

Or a ghost that would just float around reacting with nothing…

It just _couldn't be_ any of that!

She needed proof!

Holly managed to stammer.

"How…"

Annabel suddenly spoke, the betrayer's face hard.

"Your Pokémon was stabbed to death, Holly. Its throat and stomach were slashed open. Your Pokémon most likely died instantly. I'm glad you didn't see the death, though. It was rather gruesome."

Holly noticed the coldness of the betrayer's tone.

Did Anabel even _care_ about what happened?

Or was she too busy being angry at Holly for no good reason?

Yet before Holly could snap back, another thought entered her mind.

What about the pursuer?

Had the others caught her?

She shakily spoke again. "There was someone with a knife who attacked me and Incinaroar! What happened to that person?"

Holly's mother rapidly replied. "Your attacker ran away, Holly. You were right near the gates of Saffron, so your pursuer probably saw the rescuers coming. And she probably figured someone else would see that she had caused the death, and obviously didn't want that. So it's easy to guess why she ran away."

Holly blinked.

 _Saffron?_

Was _this_ Saffron?

It certainly didn't look like the bustling city Holly knew it to be, and Sabrina was nowhere to be found…

Holly stumbled on her words again. "Where…"

Her mother rapidly replied. "You're in Celadon's Pokémon Center."

Holly couldn't resist raising her voice. " _Celadon?_ But wasn't I exiled from there? There still is that punishment…"

Anabel replied gravely. "Yes, you were, and there is. But after what happened, Erika and I decided that your punishment is be deferred until you've recovered."

All of Holly's sadness evaporated, replaced by a blazing rage.

She clenched her fists, shouting. "Deferred? _Deferred!?_ My starter Pokémon just died protecting me, and all you can talk about is _how my punishment is deferred?_ "

Holly raised her voice and pointed to Anabel. "Especially since _you're_ the one who killed Incinaroar in the first place! If you hadn't forced my mother into enacting that stupid punishment, then I would not have been outside the city, alone, and my Pokémon would not have died!"

Erika's eyes suddenly became narrowed, and she spoke gravely. "Anabel didn't force me, Holly. She only told me what had happened so far, and I decided to put the punishment place myself when I saw what you were doing."

Holly's mother shook her head, and now Holly could see the rage blazing. "I thought you knew better than that, that you had grown on the journey… But I guess I was wrong on both accounts."

Before Holly could react, Anabel spoke in an icy tone. "The punishment would not have happened if you hadn't wasted all your money gambling in the first place. So your Pokémon's death is no one's fault but your own, Holly."

Holly's eyes blazed with such fury that she thought she could burn the room down.

Instead, she screamed. "How _dare_ you say that after everything that happened? I've had enough!"

With that, she tore the blankets of the bed off of herself, leapt of it, and stood at her full height.

Erika immediately got the implication.

"Where you going, young lady?"

Holly snarled back. "To make you pay! To make everyone pay!"

Before anyone could stop her, Holly dashed out of the room and the Center.

Holly would've run straight into someone had the person not come to a dead stop.

Holly relaxed when she realize the person was Kristine, Delphox at her side.

The disabled Trainer wore a look of shock, but quickly recovered.

Holly couldn't help shouting. "Kristine, what-"

The disabled Trainer rapidly replied through thought. _"I was off earning money for you after hearing what Erika and Anabel did to you. I want to punish them both like you wouldn't believe, but I couldn't do it without revealing the plan. So since I knew you couldn't reasonably earn that much money, I decided to earn myself. With my skills, it wasn't be too difficult."_

Kristine shuddered, regret overflowing in her voice as she spoke.

" _Unfortunately, by the time I heard about what else had happened, it was already too late."_

A mixture of regret and sympathy filled Kristine's eyes as she spoke remorsefully again.

" _I am so sorry."_

Holly hoped that she was showing enough sympathy in her own gaze.

Kristine had lost not only her starter, but also many other Pokémon.

So she knew what it was like to lose one, and the comfort someone needed when that happened.

Holly couldn't imagine the guilt the disabled Trainer was feeling right now!

So she quickly answered. _"It's all right. You're showing me sympathy when no one else has, and you've helped me with so much… I can't ever think of getting angry at you."_

Kristine gave a small smile, and Holly knew her words had cheered the disabled Trainer up.

Kristine spoke confidently. _"I wasn't able to help you then, but I can help you now. I know of a few ways to make you stronger, so that a tragedy like this won't happen again."_

Holly beamed.

Kristine would always understand her!

She replied cheerfully. _"Okay, please show me!"_

Kristine nodded as she replied. _"All right then, let's get going."_

With that, the disabled Trainer dashed off towards the center of the city, and Holly was quick to follow.

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this is it. The brave final stand and fall of Holly's starter Pokémon… The event that was hinted at way back in chapter 39… Holly's nightmare come true…**

 **-One difference from the nightmare is that Torracat was not evolved in said nightmare. This part of the reason why I hesitated to evolve it when presented with the chance. The reason for the difference was because of several things. The nightmare was written with the expectation that Celadon would come before Fuchsia, so Torracat would not have evolved no matter what if that was the case. However, with Fuchsia coming before Celadon, Torracat was given the option to evolve. I decided to let it evolve because of a couple reasons.**

 **One was that Incinaroar is noticeably slower than Torracat in gameplay mechanics, and thus the idea of it not being able to keep up or getting tired with a fast opponent makes more sense. The second is that Incinaroar is larger and taller than Torracat, so that would make it easier to hit. The final result has to do with the fact that Holly is not able to actually dream of the future, so any inconsistencies or misconceptions with her dreams are mere coincidence, story wise (even if plans for the story or series itself have changed).**

 **-As for why the scene took place, I will just say I had it planned for a very long time, almost around the time the RP started.**

 **And the reason had to do with Torracat itself.**

 **Ever since I decided that Holly would enjoy fire, I knew she had to pick a Fire Type as a starter Pokémon. Torracat was my favorite of the middle Fire Type evolutions, so that was the one I went with. Unfortunately, most starters are eventually outclassed by other Pokémon player can find. The Litten line (Litten being the Pokémon Torracat evolves from, and including Incinaroar) is hit with this particularly bad. Even before I knew how dark the Traveler series was going to get, I figured Holly couldn't afford to keep the Pokémon around that could not perform well in battle later on. And in a story where almost any Pokémon could show up at any time for any reason, finding Pokémon better than Torracat and that Holly would want to use instead of it was almost a certainty.**

 **So I knew almost from the start that Torracat had to leave the team.**

 **The question was how.**

 **Story wise, I knew Holly wouldn't want to just throw Torracat into a box and effectively forget about it when it started and was with her on her entire journey. Holly also did not have any reason to carry more than six Pokémon, so obtaining permission to do that was out of the question as well. Considering the way the plot was going, giving Torracat to anyone else, even those Holly trusted, was not feasible either.**

 **So the only option left was to have Torracat die.**

 **That, combined with the scenario I had about the Game Corner, led to the scene.**

 **-There were a couple of other reasons for this as well. Almost immediately after I thought of Kristine's character, I had written down that her starter would also die, and would be dead by the time the story began. So it was a means of relating to each other and bonding through their shared grief. Another reason is that the death was a way of keeping Torracat relevant long after its role in battle was over, as opposed to constantly having to insert or force appearances if it was left alive but off the team. For example, Holly could do things such as visit the grave, have someone help her speak to the spirit, react to the death and use it as a motivator for something, or just of the story on how much Holly has changed after it and how the death has scarred her (or how it was for the better, somehow). With all these different story opportunities, Torracat was far more useful dead than alive, story wise. So I continued to go through with the scene, even though it was still far away and there was plenty of time to change my mind.**


	76. Catching Up

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I don't own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

76\. Catching Up

As Holly ran with Kristine to the center of the city, the disabled Trainer suddenly halted again.

Holly almost banged into her a second time, and opened her mouth to snap a retort.

However, she went silent when she noticed Google radiating psychic power.

Holly blinked.

What could the Delphox be sensing?

Holly crept up to Kristine's side, noticing the disabled Trainer's eyes were wide with surprise.

This must be something truly serious and unexpected if it had had gotten _Kristine_ riled up!

Yet Holly couldn't ask what was going on, as Kristine and Google held a conversation only they could understand.

After a while, Kristine nodded.

" _I see."_

Google seemed satisfied with that answer, as psychic power disappeared from around the Delphox.

Holly cocked her head.

What had just happened?

Thankfully, Kristine was eager to answer Holly's questions.

" _Google says you should go to Celadon Radio Tower. An old friend awaits you there."_

Holly cocked her head. _"An old friend? How? You weren't there at the start of my journey…"_

Kristine rapidly replied. _"No, I wasn't. But, as a Psychic Type, Google can sense energy similar to psychic power. And right now it is sensing that energy coming from the Radio Tower. Did you befriend a Psychic type early on in your journey?"_

Holly shook her head. _"No, the only Psychic Types I've met are Raichu and Exeggutor. You know all about them."_

Kristine nodded. _"Then we'll have to go in and see where this is coming from."_

Yet as soon as Holly followed Kristine into Celadon's Radio Tower, her eyes went wide.

It wasn't the Radio Tower's long halls, desks filled with people, DJs running back and forth, or even the constant music that surprised Holly.

No, it was the person in the center of all that.

Or rather, the Pokémon.

The Pokémon had jet black paws, with spikes on its hands. There was also black on its face and black ears. Most of the rest of its body was blue, with a blue tail. The exception was a tan torso with a spike on it. A relaxed look was present in the Pokémon's red eyes, and it seemed to be enjoying the music.

A Lucario, like the one Kristine had Mega Evolved in the Safari Zone.

But this Lucario certainly wasn't Kristine's.

The disabled Trainer had said it was old friend…

But Holly had never met a Lucario _other_ than Kristine's…

Yet, early on her journey, she _had_ met…

Before she could finish her thoughts, a name formed on Holly's lips.

She voiced it immediately. "Ri-Riolu?"

The Lucario whirled around.

At first, its red eyes went wide with shock. However, there was soon a flash of recognition, and it resumed a relaxed stance.

The Pokémon made a sound that resembled barking, but Holly only cocked her head.

Old friend or not, she still couldn't understand what Pokémon were saying!

Yet Kristine was nodding, and a smile spread on her face.

"The Pokémon says you helped it before it evolved. It was sick, and you took it to the Center in Sable. It says it's never forgotten that, and is still grateful."

Holly's eyes brightened as she recalled. "Yes, I do remember that! I took Riolu to Sable, and after that, we parted ways."

Holly's eyes went wide again as another question rattled in her mind. "Riolu, no, Lucario, what are you doing here?"

Lucario made more barking noises, and Kristine was quick to translate.

"It says it decided to stay at Sable for a while after you left it there. However, it decided to partake in intense training in order to evolve and get stronger. After that, it traveled around, realizing that were many places to increase its power beyond Sable. Oh, and it got its initial training from someone you know. Gisele, I believe."

Holly smiled. "Gisele, she's the head of Pokémon Tech! Yes, I know her! She's the one who first told me about Kristine!"

Gisele…

Holly hadn't heard that name in a while…

One of the few reasonable authority figures in Kanto, it seemed.

And the one who had first spoken of the legends surrounding Kristine…

To think that Holly had treated Kristine with such disdain when she first learned about her…

What would Gisele say when she found out they were such good friends now?

She would probably be ecstatic, Holly imagined.

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she noticed Lucario was letting out more barks.

In another minute, it was pointing at her.

Holly shuddered when she heard Kristine's translation. "Now, Lucario wants to know what you're doing here."

Holly only blinked.

What would she tell her old friend?

So much happened, and it's not like Lucario had been around to experience any of it…

Holly's gaze suddenly hardened.

There was one thing Lucario had experienced with her.

And that's exactly what she would talk about.

So, Holly took a deep breath. "Well, after Sable, I continued on my journey, and a lot of things happened. Yet that woman who you saw with me when I saved you, Anabel… She betrayed us, and now she's a threat to all Trainers! Worse yet, she's got a bunch of horrible people backing her up, and they're all powerful authorities! I have to stop Anabel, and all those people supporting her!"

Holly's voice came shrill as a question flew out of her mouth. "So please, will you help me? I need all the strength I can get!"

For a moment, Holly resisted the urge to shudder.

Would Lucario refuse?

When the encounter from before not be enough?

And if it _did_ refuse…

If the memories from before were not strong enough…

What Holly and Kristine do?

Yet there was no hesitation in Lucario's response as it rapidly nodded. The Pokémon's eyes became narrowed and focused, and it strode confidently over to Holly.

Kristine smiled, giving her own approving nod.

"In that case, I have a gift for you."

With that, the disabled Trainer produced a necklace and walked over to Lucario. The Pokémon did not resist as the disabled Trainer clipped the necklace on to it. After that, Kristine grabbed a shimmering stone and fitted it snugly within the necklace.

The disabled Trainer's smile only grew wider as she exclaimed.

"You know what this is, right, Holly?"

Holly joyous shout was so loud that she was surprised the entire city did not hear.

"Lucario's Mega Stone!"

Kristine simply nodded.

"With this, Lucario will become one of the most powerful Pokémon in existence. With your bond surviving this long, I'm sure you will have no trouble wielding that power."

Holly could only stare in awe.

She had seen the might Kristine's Mega Lucario had displayed…

It had been so strong it could vanquish a legendary Pokémon with ease…

Now, to think that Holly would be that one wielding the power…

What feats would she and Lucario accomplish?

Holly couldn't wait to find out!

Luckily, she didn't need to voice how she felt, because it was as though Kristine could read her thoughts.

"I'm assuming you want to switch out one of your other Pokémon for Lucario?"

Holly's face lit up so much she thought it could illuminate the entire world. "Yes, I want to switch out Mawile!"

With that, Holly tossed Mawile's Poké Ball at Kristine.

The disabled Trainer caught the item easily, and they both turned to look at Lucario.

Holly held up an empty Poké Ball as she beamed at her new Pokémon. "Let's stop some bad guys, Lucario, together!"

Lucario smiled back as Holly recalled it in a red flash of light.

She turned to Kristine, smile still on her face.

"Thank you so much, Kristine!"

Kristine continued to meet Holly's smile with her own. "You're welcome."

The disabled Trainer rapidly gestured. "Come on. I have more ideas for helping get stronger."

Holly replied eagerly. "All right!"

As she dashed off again, thoughts entered her head.

She may have lost an old friend, but she had gained another.

And that old friend would easily punish her enemies.

With the strength of the bond that persisted through time and place.

And those against Holly would never see it coming.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Riolu, or rather, Lucario, makes a return! For those who don't remember, Riolu first appeared completely unevolved in Chapter 10. Because of the prompt in that chapter, Holly captured it. However, it was only listed as a temporary party member and left the group soon after. After that, its story was left unresolved.**

 **But there are several reasons why Lucario is making a comeback here. One is because of the Pokémon Holly currently has. I decided I wanted Holly to acquire a Fighting Type, both for team balance and for a fight that comes up later on. However, I wasn't sure which one to pick. As I was going to the list of possible options, I stumbled across Riolu and Lucario. Not only were those powerful Pokémon, but that would fit well with Holly's team. Furthermore, Mawile was a more or less a one trick pony, and because of something taking place a little later on, would not see much use in battle anymore. So this paved the way for a Lucario to become Holly's official Steel Type and Mega Evolution user.**

 **Once I noticed all of that I remembered the Riolu from the beginning of the RP. Even though the Pokémon was listed as part as part of Holly's team for short time, it never got any development or conclusion to its story. Therefore, I decide to change that and make the character more relevant by bringing it back. Finally, Lucario was going to be a major plot point** _ **much**_ **later on in the series, but that idea was scrapped for something else. That left me open to do something else with Lucario, so I chose to add it in here. It's for noting that Lucario was planned to join the party a bit later, but because of other events happening at the time, I chose to have it join earlier.**


	77. Spoken at the Summit

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon and see the authors note for details.**

* * *

77\. Spoken at the Summit

Holly rapidly followed Kristine to another set of large buildings. As the buildings towered over everything, Holly realized they were the Celadon apartments.

She blinked.

How would the apartments make her stronger? As far as she knew, they had nothing important!

Yet Kristine had a focused look in her eyes. Clearly, there must've been something here. The disabled Trainer rapidly ran up a set of stairs, and Holly has no choice but to follow.

However, her eyes went wide as she as she realized something.

The stairs were wrapping around and heading towards the back of the apartment.

Holly would've cocked her head if she wasn't trying to stay balanced on the stairs.

Why were they heading to the back? There wasn't anything there…

But Kristine's mind seemed to be on a single track as she continued heading up the stairs. Holly used all her speed to keep up with the disabled Trainer, and find out where she was going.

However, Holly got her answer as she was suddenly blasted by outside air. She let out a gasp and glanced around wildly.

She rapidly registered that she was on a rooftop, and there was a small house in the center.

This time, Holly really did cock her head.

Why would someone have a house on top of a rooftop? And what could be there that Kristine really wanted her to see?

The disabled Trainer didn't answer Holly's questions, instead walking up to the house.

She immediately knocked on the door, and a male voice replied. "Come in."

Kristine obeyed, immediately opening the door to the house. Holly could see there was a man living there, and his eyes glimmered with recognition.

He glanced straight at Kristine. "You… It's been a long time…"

Kristine quickly nodded. "It has."

The man spoke again before Holly could introduce herself, again focusing on Kristine. "Do you need something from me?"

Kristine immediately shook her head, but then gestured to Holly. "No, but my friend would like one of your Pokémon."

Holly cocked her head.

What Pokémon did this person have that would cause Kristine to drag them all the way up here? It must've been something quite powerful!

Regardless, the man nodded. "Of course. Anything to help young Trainers grow."

With that, the man tossed a Poké Ball at Holly. She caught it easily, managing to blurt out. "Thank you!"

The man gruffly replied. "My pleasure."

Kristine added. "Thank you again, and take care."

With that, the two quickly left the house.

Once they were alone on the rooftop, Holly quickly blurted out. "Who was that?"

Kristine calmly replied. "A man who was a powerful Trainer in his youth. He lives on the rooftop to avoid publicity, but is willing to help out any Trainer can find him. I was wandering around Celadon when I stumbled across him one day. I found that he was a very kind man, and promised to return whenever I could."

Holly nodded, eyes wide in admiration.

Kristine helped out and knew so many people!

Perhaps that's why she was such a great Trainer!

Holly hoped that one day, she would be like that too!

But now Kristine was gesturing to the Poké Ball Holly held.

"Why don't you see what sort of Pokémon that man gave you?"

Holly nodded, and tossed the Poké Ball into the air.

Her eyes widened as a familiar creature appeared in a flash of light.

The Pokémon was looked like a small fox, and most of its body was brown. Holly could see the cream-colored end of a huge tail. The fur on its chest was also cream-colored, and reminded Holly of a collar. Large black and brown eyes gazed at the pair, equally large ears twitching back and forth.

Holly knew all too well what this Pokémon was.

Eevee.

Holy flashbacked to a time around the beginning of her journey.

The PC inventor Bill had raised several Eevee, but refused to give Holly any…

Did this man raise Eevee too?

Did he perhaps know Bill?

Is that how he knew Kristine?

Holly rapidly tore herself away from those thoughts to once again focus on her new Pokémon.

Eevee was a creature that could evolve into one of eight different kinds of Pokémon, possibly even more.

But which would Holly pick?

There was Vapereon, with control over water…

Jolteon, harnessing the power of lightning…

Flareon, and its beautiful flames…

Espeon, creature of the sun…

Umbreon, creature of the moon…

Leafeon, commanding the strength of the forest…

Glaceon, chilling foes with its ice…

And Sylveon, blessed with the power of the fairies…

Holly closed her eyes, deep in thought.

There were so many choices, and they were all very strong…

Right now, Holly needed strength…

She certainly couldn't take on Anabel and her followers the way she was…

So…

Was there something she lacked?

Some hole she needed to fill?

A weakness required to be destroyed?

Holly opened her eyes and narrowed them.

She knew there _was_ something she lacked.

She knew there _was_ a hole she needed to fill.

She knew what weakness she was required to destroy.

With that, Holly turned her gaze on Kristine.

"I want my Eevee to evolve into a Glaceon. It's the only Type I don't have yet. But Eevee only evolves into Glaceon if it's exposed to an Icy Rock… Where do I go to find one in Kanto?"

Kristine rapidly shook her head.

"You don't need to go anywhere."

Holly's eyes went wide as Kristine tossed an item.

The item was a light blue rock, and Holly gasped as she realized it was cold to the touch.

Holly blinked.

What was this item?

She had never seen anything like it!

Kristine rapidly replied.

"That's a Chilled Ore. It's from Johto. A lot of people find it difficult to evolve their Eevees into Glaceon there. So instead of taking them to the Icy Rock, Trainers use this instead."

Holly nodded.

Icy Rocks could be far away. That made sense.

With that, she dropped the Chilled Ore onto Eevee.

A bright white light surrounded the brown fox, and Holly looked away. She looked back when the light had cleared, and a new Pokémon stood in Eevee's place.

This Pokémon was mostly light blue, especially on its ears and tail. Some parts of its body were a dark blue-green, however. Those parts included the creature's paws, part of its tail, a spot on its body, and the inside of its ears. On its head was something that looked like a headdress, and the headdress draped down around both sides of the Pokémon's face. Most of the headdress was light blue, but the ends were darker. The Pokémon's eyes were the same color as some of the darker parts of its body.

Holly smiled.

This was Glaceon, the Ice Type evolution of Eevee, and a perfect addition to her party.

Kristine nodded approvingly.

"Would you like to switch out one of your other Pokémon for Glaceon?"

Holly beamed. "Yes!"

However, her face fell when she realized something.

"Who should I switch out? I don't have any other Ice Types…"

Kristine confidently responded. "Raichu. It will not be much use to you in the upcoming battles. Erika's Grass Type Pokémon resist Electric Types, and you now have other options to hit other Types she might send out. Glaceon, on the other hand, has an advantage over almost all Grass Types."

Holly nodded, recalling her new Pokémon.

With that, she tossed Kristine Raichu's Poké Ball, and placed Glaceon's on her belt.

Just as the two turned to leave, Holly eyes went wide.

"Oh, I just remembered there was one more Pokémon I need to evolve."

Kristine had a questioning look on her face as Holly beamed.

"Look what I got at the Game Corner, Kristine!"

With that, Holly tossed a Poké Ball into the air, and her Porygon appeared.

Holly expected Kristine to smile right back.

However, the disabled Trainer stiffened, and there was a pained look in her eyes.

"A… Porygon…"

Holly cocked her head, wondering what Kristine was saying.

However, she whispered words that made Holly's blood run cold.

"Levi…"

Holly's eyes went wide.

Kristine had spoken that name at the graves back in Lavender as well!

Apparently, Levi was a spirit that was angry at her…

But what else did that name mean?

Holly glanced at Kristine, waiting for an explanation.

But the disabled Trainer's eyes were distant, looking at something only she could see.

Holly blinked and waited.

Yet Kristine still didn't stir.

It was obvious seeing a Porygon affected her deeply.

But what could Holly do?

Should she snap Kristine out of it?

Let Kristine's mind wander?

Recall her Porygon?

Just walk away?

Lead Kristine away?

Holly might've not known what to do, but she did know she had to do something.

She wondered if Kristine would at least respond to her name.

So Holly decided to give it a try.

She shouted as loud as she could. "Kristine!"

The disabled Trainer's eyes went wide with shock as she looked straight at Holly.

However, they slightly relaxed as Kristine spoke again. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that the Pokémon just like Levi when I first got him."

Holly worked up the courage to ask. "Who's Levi?"

There was deep grief in the disabled Trainer's eyes, and Kristine's answer sent shivers down Holly's spine.

"Levi was my starter Pokémon. He was a Porygon-Z, the final form of the Pokémon that stands before you now."

Holly felt her face blanch.

Her mind instantly whisked her back to the past, and the voices from Vermillion's Fan Club played in her head.

" _That's not your real favorite Pokémon, is it?"_

" _Where is it? The one from all the stories we've heard? The one that you started your journey with?"_

" _Lavender… My Pokémon is in the town of Lavender…"_

Was _Levi_ the Pokémon that the Trainers had been talking about?

Was _Levi_ the reason why Kristine had been so upset?

Before she could stop herself, Holly immediately blurted out. "I'm sorry. I had no idea…"

Kristine shook her head, although her gaze still remained wracked with pain.

"No, you deserve to know."

The disabled Trainer began to speak again, and Holly noticed her grief was mixed with fondness.

"Levi was the first Pokémon ever owned, years before I even became a Trainer. When I was young, my family noticed that I had an intense interest in Pokémon. So they got me a Pokémon Egg, and told me to carry it around. Levi hatched from that Egg as a baby, and from that day forward, he was mine."

Holly's eyes were wide.

She had heard of Trainers raising Pokémon from infancy using Eggs, and that it was tough work.

To think that Kristine accomplished this feat before she even became a Trainer!

She _really did_ have a natural talent with Pokémon!

Holly couldn't help being cheerful and she responded.

"The times with Levi... They must've been incredible!"

Kristine nodded, smiling wide.

Holly could hear the disabled Trainer's voice become lost in reminiscence as she continued. "They were. Levi and I did everything together, to the point where he was almost always seen outside his Poké Ball. He quickly became by far my most powerful Pokémon, as we won everything from simple battles to entire Leagues. Most of the Pokémon I use now were ones he trained."

Forgetting the situation, Holly exclaimed.

"Wow, Levi sounds unstoppable!"

At this, Kristine's face fell, and she cringed in unimaginable pain.

Holly's face went pale again as Kristine spoke her next words.

"One of the most horrible things was finding out he wasn't."

Holly shuddered.

What would she hear now?

Holly managed to stammer.

"How… How did he die?"

Kristine let out a sigh, and a grave tone filled her voice.

"It happened in my early days as a vigilante. There were rumors of Team Rocket in Mahogany town in Johto. Naturally, no one could let that stand, so a bunch of other vigilantes and I went to investigate."

Holly blurted out. "Where the rumors true?"

Kristine nodded.

"They were. Team Rocket had made a hideout in the center of the city and filled it with traps. The vigilantes had decided that the best way to destroy Team Rocket was to destroy the hideout. So we all went in, confident that we could overwhelm them with numbers and strength."

Holly asked a question that she dreaded the answer to.

"So what happened?"

"The fighting was fierce, much fiercer than we had anticipated. Team Rocket was clearly prepared for any attacks. We vigilantes were quickly outnumbered and outgunned, but we were determined to fight to the last… No matter what, we were confident we could win. For the good of the city, and the world…"

The disabled Trainer took a deep shuddering breath, painfully squeezing her eyes shut. "As I mentioned before, the hideout was filled with many traps. One of them was an explosion trap, with Voltorb, a Pokémon notorious for explosions, among other things… Someone accidentally triggered that trap, without realizing what was going on... I was able to escape before it went off… Levi wasn't so lucky…"

The disabled Trainer let out a laugh, although Holly could tell it was only mockery. "I didn't even get chance to say goodbye. There wasn't even enough left to bury… Now the only thing I have left of Levi is an empty cold grave… It's all I'll ever have of him, now…"

Holly tried to keep her eyes going wide, but was unsuccessful.

She thought _her_ starter Pokémon's death was horrible, but at least she had something to bury!

Holly couldn't imagine Kristine having nothing to remember her brave Pokémon by, other than sorrowful, torturing, memories!

It seemed almost too much to bear!

The disabled Trainer's eyes suddenly became focused and narrowed.

Holly wasn't prepared for what she had to say next.

"The worst thing about it was Levi wasn't the only tragedy in that fight."

Holly couldn't help shaking.

What did Kristine mean?

Whatever it was, it couldn't be anything good.

Yet Kristine continued to keep her eyes narrowed and her voice grave as she spoke.

"Many of the vigilantes were injured. Some of them even died. Yet the League and the officers that came later only called us stupid kids… That we should stayed in safety while they fought the Rockets... _Never mind_ that we were fighting because the League didn't do much about the Rockets… We were trying to save the League from their own incompetence. We were fighting for the sake of the entire region, but the League didn't even acknowledge us…"

The disabled Trainer shook her head harshly. A new fury entered her voice as she spoke again.

"That's why I fight against all evil teams. Team Rocket destroyed Levi's life that day, and they destroyed the lives of several innocent Trainers. I will never forgive them. Never. I have to continue stop them, to ensure that what happened to Levi and those other vigilantes doesn't happen again.

Of course, I can't forgive the League either. People and Pokémon died, and they just swept it under the rug… Because they didn't want to admit their own complacency… That's why I cannot ally with them, even though I fight to protect them sometimes… In the end, I must expose all the wrongs they've committed, even if it comes to blood…"

Holly shuddered at the enraged passion in Kristine's voice.

Once again, Kristine's words took her back into the past.

" _I think I know. This is about that petty grudge you have… It's been many years, Kris. You need to move on."_

Holly clenched her fist.

Malva had said that when she was trying to convince Kristine to join that stupid resistance!

Couldn't the Elite Four member see that Kristine's grudge was anything but petty?

People and Pokémon had died in front of Kristine! Of course she would have a grudge!

Maybe Malva just didn't know the story behind the grudge…

But the Elite Four member had mentioned it, and Kristine had stated the League came later on.

So Malva must have known; she just didn't care!

Holly clenched her fists so tight they turned white.

Kristine was right!

The evil teams had to be destroyed at any cost, and the wrongdoings of the League had to be exposed!

For the sake of all those who had died, and protect all those still living!

A look of determination crossed Holly's face as she shouted. "I'm with you every step of the way!"

Kristine's eyes burned with fiery resolve and Holly could finally see a smile on the disabled Trainer's face.

"But in order to do that your Pokémon have to get stronger, right? You still have the Up-Grade from before, right? Would you like to evolve Porygon now?"

Holly nodded eagerly. "Yes!"

But before she could begin the process, a thought struck her.

Her face fell as she spoke. "Back when I was exiled from Celadon… I had just gotten Porygon when I already had a team of six... There wasn't any place to store it, so Porygon went with me… As far as I know, it is not legal to have more than six Pokémon with you except for special circumstances, like yours. So will I get in trouble if I use it now?"

Kristine rapidly shook her head.

"A Pokémon is not officially considered yours until you get a chance to switch it out with what you already have. This includes sending it to a PC. Since you never got the chance to do either, Porygon was not considered rightfully yours yet, even though it passed through your hands. However, once Inicinaroar died, you had an empty spot on your team. So from then on, Porygon was officially considered yours."

Holly cocked her head.

"That's such a weird rule…"

Kristine quickly replied. "It seems like it at first. But it was put in place so that Trainers who were in emergencies, rescuing other Pokémon, or just unable to switch out Pokémon in their PCs would not be prosecuted for having more than six. While it is rare for that type of situation happen, it does come up, as you found out."

A smile played on Kristine's face.

"This is how I'm getting away with Tulip not being registered by the League, even though a few people know of her existence. Tulip can't be sent to a PC or registered normally, for obvious reasons. So I'm allowed to have her and at least six other Pokémon without violating any rules, since the League doesn't recognize her as an official member of my team. Mainly, because they don't know she exists. Even if they knew and did want to register her, I doubt they could."

Holly nodded gratefully. "I see, and that makes sense."

Kristine's smile grew wider. "Now then, shall we?"

Holly rapidly nodded and walked over to Porygon. She grabbed the Up-Grade and held it out to her new Pokémon. Almost instinctively, Porygon took the item in its mouth.

Holly quickly recalled her Pokémon, and tossed the ball to Kristine.

Kristine responded by throwing the ball in the air, and a Pokémon emerged in bright white light.

However, it was a different Pokémon than what Holly had seen just moments before.

Where Porygon had been pink, this Pokémon was red. And while Porygon had jagged shapes, this Pokémon's body was rounded and smooth. The bottom of the Pokémon was blue, but it was a darker shade than what Porygon had been. The new creature's mouth was one long circular beak, and reminded Holly of a wingless bird. The only thing that was similar was the black eyes, observing all of its environment.

Holly beamed, and Kristine quickly spoke again.

"Porygon 2, a stronger form of Porygon, and a form that Levi took long ago."

Holly shuddered at the change in the disabled Trainer's tone.

There was no cheer that she had known before, or even the calmness that she was so familiar with.

Only solemn resignation.

Kristine recalled the Porygon 2 and tossed the Poké Ball to Holly.

Holly rapidly placed it back on her belt, and her eyes hardened.

Kristine had been struggling with her memories for a long time. Holly had to make sure nothing like that was ever repeated!

A resolute tone filled Holly's voice as she spoke.

"We can't let Levi's death have been in vain! We can't let _anyone's_ death have been in vain! We have to defeat the madness that is the evil teams and the League, so that what happened in Mahogany does not happen again!"

Resolve once again filled Kristine's eyes, and she responded.

"How right you are. But to do that you need to become stronger, yes?"

Holly nodded vigorously.

"I need to become so strong that no one can defeat me! Only then will our vision be realized!"

Kristine nodded, motioning towards the rest of the city. "What are we waiting for? Come on, I have more things to show you."

With that, the disabled Trainer darted down the stairs, and Holly rapidly ran to keep up.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Eevee being given as a gift on the rooftops of Celadon's apartments comes from the Kanto games. If the player heads to the back of Celadon's apartment buildings, they will find a house on a rooftop. Entering and speaking to the man there lets them receive Eevee as a gift. In the Let's Go games, since Eevee can be a player's starter, it is not given out as a gift in Celadon. If a player did not have Eevee as a starter or wants to obtain more, they can go to the grass near Fuchsia to find Eevee in the wild.**

 **-Interestingly, when I first did this chapter, I was asked if the man on the rooftop was Bill's father. I wasn't planning on giving more information about the man on the rooftop in this story, but I might use that concept in future ones.**

 **-Holly looking for an Icy Rock by not knowing where it is comes from the games. Glaceon is a Pokémon that evolves when its pre-evolved form (in this case, Eevee) is evolved around a certain place. However, the place where Eevee evolves into Glaceon, the Icy Rock, does not exist in the Kanto games. In the case of the original and the remakes, Glaceon didn't exist at the time. In the case of the Let's Go games, the Pokémon was not implemented at all. I will say that the Icy Rock and similar locations do exist in Kanto in the Traveler series, but they're all far away from where Holly is currently. So it did not make sense for her she to travel far away from where she was, story wise. Thus, the Chilled Ore was used.**

 **-The Chilled Ore is actually an item from a hack called Pokémon Sacred Gold, and its counterpart, Pokémon Storm Silver. These games are altered versions of the remakes of Johto games. They are much more difficult than the games that are based off of, but on the flipside, one can capture every Pokémon that existed at the time without the need for any other game (493 Pokémon in total). Furthermore, many Pokémon received new moves, new Typing, and better stats, in order to balance of the game and give the player more resources to deal with the higher difficulty.**

 **-One of the more significant changes involved Glaceon and Leafeon. In the original remakes, Eevee could not be evolved into Glaceon or Leafeon using those games alone despite those two evolutions existing. If the player wanted to use Glaceon or Leafeon in the Johto remakes, they had to trade their Eevee to one of the Sinnoh games (Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum), evolve it there, and then trade it back. Since Pokémon Sacred Gold and Storm Silver do not use trading, the Chilled Ore and a few similar items were implemented instead. The Chilled Ore is used just like an evolution stone, able to allow Eevee to instantly evolve into Glaceon. The whole scenario I just described is the reason why Kristine says many people find it difficult to evolve their Eevees into Glaceon in Johto. It's worth noting that the Icy Rock and similar items** _ **do**_ **exist in Johto, but since this story doesn't go through that region, there will not be seen here.**

 **-A final note is that Sacred Gold and Storm Silver have similar items for evolving Eevee to Espeon and Umbreon. However, there are currently no plans to implement these items into the Traveler series. The reason is that the games already have an official equivalent to these items (the Sun and Moon Shards, introduced and used exclusively in Pokémon XD), so there is no need to add any extra. If an official equivalent to the Chilled Ore and other items like it** _ **does**_ **eventually appear in the games at the time a chapter or stories written, from the official equivalent will replace the fan-made one. There will most likely be a reference that Trainers used to use the fan-made item, however.**

 **-So, Porygon finally evolves here, and a bit more information on Kristine's past. Originally, Porygon was going to evolve right after Holly got it at the Game Corner. However, I realized that evolving Porygon would be the perfect time to introduce Kristine's relationship with Levi, so I put it off until little bit later. Porygon (and its evolutions) was for a very long time my favorite Pokémon, and still is one of my favorites. Once I realized I had a chance to get Up-Grade to evolve it, I knew I had to have Holly get one. With her penchant for gambling, it made sense in the story as well. Porygon being one of my favorites is also why Kristine has a fully evolved one as her starter.**

 **-The Team Rocket hideout, the attack there, and the tragic consequences of the attack Kristine talks about are based on something from the games. Near the end of the Johto's first games' half, the player has to infiltrate a hidden Team Rocket in a small town called Mahogany. The Champion Lance figures things out beforehand, and asked the player to assist him with clearing out the hideout. He continues to assist the player during the dungeon, but eventually decides to remain on standby just for emergencies when he realizes they can handle themselves. He does, however, provide the player with useful information, items, and healing. Lance also chooses to fight alongside the player in the hideout's final Trainer battle in the remakes. The original** _ **also**_ **has Lance help out in said battle, although offscreen due to battles with partners not being implemented in the games at the time.**

 **Traveler's version of the events takes a look at what would happen** _ **if Lance never came**_ **(either due to not commencing his own attack before the player starts theirs, simply not figuring things out before the player, or otherwise). It also deconstructs what would** _ **really**_ **happen if a bunch of kids tried to attack the base of highly trained, organized, rule-breaking, and ruthless criminals.**

 **The anime goes into this a little bit, with Ash and his group trying to fight some of the Rockets that are attacking Mahogany. However, their Pokémon are quickly rendered helpless by the Rockets' technology. It looks as though the group will not only be defeated, but also seriously injured. Just before that seems to be the case, Lance appears and defeats the Rockets himself. Just like in the games, he wants to go after the Rockets that are in Mahogany and the surrounding areas. Ash asks to help as well, but Lance states it is too dangerous. Despite Ash's insistence, Lance continuously refuses to take him along, and leaves the group along. Ash is that he doesn't want to take no for an answer, and follows.**

 **Unfortunately, Lance's predictions turn out to be right. Lance is doing fairly well, getting information and disguising himself as a Rocket to avoid detection. However, Ash and his friends return to where Lance and the Rockets are, attacking the latter again. Lance is surprised that they've come back, wondering why, and thinking that Ash is crazy. Unfortunately, still disguised as a Team Rocket member, Lance can only helplessly watch as Ash and his friends are utterly defeated. After that, they are imprisoned, with Lance nowhere in sight. The group is still weakened from their previous encounter, but still manages to escape their cell. However, they are quickly cornered by members of Team Rocket. Luckily, Lance arrives at the prison and is able to help them escape by defeating the members. Several times after that, Ash continues to try and help out the Pokémon injured by Team Rocket attacks. However, he is almost hurt many times. Eventually, Lance ends up being the only one strong enough to stop Team Rocket and capture some of the Pokémon hurt by the Rockets. Since the anime has a lighter tone, there's no injuries or even permanent consequences for Ash's group.**

 **However, the Traveler series, being a more realistic and darker interpretation, shows no mercy.**

 **The result is a reckless action that leads to a lot of bloodshed, death, and pain, with consequences that never go away.**

 **-To add on to that, the explosion traps that Kristine mentions come from the game. The beginning of the hideout is littered with these traps. Stepping on these traps forces the player into fights with Geodude, Koffing, and Voltorb. All three have the ability to explode, and are at the level where they can use it freely. Explosion attacks do massive damage to any Pokémon that doesn't resist them, at the expense of the Pokémon using the explosion being unable to battle immediately afterward. Particularly noteworthy is Voltorb, which is faster than almost anything else the player has at that point (at least, without a massive level advantage in favor of the player). Therefore, it has a chance of getting an explosion off before the player can even attack, rendering them helpless as it tears their Pokémon apart. This is why Kristine specifically mentions Voltorb over the other available Pokémon.**

 **Combined with the fact that it's almost impossible to know which Pokémon will appear in the traps without a guide, it's not unlikely for the player to receive many casualties if they don't know what's coming (and sometimes, even if they do). It is possible for the player to skip the traps by taking a long way around, but that way is difficult to see, and the player take a roundabout path to find it. Furthermore, there is no hints that the option** _ **even exists,**_ **with the only way forward appearing to be through the traps. Therefore, the long way around is not mentioned in this story. With all of the above situations and issues the explosion traps can cause in the games, I thought it would be feasible that they could kill a Pokémon if the setting were darker. Thus, they were used as the specific cause of Levi's death.**

 **A lesser example appears near the end of the dungeon, where the player must battle Voltorb's evolved form Electrode. The Electrode know how to explode freely, and will not hesitate to do so. Unlike the fights with the pre-evolution, the battles are mandatory. Furthermore, Electrode is stronger, faster, and at a higher level than the Voltorb. This makes the fights** _ **much**_ **more dangerous, and the player is even more likely to be dealing with a lot of casualties when the fights are done. This was also inspiration for Levi's death and the explosions being so potent.**

 **-The idea of Pokémon not being officially the player's until they get a chance switched that was what they currently have is based on something from the games. Starting with Pokémon Sun and Moon, the games give the player the option to switch out any newly caught Pokémon with their party. Until they chose what to do, they couldn't do anything with the new catch other than view stats. However, for that brief moment, the player can have seven Pokémon with them. Even if the player has a full party, they will still be presented with the option to switch someone out for their new catch,** _ **as if the new catch was already part of their party.**_ **Story wise, it's not known why or how the Alola games are able to do this when every other game simply had a seventh Pokémon go to the player's box automatically (both in game and in story, as demonstrated by the anime for the latter). So I came up with my own explanation for the mechanic.**

 **-However, a lesser known example appears earlier in Pokémon XD. In Pokémon XD, the player has to snag corrupted Pokémon from enemy trainers. Should the player succeed in snagging a Pokémon when they have a party of six, extra icons will appear on the party screen to symbolize any Shadow Pokémon caught. The extra Shadow Pokémon cannot be used in battle, and once the fight is over, they will be sent to a player's PC just like a normal catch.**


	78. What Was Learned

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

78\. What Was Learned

As soon as they reached the center of the city, Kristine stopped rapidly.

Holly cocked her head. "What's wrong?"

Kristine calmly replied.

"Before you go to the next place, you need to get your fire back."

Holly cocked her head. "My fire?"

Kristine nodded. "You know, Growlithe."

Holly cringed, clenching her fist.

She loved her fire, and she wanted Growlithe's power…

But to accept Growlithe meant that she was giving up everything she had done with Incinaroar…

Holly backed up a bit, still cringing.

Could she really do this?

All of sudden, Kristine spoke again.

"I know how you feel. You don't want to lose what you have left of Incinaroar. But the truth is, a dead Pokémon will not help you get stronger. And right now, you need to be as strong as you can get. Besides, Incinaroar may be gone, but your bond is still remains. Perhaps that's why it hurts so much right now."

Holly closed her eyes.

Kristine knew more than anyone else what it felt like to lose a Pokémon…

She had lost several her own Pokémon…

And that she had probably seen many others' die…

Yet still she kept going.

She used her grief to become one of the strongest Trainers in existence.

If Holly wanted to achieve her dream, then she had to become like Kristine.

And this was the first step towards doing that.

Holly opened her eyes, nodding.

"You're right, Kristine. I'll put Growlithe in my party. But I don't know who to switch out…"

Kristine confidently responded. "Switch out Exeggutor. A lot of the coming Pokémon can resist its attacks, if it's not outright weak to them."

Holly nodded again, exchanging Exeggutor's Poké Ball for Growlithe's Ultra Ball.

Kristine wasted no time. "Let's make haste."

With that, the disabled Trainer dashed off again.

Holly was quick to follow, but couldn't help stopping and staring when she realized where Kristine was going.

A large building towered before the pair, and Holly could see several floors. People scurried in out, bags of items in their hands. Luckily, they didn't seem to pay too much attention to Kristine or Holly.

Yet those people told Holly everything she needed to know.

This was Celadon Department Store, the biggest shopping mall in all of Kanto.

But why was Kristine stopping here? Now was hardly the time to go shopping!

The disabled Trainer did not answer Holly's silent question as she walked into the building.

Many people dashed about, the rhythm of shopping carts filling Holly's ears.

More customers with items ran around, and miraculously, none of them banged into her.

Holly could hear the jingle of the store's music, repetitive and grinding.

People at desks gave a friendly wave, directing the constant swarms of shoppers.

Yet Kristine strode past everything.

Instead, she walked into the elevator and quickly pressed the button.

Holly heard the elevator's drone, and registered that they were headed to the fourth floor.

She cocked her head.

The fourth floor was called Wiseman Gifts, because of the many rare items one could buy there.

But why was Kristine interested in going there?

She already had a lot of rare items…

Didn't she have everything she needed?

Kristine gave no indication of her motives as she stepped off the elevator.

Instead, she headed straight to the one of the desks where the items were being sold.

Holly's eyes were wide as she noticed one of the items in the glass window.

It was a stone, and it was gold. However, Holly could see there was a design that looked like a flame in the middle. The flame blazed with its own yellow and red, seeming as if it would come alive at any moment.

Holly knew what this was like she knew her own name.

A Fire Stone.

Something used to evolve several Fire Type Pokémon.

Like Growlithe.

Kristine had mentioned Holly getting her fire back…

So she must have wanted her to evolve Growlithe…

But how was Holly going to get the stone?

She had no money because of the Game Corner fiasco…

As if on cue, Holly felt something being slipped into her supplies.

She quickly took a look at them, and her eyes were wide.

There, sitting in her supplies, was money.

Holly wasn't sure how much money there was, but she suspected there was at least as much as she had before.

Holly blinked.

Obviously, Kristine wanted Holly to buy the Fire Stone.

But why would she give her extra money to do so?

Wouldn't it be simpler for the disabled Trainer just to buy it herself?

And maybe have Holly get the money later?

Yet before Holly could thank Kristine or ask about her intentions, the disabled Trainer spoke quietly. "I didn't want you to continue suffering because of one little mistake. Your starter Pokémon died protecting you, so there's no need for you to suffer anymore. Hopefully the others will realize that."

Holly nodded.

Although she doubted that would be the case, she could still have hope.

Kristine spoke again. "You know what to do."

Holly nodded again, resolve filling her eyes.

She walked up to the desk and looked up at the receptionist.

A conversation took place between them, but Holly couldn't really remember what it was.

The only thing she could recall was the Fire Stone being placed her hand.

Still holding the Fire Stone, Holly plucked Growlithe's Ultra Ball from her belt with her free hand.

Yet before Holly could call out her Pokémon, Kristine lay her own hand on Holly's shoulder.

"Not yet, Holly."

Holly cocked her head.

"Huh, why?"

Kristine made another motion.

"Come and see."

Holly did not protest as Kristine led her over to the elevator again.

This time, Holly registered that they were going to the fifth floor of the department store.

She cocked her head.

Why were they headed to the fifth floor?

There was nothing but vending machines!

Yet Kristine scanned the area, eyes searching restlessly.

After a while, she seemed to find what she was looking for, as a smile spread onto her face.

Kristine then calmly walked over to a table by the vending machines, and Holly quickly followed.

However, her face fell when she noticed who was at the table.

It was a girl who looked so young it was as though she was barely a Trainer. She didn't seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation, instead looking up with innocent eyes.

Holly cocked her head.

How was an inexperienced, naïve, childish girl supposed to help her get stronger?

Holly couldn't resist blurting out. "Kristine, who is this?"

Yet rather than pay attention Holly's response, Kristine looked straight at the girl.

"Why don't you introduce yourself?"

The girl beamed at the pair as she enthusiastically responded.

"Hi, I'm the Reminder Girl! I know every move Pokémon can learn when they are leveling up, and I can teach them those moves!"

Holly swore her jaw was going to hit the floor.

To remember every move that Pokémon learned when leveling up…

That was simply amazing!

She wondered what type of memory the girl needed to have to do her work, and only wished she had her power!

That must've been why Kristine brought her here!

To have her Pokémon get taught powerful moves!

Holly grinned again as she faced the girl.

"That's so cool! How much do I need to pay you to teach my Pokémon a move?"

The little girl responded with her own grin.

"I take Heart Scales as payment. One Heart Scale per move, please."

Holly's eyes went wide.

She didn't own any Heart Scales! They were rare items! Where would she get one?

Kristine must've noticed Holly's distress, because she rapidly spoke through thought.

" _Check your supplies, Holly."_

Holly nodded, and did as she was told.

Her eyes went wide again as she registered something different.

Shining brightly among all her other supplies was a bunch of scales.

They were in the shape of hearts, and Holly could see all the colors of the rainbow on them.

Holly could not prevent her eyes from continuing to remain wide.

These were Heart Scales! Kristine really did want her to come here!

But one more question rattled in Holly's head. _"What should I use these on?"_

Kristine wisely replied. _"Tell the Reminder Girl to teach your Growilithe Crunch and Outrage. After that, evolve it. Once that's done, send out Poipole and have it learn Dragon Pulse."_

Holly nodded, tossing Growlithe's Ultra Ball into the air. The Fire Type Pokémon appeared in a flash of bright white light, glancing around curiously.

Holly looked up at the Reminder Girl, tossing her two Heart Scales.

"Please teach my Growlithe Crunch and Outrage."

The Reminder Girl responded cheerfully. "No problem!"

With that, she gestured for Growlithe to come closer, and the Pokémon obeyed.

What happened next something Holly could only describe as bizarre.

The Reminder Girl spoke quietly to Growlithe, so quiet that Holly could not pick up a word of what she said.

Her Pokémon seemed to understand, though, as it responded with a series of barks and movements.

Holly cocked her head.

They were clearly having a conversation of some sort, but Holly had no way of knowing what they were saying.

What did this have to do with remembering moves?

Was it a spell of some sort, with some secret incantation almost no one knew about?

If that was the case, why didn't the girl at least mention that she could use magic?

However, Holly's attention was drawn back to the Reminder Girl as the conversation suddenly stopped. She wore another euphoric grin, gleefully exclaiming.

"Okay, we're done!"

Holly's eyes went wide.

"You're done already?"

The Reminder Girl nodded.

"Yep! It was a success!"

Holly cocked her head, mind racing with protests.

How did she know what the Reminder Girl said was true?

Holly opened her to speak, the Kristine responded through thought.

"I can tell, Holly. Pokémon that have had moves learned via a Move Reminder feel different to me."

Holly wondered where this power came from, and imagined it was something Tulip helped Kristine with.

After all, if Pokémon learned moves through people like the Reminder Girl, then Kristine would probably be sensitive to it.

Regardless, Kristine spoke again.

"Use the Fire Stone now, Holly."

Holly nodded. "Right."

With that, she took her Fire Stone and tossed it at Growlithe.

A blindingly bright light filled the room and Holly looked away.

She looked back in a couple minutes with a smile on her face.

Before her was Prince.

Before her was Azure's Pokémon.

Before her was a majestic canine, with black stripes and orange fur blazing like fire.

Before her was Aracanine.

Holly beamed.

With the Pokémon like that, she would surely defeat any enemy!

Holly noticed the Reminder Girl was also beaming as Holly recalled her Pokémon.

"Congratulations!" The young girl chirped cheerfully.

"Thank you!" Holly kept her smile as she replied.

The smile faded a bit as she spoke again. "Hey, do you think you could teach a move to my Poipole? It needs to learn Dragon Pulse."

The Reminder Girl's eyes brightened. "Absolutely!"

With that, Holly tossed Poipole's Poké Ball into the air.

Poipole emerged, having the same docile gaze in its eyes. It also had a playful gleam, floating over to the Reminder Girl.

The Reminder Girl seemed unperturbed by the Ultra Beast, laughing and smiling as it drew nearer.

Perhaps she had seen one before. Or maybe she had seen so many Pokémon that nothing disturbed her.

Regardless, the Reminder Girl initiated the same conversation that she had with Holly's previous Pokémon. Poipole responded in a similar manner, although Holly wasn't entirely sure about the type of sound it was making. She supposed she could call them chirps, but she was sure Poipole wasn't a bird.

Just like before, the Reminder Girl eventually flashed another grin.

"All set."

Holly nodded, but also cocked her head.

Did this Reminder Girl really teach the move to the foreign Pokémon Poipole?

Holly needed proof.

And that's when Kristine spoke up again. "Now, take this, and give it to Poipole. Then you will know if the move learning has been successful."

Before Holly could ask anything more, Kristine tossed something into her hand.

Holly's eyes were wide upon examining the item.

It was a candy wrapped in a light blue wrapper.

But Holly knew this wasn't just _any_ candy.

It was called a Rare Candy, used to make a Pokémon become stronger instantly. While it couldn't create powerful fighters on its own, the items helped immensely with training.

And now Holly was finally about to use one.

She beckoned Poipole over and unwrapped the candy.

Holly held the sweet out to the little Pokémon. Rapidly, Poipole took the candy and greedily stuffed it into its mouth. Holly didn't even think that it took the time to chew before the candy was gone.

And then bright white light surrounded Holly's Pokémon. Holly let out a gasp and looked away.

When she looked back, Poipole had changed.

The creature that stood where Poipole had been was almost unrecognizable. It was purple, but the similarities ended there. The creature had large wings with some red in them. It still had Poipole's blue eyes, but they were narrowed. Red claws stuck out from long purple arms, and Holly could see white stingers everywhere. A particularly long once served as a tail. There was a large round part of its body that had darker purple stripes, along with some reddish pink rings at the end.

Kristine smiled triumphantly.

"This is Naganadel, the evolved form of Poipole. It only evolves after getting stronger after learning Dragon Pulse. And it can only learn Dragon Pulse through a Move Reminder."

Holly beamed back. "Thank you, Kristine!"

Kristine replied warmly. "You're welcome, that's not just me should thank."

Kristine gestured to the Reminder Girl, who was fixing the pair with a wide grin.

"Congratulations again!"

Holly quickly replied. "Thank you, and thank you again for all your help!"

The Reminder Girl wasted no time responding. "No problem! Is there anything else you need?"

Holly rapidly responded. "No, I don't think there is."

The Reminder Girl kept up her cheeriness as she replied. "Well if you ever have a Pokémon that needs to remember a move, just swing by with some Heart Scales!"

Holly nodded with a smile on her face. "Will do!"

However, Holly's smile faded as soon as they left the building.

Kristine spoke again, a grave tone in her voice.

"We'd best return to the Pokémon Center. The others are waiting."

Holly nodded, her eyes becoming hard.

The Pokémon Center…

Where her mother and Anabel had been so dismissive of her plight…

Where she promised to make everyone pay…

Hopefully now, she had the strength to do that.

But as Holly and Kristine made it back to the Center, Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide.

She hadn't realized how many of the others there were.

Her mother Erika…

The betrayer Anabel…

The resistance leader Malva…

Alola Champion Kahili…

The famous psychic Molly Hale…

And her friend from Unova, Caitlin…

The wandering trainer Delia…

And then there were the pair of Elite Four Members Will and Karen…

The PC inventor, Bill…

The annoying trainer, Ivy…

And even a blonde haired woman that Holly did not recognize…

But despite the fact that there were so many different people, they all had one thing in common…

Each of them stared accusingly at Holly, gazes so cold they could rival ice…

Holly blinked.

What were this people doing here?

Were they going to hurl insults at Holly?

Or were they here to receive their punishment?

No matter.

Holly and Kristine would just take them all out at once!

But before Holly could make a move, her mother stepped forward.

Her tone was harsh as she spoke. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I got the money!" Holly snarled, thrusting into her mother's hands.

Erika glanced at it for a second, then shook her head.

"I can't accept the money. It's not yours; it's Kris's."

Holly's face twisted into a scowl.

Had her mother truly gone crazy?

Money was money!

Yet what her mother at that could let up as crazy as what happened when Anabel stepped up.

The betrayer's eyes were icy cold as she spoke.

"Kris has you completely under her thumb! Does not make that you uncomfortable, Holly?"

Holly could've lashed out and slapped her across the face. It took all of her strength not to as she screamed. "You've no idea what you're talking about, Anabel! I listen to Kris because she's the only authority worth trusting."

Kristine suddenly chimed in, the dangerously low tone of her voice the only thing betraying her tranquil fury. "And whose fault is that? Certainly not mine. You've all been mistreating Holly, mistreating me. And you blame everyone but yourselves. Despicable."

Kristine narrowed her eyes, focusing only on one person.

Her voice was full of stoic coldness. "Especially _you,_ Erika."

It was then that Holly's mother gave ground.

She flinched and stepped back, eyes wide.

And that's when Kristine struck.

Seeing the opening, the disabled Trainer seized her chance to round on Erika.

"Because of your cruel punishment, Holly lost her starter Pokémon, and her home. Is that not enough for you?"

Holly's mother did not answer, instead gritting her teeth.

Whether this was from fear or defiance, Holly did not know.

She decided it didn't matter, as Kristine continued. "Silent, are you? Very well. I will assume it is not enough. But maybe you haven't considered this. The fact that Holly could've been hurt during your cruel punishment. Or killed. What would you have done if either of those happened? Do you even care?"

Once again, there was no response.

Holly clenched her fist.

To think of her own mother cared so little about her!

Kristine took the opportunity to speak again. "Silent a second time. Then I'm assuming you don't care. Expected, considering what you did."

Kristine's voice turned into a snarl as she thrust the money at Erika. "Take the money, _or else."_

Holly nodded fiercely, narrowing her own eyes at the others.

Kristine would make all of the others pay! Holly was sure of it!

Anabel opened her mouth to object, but the disabled Trainer spoke before the betrayer could.

"You know me and my strength. I have enough power to defeat every Trainer in this room at once. Do not make me use that power. Furthermore, I know Kanto's current Champion personally. I'm sure the Champion wouldn't mind disgracing and demoting you, Erika, after finding out what happened."

Anabel yelled back, trembling with fury. "You monster! Making threats like this! How dare you call yourself a Trainer!"

Kristine kept her stoicism, not even betraying the slightest hint of rage.

"Silence, Anabel. Your opinion is not wanted here."

Anabel growled, but did not say anything.

Instead, Kristine turned to Erika.

"Well, what is your decision?"

It took Erika only a second to respond, as she quickly snatched the remaining money from Kristine's hands.

Holly nodded approvingly.

Whatever threats Kristine was making, she could clearly back them up.

And the others knew it.

This would be no problem at all.

Yet defiance blazed in Anabel's eyes.

The betrayer's voice boomed across the room as she shouted. "This all could have been avoided Holly, if you weren't such a selfish, ungrateful, little wretch!"

Holly stepped forward, eyes blazing.

If Anabel was trying to scare her, it certainly hadn't worked!

In fact, it only made Holly want to attack!

But before she could even make a move, Kristine focused her gaze on Anabel.

The disabled Trainer's next words made Holly's blood run cold.

"Now now, Anabel, is that the way to act when talking to your long-lost daughter?"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So the plot thickens! I have to say that the revelation at the end of the chapter was one of the reasons why this chapter was named what it was.**

 **But there are many other reasons, like the other information discovered in this chapter.**

 **-The Pokémon Mart in Celadon is exactly the same in most media as Holly describes it here. The fourth floor of this Pokémon Mart being called Wiseman Gifts is also based on the games. However, the floor is not all that when the player first arrives. Instead, they must read a sign telling them where to go in the Mart. After that, the sign tells them the name of the floors. As stated in the story, it is possible to buy evolution stones here. It's also one of the few places where one can buy these items like any other, and without fulfilling special conditions beforehand.**

 **-So the introduction of the Reminder Girl. This character is based on the games, but also presented a little bit differently from them. In the games, the Reminder Girl is part of a class of trainers known as Move Reminders. Starting in Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, these people appeared around the regions. As their name implies, Move Reminders can teach Pokémon any move that they have forgotten while leveling up. In later games, they can also teach Pokémon moves that they can learn while leveling up, but have not learned yet due to not reaching the level. Their service was also expanded to include Egg Moves, provided that the move was successfully passed down and part of the Pokémon's moveset at one time. Some moves can also be exclusively learned through Move Reminder. Different currencies other than money is used to pay them, although Heart Scales are most common.**

 **In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, the Move Reminder's services are expanded to also offer the service of linking moves together. Since special currency does not exist in the Mystery Dungeon games, the player pays the Move Reminder with regular money. There is a four move limit per Pokémon at once, however. If any move with the link is forgotten, then the link will be broken in the player must both relearn the move and link it again.**

 **-In the Traveler series, moves work a little differently, and Move Reminders do as well. In the games, Pokémon can only remember four moves at a time. Any new moves learned will replace older ones (although the player has an option not to learn a move if the Pokémon already knows four of them and is trying to learn a new one). Pokémon can learn new moves by leveling up, through TMs and other man-made means, breeding, some real-life events, and having Move Reminders switch out moves. Pokémon cannot know two of the same move, even if they have more than one chance to learn it. Furthermore, regardless of how a move is taught, the four move limit is always in place.**

 **In the Traveler series, the four move limit does not exist. The reason for this is that it would be difficult to write, with Pokémon seemingly forgetting and remembering moves for no discernible reason. Furthermore, in the games, players will sometimes raise several Pokémon of the same species in or to have them play different roles with their move sets (e.g. an attacker versus a supporter). However, with the Traveler series using live Pokémon, something like this simply isn't feasible for most of the characters.**

 **Instead, Pokémon can use as many moves as they like, provided the move has been acquired at some point (such as using some of the methods above), and is something the Pokémon can actually learn (e.g. part of a natural move set in the games). The idea Pokémon only knowing four moves does exist in some form, however.**

 **Instead of being restricted to only four moves, Pokémon can have only four moves** _ **set.**_ **Setting moves is seen in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. In this series, the player can set moves to be used exclusively upon entering the dungeon, or modify moves in certain ways. In this story, setting moves is like a shortcut or speed dial on a phone. Set moves can be used faster and easier, among other things. Although set moves are seen to an extent in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, they actually got their inspiration from other game series.**

 **Other game series handle moves a bit differently from Pokémon. One such example is called the Tales series. In this series, characters learn moves by leveling up or completing other tasks. Characters controlled by the computer can use any of their moves, but it works a little bit differently for the player. Player controlled characters must set moves to the different buttons on the controller in order to use them. Typically, the player is limited to four moves, although some games in the series allow more. Once the player character has set a move to a controller button, the player can use the move in battle by pressing that button. The player can switch moves out at any time, although there is no way to increase or get rid of move limits.**

 **-Thus, Move Reminders in the Traveler series can switch a Pokémon's set moves, in addition to helping Pokémon remember moves, and linking those moves together. Since special currency exists, they take the currency for each service. There are also currently other services being considered, but it is unknown if they will be implemented. However, what is known is that set moves and linking moves will not be seen in this story. This is because of two reasons. The first is because Move Reminders themselves will not be seen past this chapter, with Holly only needing them to remember moves here. The second reason is that the concept of set moves and linking moves for Move Reminders was not thought of until much later on, after most chapters of the story had already been written.**

 **-There is also a slight difference with the Move Reminder in the story as compared the Move Reminder in the games. That differences is her location. In the original Kanto games, Move Reminders were not yet implemented. Therefore, there was no service for remembering forgotten moves. In the remakes, a Move Reminder was added, but on a place called Sevii Islands. Sevii Islands is a separate area from Kanto, and a place that Holly will not be visiting. In the Pokémon Let's Go games, the Move Reminder was finally added to Kanto, due to the Sevii Islands not being in these games. However, the Move Reminder was only available to the player at the Pokémon League. The Let's Go games were unreleased at the time of this chapter, so Traveler acts like there is no Move Reminder in Kanto. Furthermore, even if the games were released, the Move Reminder would probably be changing location anyway. It doesn't make sense for Holly to wait until the Pokémon League to have her Pokémon learn a few moves to evolve.**

 **-The location of the Move Reminder and her being a little girl is inspired by something in the games. On Celadon City's rooftop, a little girl will give the player powerful TMs if they bring her different drinks from vending machines. That girl is stated to be a Trainer, despite her age and immaturity. Considering the moves she gives out, she could very well be a strong one. Given the little girl's background and the fact that some of the Move Reminders in the other series are young girls, it made sense to have the young girl by the vending machine be the Move Reminder here. The way the Reminder Girl introduces herself in the story is a direct quote from when she does the same in the games.**

 **-The moves Growlithe and Poipole learn here are based on the games. In Growlithe's case, Crunch and Outrage are two of the moves it can learn via leveling up normally. However, it cannot learn those moves after it evolves, even if a Move Reminder is used. Furthermore, unless the moves have been passed down through breeding, Growlithe will learn them very late. I knew Holly's Pokémon probably were not at the level in the RP to naturally learn the moves, so I had the Move Reminder speed things up.**

 **In Poipole's case, Dragon Pulse can only be learned via Move Reminder. Furthermore, Poipole needs to learn this move to evolve into Naganadel. Complicating matters is that there are no hints that Poipole can learn the move. Furthermore, since most of the legendary Pokémon cannot evolve, there's no reason to think that Poipole is able to. Since its evolution method is almost completely hidden, it's entirely possible for a player to go around with an empty spot in their Pokédex without having any idea how to obtain the missing Pokémon. The only indicator that Poipole can evolve is that Ultra Beasts have a certain specific stat spread. Players looking at Poipole's stats will notice that they are much lower than a typical Ultra Beast's. Its evolved form, on the other hand has stats on par with the other Ultra Beasts. However, this indicator is extremely subtle and easily missed. All of this makes Naganadel extremely difficult to obtain, at least without using a guide.**

 **-So the Reminder Girl has an odd way of teaching Pokémon moves. This comes from the games, or rather, the lack of explanation. In the games, the Pokémon simply learns the move out of nowhere after the player picks which move to learn. Since I was effectively, novelizing this concept in the games, I realize I couldn't just leave it at that. However, I was unsure if I wanted the Reminder Girl to demonstrate the move in front of the Pokémon, simply tell them about to trigger their memories somehow, or use some sort of magic spell. In the end, I decided it didn't matter much, because Holly isn't really inclined to supernatural powers, and thus wouldn't really understand what was going on no matter what. So I went with the second option because it was easiest to write. However, the Move Reminder's methods will most likely be elaborated on in future books (and maybe even changed completely), especially since the future books will probably have some people that do understand supernatural powers a bit better.**

 **-The Rare Candy's description and effect comes from the games. The comment about it not making Pokémon stronger on its own has to do with the way stats are calculated. Every time an opponent is defeated in battle, the Pokémon doing the fighting will earn points. If enough of these points are collected, stats will increase. Since using a Rare Candy does not involve battling, Pokémon will level up, but will not gain any points or extra stat increases. Therefore, Pokémon leveled up just through Rare Candies will be weaker than those who have been leveled up through battle or other types of training. However, the higher-leveled a Pokémon is, the more difficult it is to gain more levels. Therefore, until very recently, it was recommended to save one's Rare Candies until Pokémon were high leveled. At that point, most of them would've gained all the extra points and stats that they could, but have difficulty becoming stronger otherwise. Using Rare Candies circumvents the difficulty at the higher levels, while also offering no drawbacks at that point. This is also why Holly mentions they are good for training.**

 **-Interestingly, the conversation near the end of the chapter went quite differently in the early drafts of the story, although the basic concept remains the same. Originally, Holly's character was going to go to completely different direction, and Kristine's along with it. However, as the plot and story evolved, the characters changed, and so did the conversation surrounded them. I will say that some of the original ideas eventually went to someone else's back story, so they are still around in some form. However, that will be explained much later on.**

 **-In the original draft, Holly was still gambling away all her money, and Kristine still convinced Anabel to let her go to the Game Corner before that. However, Kristine never knew about Holly's gambling vices, due to never being told directly. Thus, when she finds out she is horrified and guilty. It's worth noting that Erika's relationship with Holly and vice versa was better in the original draft, so she's not nearly as angry as she is in the final story when she gives the exile punishment. While she still is angry, she also does it with the intent of protecting Holly from gambling, and hoping to see the consequences of her actions. However, as Holly's character and back story evolved, the relationship became sour. In the original version, Kristine finds out about the punishment, but is too late. Feeling immensely guilty and realizing Holly can't feasibly make enough money to reverse the punishment, Kristine heads off to make some of it herself.**

 **Eventually, Holly's starter dies, just like in this story, and Kristine returns with the money. However, Erika is horrified by what happened, realizing that she said the punishment in anger without really considering the consequences. In that regard, it made her no better than Holly. As a result, losing Holly starter** _ **is**_ **considered the punishment, and the previous one is lifted completely. It's also annoying that at this point Holly is truly trying to become a better person, and Erika can see that she has genuine regret over her actions.**

 **Soon after the decision is made, Kristine heads in, exhausted and with the money. However, the others chastise her, realizing that Kristine is misguided and effectively doing everything probably. Instead of having the genuine desire to protect her, she's only making her dependent and spoiled. It's also worth noting that in the original version, Kristine's alliance with much clearer and her desire to protect was also more enunciated. However, she goes about doing it in the wrong ways, making her compound the problem rather than fixing it.**

 **Another thing that comes up is the idea of Kristine dying while she was battling if any of the assailants had come after her instead, and that effectively dying a martyr was stupid. In the original version, Kahili also was the one that finds Holly gambling in the original version, rather than Erika. However, Erika still instituted the punishment somehow. It was also plan to have Kahili take away Holly's Mega Ring at some point, stating that only real Trainers could have that power, and that Holly wasn't one. However, this didn't fit with the current plot, and Holly needed Mega Evolution to get strong enough to face future battles. Therefore, that idea was not used.**

 **Taking away Holly's badges and having earn them back was also considered. However, I realize this would be a lot of extra writing and backtracking. It was something that the RP format just did not allow for, and would be tedious and difficult to implement even in a regular story. Therefore, that part was completely taken out. In the original version as well, Kahili would have reluctantly taught Holly how to golf, in hopes of teaching her a healthy habit to get rid of the gambling addiction. Holly's athleticism in her original RP traits comes from having this scene in mind. However, since Holly's character changed and the scene was scrapped, it became just a passing reference. However, the decision to have Kahili be present for this and some future scenes was a holdover from the original draft. One thing that did still remain was the twist at the end, and Kristine specifically being the one to figure it out. However, the line was written as Kristine hoping that Anabel would be more forgiving towards her daughter, rather than using it as a threat. Otherwise, the twist was the same.**

 **-There are several more major changes like this scattered around the story. Most of them started with Celadon, since I thought of that almost before anything else. I'll be mentioning the major changes as they come up, as well as for general reasons why I made those changes. The specific reason overall why I made all those changes will be explained in the notes of a much later chapter, however.**


	79. Binding Ties

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

79\. Binding Ties

The silence was finally broken as a collective gasp echoed around the room.

Holly's jaw dropped, and she swore was going to hit the ground.

Anabel the betrayer was her _mother?_

That just _couldn't_ be!

She shouted desperately. "Kris, what are you talking about?"

Anabel screeched. "You're crazy, Kris!"

Kris shook her head. "No, I'm not crazy. I'm just telling the truth."

Holly could hear her voice rising in pitch as she echoed. "Telling the truth?"

"What twisted truth would that be?" Anabel snarled.

Holly clenched her fist.

Regardless of the situation, the betrayer should know that Kristine could lash out at that insult! And now that the disabled Trainer was angry, who knew what she would do?

But if Kristine was bothered by what Anabel had said, she gave no indication.

Instead, the disabled Trainer remained eerily calm.

An icy tone filled her voice as she stated. "Allow me to explain."

A chill ran down Holly's spine.

What did Kristine know that they didn't?

The disabled Trainer took a deep breath and begin. "Anabel, around the time you thought of having me take over the study, shortly before I joined you and Holly, you told me the story of how you had come from a place called the Battle Frontier. After that, you explained that you knew someone named Holly while you were there, and that was part of the reason why you decided to travel with us."

Holly's eyes went wide.

 _Of course_ Anabel would tell Kristine everything that happened before she joined!

But what did that have to do with what was going on now?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as Kristine continued speaking.

"I found that a bit suspicious, Anabel. How could you knowing a Holly at the Battle Frontier trigger such strong emotions that you decided to travel with this one? And that was after you found out she was very much an ordinary Trainer, and that she had already made several mistakes. One of which are you nearly arrested her for."

Kristine shook her head. "Why, Anabel? Why give a Trainer like that a chance, when you most likely would've shut down so many others?"

Anabel were blazing with fury as she shouted. "I just wanted a part of my old life back! If I could travel with someone that resembled the person I knew, that would be enough!"

Kristine showed no sympathy, only responding with a cold stoicism. "Have you ever considered that Holly _is_ your old life? That she is the person you knew? That the person you remember and the one that stands before you now are the same?"

Anabel's face went pale, as if the betrayer couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"No… I-I-I never considered it…"

Holly threw up her hands. "What does this have to do with Anabel being my mother?"

Kristine kept her stoic face as she turned to Holly. "It has to do with everything, Holly, because that was just the start. After Anabel explained how you resembled someone at the Frontier, she told me something interesting. She said that you had the power to sense the pain of Pokémon, and that she herself possessed the same ability. Again I grew suspicious, and wondered if there was some sort of relationship between you two."

Now Anabel threw up her hands. The betrayer screamed.

"Couldn't that just be a coincidence?"

Kristine coldly shook her head again. "Abilities like yours and Holly's are very rare. Most people have an inclination toward supernatural powers, or the ability is the result of genetics. I don't know your situation, Anabel, but I know Holly has never gravitated towards supernatural powers. So her ability had to be inherited. And since you have the exact same one, I had a feeling you were the missing connection."

The betrayer quickly snarled. "But it could have easily been someone else!"

Kristine wasted no time countering. "Could it have been? With us traveling together, meeting countless people, and you and Holly are the only ones we've seen with the ability to sense Pokémon's pain? And the fact that I haven't seen any other people with your abilities on my travels? Don't you think that's a bit much to be pure coincidence?"

This time, Anabel's face turned pale again, and she stepped back.

The betrayer merely stammered. "I…I…I… It isn't…"

Holly felt her own face go pale.

Anabel was normally so confident, yet now she couldn't even finish a sentence!

Was that more proof that what Kristine was saying was true?

Holly quickly noticed that Kristine's gaze pierced the room, and the disabled Trainer's eyes bore into Anabel's.

"Need more answers? You saw one right in front of you. Or rather, you heard it."

Holly's eyes went wide.

What did Kristine mean?

She most certainly didn't hear anything, and she doubted Anabel did either!

"That song in Vermillion… The one you sang as a lullaby… Holly mentioned that she recognized it… And that was when I became certain... But I didn't get the chance to tell you until now."

Holly felt her throat go dry as she tried to speak. A question formed in her mind, but each word died on her lips.

Eventually, she was able to choke out the words. "How…"

Kristine replied. "You gave me all the information I needed, Holly. You said you recognized that song Anabel sang in Vermillion. But Anabel explained it was an old song from Hoenn. As far as everyone knows, Holly, you've never been to Hoenn, and have no interest in old music there. So there's no way you could recognize that song, unless you grew up there at one point."

Anabel suddenly regained her composure, screeching.

"Holly could've grown up with someone else!"

Kristine replied without any emotion.

"There are many people in Hoenn, in no one has stepped up to claim Holly as their daughter. No one has even said they're looking for her. Then you, Anabel, come in with all these similarities, and the same Ultra Wormhole energy that she has. Pure chance? I think not?"

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

Back in Vermillion, it had become clear that Kristine knew something they didn't, and that it involved Holly.

But still, she never imagined it would be this!

The names…

The power…

The song…

The energy…

To think that they were all connected…

Holly had never realized it before…

And now it made sense…

But still, it was so hard to believe…

And apparently she wasn't the only one who felt that way.

The light of desperation burned in Anabel's eyes and the betrayer choked out.

"This… this can't be true! Show… show… me concrete proof!"

Kristine seem unperturbed by Anabel's words.

Instead, she kept her eyes narrowed and spoke with a cold calmness.

"You carrying some proof right with you. That precious Torchic doll."

"What?" Anabel yelled.

Holly's eyes went wide.

 _Of course_ there was the Torchic doll!

Holly flashbacked to when she was finding hidden items on the routes.

Kristine had adopted the look of suspicion when she saw the doll…

Was it because it had confirmed her theory?

Holly figured she would get her answer as the disabled Trainer spoke again.

"Torchic is a Pokémon that's popular in Hoenn. And the doll is especially so among young girls and Fire Type enthusiasts. However, Anabel, you're well past the age where someone would own that, and you don't seem to be affiliated with Fire Types. So there must've been some other reason why you owned it."

"No!" A single shout left Anabel's lips, and the betrayer's eyes were as big as saucers.

Holly guessed that Anabel didn't want Kristine revealing whatever secrets there were behind the doll.

But the disabled Trainer held no sympathy as she spoke.

"Holly _is_ in the typical age range, and she loves Fire Types. Combining that with the fact that Holly recognized the lullaby in Vermillion, I knew she was from Hoenn. So Anabel, you must have bought that for your daughter. Your daughter, Holly."

Anabel did not say anything, instead grimacing painfully.

The betrayer's face was now pale, and she backed away slowly.

Holly blinked, still aghast.

To think that Kristine gleaned all this information from just looking at a doll!

How much other information had the disabled Trainer found out without the others knowing?

How many other people had underestimated her capacities? And how many times that she used that to her advantage?

Holly wondered if she would find out as Kristine once again focused on Anabel.

"But Anabel, you and your daughter were separated from each other. So I wondered why would still have the doll. But then you said it gave you hope... And I knew I had my answer."

Kristine suddenly took an intimidating step forward, staring almost right into Anabel's eyes.

"You wanted one last, faded, memento of your daughter… And you'd cling to even a sliver of hope that you'd find your daughter again…"

The room was suddenly filled with a deafening scream, and Holly recognized the voice as Anabel's.

The betrayer was even paler now, and she screeched at the top of her lungs.

"Please stop, Kris!"

Yet Kristine didn't look like she was going to comply.

She opened her mouth to speak again, but was stopped by the sound of another voice.

"Enough!"

Holly nearly jumped out of her skin.

She had forgotten there were other people in the room!

But she could not easily forget the sound of footsteps approaching where Anabel and Kristine were.

Or the blazing fury in Will's eyes, the Elite Four member looking like he could burn up the entire room.

He held a Poké Ball in his hand, tossing it into the air.

A creature appeared in bright white light, and Holly took a moment to study it.

The creature was a green bird, and it looked a lot like Jake. Holly assume that this was Jake's evolved form, and remembered that Kristine had mentioned that Pokémon species before. It was easy to see the similarities in its observant black eyes. The Pokémon had some white that draped over it, and the white had black and red at the bottom. It also had some red and yellow designs on it. Holly could see a pattern that looked like red eyes, along with another design with black and yellow stripes. The bird had red feet, and red feathers on its head. Finally, Holly noticed a sharp yellow beak.

She quickly recalled that Kristine had called the Pokémon Xatu.

And if Will had it, then was a powerful Psychic Type. Yet, this was hardly the place to battle.

What was Will planning to do with it?

The Elite Four member coldly commanded. "Xatu, use your power to see the pasts of Holly and Anabel."

Almost immediately, Karen chimed in frantically. "Will, you can't do that unauthorized!"

Will shook his head and clenched his fist.

Holly wondered how much it pained him to give the order he just had.

Obviously, the Elite Four member was taking some sort of risk…

But what, and would be worth it?

Will spoke again, no regrets in his voice. "I know, Karen. But desperate times call for desperate measures!"

He nodded to his Pokémon.

"Do it, Xatu!"

Psychic power orbited around Will's Pokémon, and eerily stared at the pair. Holly wanted to shrink away, but somehow felt she couldn't.

Before she could ponder the situation too much, something changed.

Xatu suddenly radiated psychic power stronger than what Holly had ever seen. The light almost hurt her eyes, but she had no time to close them. Instead, Holly let out a gasp as the psychic power surrounded her and Anabel.

And then, a terrifying sensation followed.

It was something like hands, even though Holly knew Xatu didn't have any.

Angry, vicious, hands.

Hands tore through her mind like regular ones would tear paper.

Among the almost nonstop tearing, Holly she felt like the Pokémon was tossing something.

It reminded Holly of a child surrounded by toys, only to throw the less interesting ones aside.

Except what was Xatu tossing aside and tearing through?

There was nothing here!

All of a sudden, things were different.

Something flashed, like a shred of memory.

Holly desperately cling onto it, silently praying for answers.

But the scenery just changed again.

Now Holly could see something white. At first she thought it was clouds, but then she realized it was most likely a hospital room. Holly could hear the voice of an infant, but it wasn't any she recognized.

Yet there was another voice too.

This one belonged to a woman, and she was laughing. She often spoke in a playful voice to the infant, and Holly could tell from the tone woman loved the infant very much.

Holly also realized something stood out.

Her name, being repeated several times.

 _Holly, Holly, Holly…_

How would this strange woman from a faded scene know Holly's name?

Another sensation pierced Holly as she recognized the woman's voice.

 _Anabel._

The instant the thought made its way to Holly's mind, the memory faded.

Holly quickly realized she was back at the Center, and that she was staring at Will. Even though the psychic power had gone, the Elite Four Member still had a grave look on his face. His Xatu still focused its gaze on Holly and Anabel.

Holly wondered what the Pokémon had seen.

More than either of them, surely.

But what caught Holly's eyes the most was Anabel.

The betrayer was shaking, and her face was as white as a sheet. She looked like she was going to be sick, but thankfully she did not vomit.

Holly blinked.

What did Anabel have to be terrified of?

Looking at the past?

Or the results of the search?

Holly quickly decided it didn't matter.

Mother or no, the betrayer deserved to be in pain!

Holly stole a glance at Kristine, seeing a triumphant look on the disabled Trainer's face.

Had Kristine been expecting this, or was she just pleased Anabel was suffering?

Holly supposed it could be either, and she couldn't really blame the disabled Trainer either way.

But there was no mistaking the glare in Will's narrowed eyes.

The Elite Four member spoke in a severe tone.

"It's true. Anabel and Holly, you two are indeed mother and daughter."

Anabel swallowed hard, and Holly felt her own mouth go dry.

There was no avoiding it now. What would happen?

Holly looked to Kristine for comfort, but the disabled Trainer's triumphant gaze was even more evident.

Instead, Karen took a step forward, her eyes hardened.

Whether this was because of what Will had done, or what he had found out, Holly didn't know.

However, she did know the sternness in Karen's voice. "Well, Anabel, is there something you want to say to Holly?"

Anabel slowly nodded, and color returned to her face.

Holly blinked.

What would the betrayer say?

That she loved her?

That she hated her?

That she was happy to get her daughter back, even after everything that happened?

Holly narrowed her eyes.

She couldn't let her guard down! Anabel could say anything, and she still didn't trust her!

Yet she was not prepared for the words that came out of Anabel's mouth.

"I suppose I should tell you the truth about myself."

Holly scowled, eyes blazing as her hands clenched into a fist.

How could Anabel tell the truth, when she had lied so many times?

As far as Holly knew, that was impossible!

Yet the betrayer began anyway. "I was born in Hoenn, and had skills with Pokémon at a young age. I also discovered my powers then, but it didn't seem too much of an issue. In fact, it helped me become closer to Pokémon, and understand how to battle better with them. I'm not really sure where it came from, though, because my family didn't have proficiency with supernatural abilities. Nevertheless, they accepted mine, and I lived a happy childhood."

Holly gritted her teeth.

How could Anabel's power not be an issue, when hers had caused so much trouble?

That must've been another lie!

But before Holly could call the betrayer out, Anabel began again.

"When I grew older, I decided I wanted to become a police officer and a powerful Pokémon Trainer. I quickly climbed the ranks of both, and ended up as leader of Hoenn's Battle Frontier. There were a few people there ran the other facilities, too, and we all became fast friends."

Anabel closed her eyes and hesitated. Holly noticed the betrayer was shaking again.

Holly scowled.

If the story was this difficult tell, why bother?

It wasn't like it would change anything!

Eventually, Anabel took a deep breath, but Holly could see the betrayer was struggling to keep her voice even.

"Shortly after, I met the love of my life… He was a man named Yew, and he was also a powerful Trainer… He was at least on the level the regional Champion, if not better. Even though he did not help run one of the facilities, Yew's exceptional skill at Pokémon battling allowed him to fit right in at the Frontier. He stole my heart, and we got married soon after…"

Anabel let out a huge sigh as she hesitated again.

But still, Holly did not respond.

So there was just some random person at the Frontier who made friends with everyone!

It's not like that was important!

And that person didn't have anything to do with her, so there was no point in Anabel telling the story!

Besides, who in their right mind would fall in love with Anabel?

Someone cruel, probably.

Or stupid.

Holly continued glaring as Anabel took a deep, shuddering, breath.

"Yew would train any Type of Pokémon, but he was very fond of Fire Types. Just like you, Holly…"

Anabel squeezed her eyes shut, and Holly noticed the betrayer was trying to hold back tears. However, there were still some gathering in the corner of Anabel's eyes. The betrayer clumsily wiped them away with her hand.

When Anabel began to talk again, she made no effort to stop her voice from shaking.

"Yew… He's your father, Holly. You look a lot like him."

 _This_ was what Holly had been waiting for…

One of the reasons she made her long and arduous journey…

To find out who her parents really were…

To find out who she really was…

But the search was all for nothing…

Because one parent was a liar, a betrayer, and a threat to all Trainers…

And another was a person no one knew anything about, and was somehow foolish enough to _marry_ the aforementioned betrayer…

Holly scoffed.

She may as well have had no parents!

Or perhaps she was better off without them!

Holly did not miss the mixture of pain and horror in Anabel's eyes.

Whether it was from the other reactions, or because the betrayer was dreading what came next, Holly wasn't sure.

However, Holly was sure that she probably didn't care.

Nevertheless, Anabel swallowed hard and continued. "I had an excellent marriage, a loving husband, lots of friends, a stable career, a lot of power as a Trainer, and eventually, a beautiful daughter. Things couldn't have been better… I thought they would always be that way… Until the attack on the Frontier…"

Holly clenched her fists and fixed Anabel with the biggest frown she could muster.

They both already knew this part! There was no point in repeating it!

Anabel's voice grew quiet, and the betrayer was once again trying hard not to tremble.

"I told you about the attack where Ultra Beasts destroyed the Frontier, Holly. What I didn't tell you is that there were actually _two_ attacks."

Holly's gaze hardened.

This was certainly something she didn't know!

But why hadn't Anabel told her this?

Probably because it was all a lie!

Just like everything else the betrayer had done!

Yet Anabel continued, seeming like she was using all her strength to hold back tears.

"Before you were even a year old, Holly, a strange hole appeared in the sky. None of us knew what it was, but I later found out it was called an Ultra Wormhole. And the creature that emerged from the Ultra Wormhole was an Ultra Beast."

Anabel paused, taking a moment to collect herself.

The betrayer spoke again, but Holly could see her shaking.

"The Ultra Beast that attacked the first time… was a Nihilego."

Holly's glare only became fiercer.

That explained why Anabel hated Nihilego, and why the betrayer was so prejudiced against Tulip…

But still…

It was all just based on an excuse.

Based on a lie.

Based on something that wasn't even real.

Yet Anabel continued anyway.

"There was only that one Pokémon, so those of us at the Battle Frontier were able to subdue it."

Anabel's voice suddenly grew hesitant, and the betrayer choked out her words.

"But, Holly, you were with me at the time, and the resulting energy from the encounter forced you away from me and through the Ultra Wormhole."

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Why would Anabel have her near an Ultra Beast?

Some mother she was!

Besides, Holly already knew about the Ultra Wormholes when Kristine had told her she possessed their energy!

But Anabel didn't seem to care. Holly noticed the betrayer's voice become filled with emotion, and she could easily detect the desperation within.

"I searched everywhere, hoping for some way to rescue you from the Ultra Wormhole. But there were no leads, and no one that knew enough to help. Even though I didn't give up, some days it felt impossible to keep going. There were days when I would cry constantly, Holly. I lay awake during many sleepless nights, hoping, _praying_ that you would still be alive. That I would find you again, and we would all live as one happy, complete, family …"

Holly rolled her eyes.

That was wishful thinking, especially after all Anabel had done!

Holly wished the betrayer wouldn't spout such nonsense anymore, but she kept going.

"Of course, the others were devastated too, but we recovered as best we could. Things seem to be going almost normally eventually… But then, a few years later, the second attack happened…"

Holly rolled her eyes again.

This, she knew about!

Yet Anabel clearly liked repeating herself.

"This is the one I told you about, Holly. The attack where another Ultra Wormhole appeared, and countless Ultra Beasts were summoned… There was no reasoning with them, and no one who could control them... And no people knew how to defeat the Beasts… Those in the Frontier fought valiantly, but the battle was a hopeless one… Many good people died, Holly. One of the first to… was your father…"

Anabel shuddered, and the betrayer was clearly trying to hold back tears.

Yet Holly could feel no sympathy.

So her father was just a dead person that hardly anyone knew anything about…

And Holly had never gotten the chance to know him herself. Nor would she ever.

Holly's face twisted in rage.

The entire journey to find her parents was for nothing after all!

But Anabel did not seem to pay attention to Holly's annoyance.

Instead, the betrayer wiped the tears from her eyes and spoke again.

"I was trying to protect the others, but I was badly wounded… I had already lost Yew, and was prepared to die with him. Then, I noticed the Ultra Wormhole was still open. Knowing my connections to my own world were quickly fading and that this portal could be my only desperate chance for survival, I jumped into the Ultra Wormhole."

Holly clenched her fists.

Anabel had jumped into the Ultra Wormhole and left all of her allies behind, just to save her own skin?

That was just like the treacherous betrayer!

Holly was drawn back to Anabel as the betrayer composed herself.

"After a long time of traveling, I eventually landed in this world. I was immediately taken to a hospital, and later recruited by an Alolan member of the International Police force named Nanu. I explained what had happened and told them I was looking for my daughter. However, Nanu said that since you disappeared so young and I didn't really have any identification, the chances of finding you were like a needle in a haystack. Nevertheless, Nanu believed that what happened at the Frontier was strange, and I agreed to investigate the Ultra Beasts with him. But I never stopped looking, Holly, no matter how fleeting the odds were…"

At this point, Holly couldn't take anymore.

"Well, you've wasted your time looking, Anabel!"

Anabel's eyes were wide, and the betrayer took a halting step back. However, she stumbled, and could not avoid the slap Holly aimed at her face.

Anabel gasped as the blow struck her head on. The betrayer recoiled and threw her hand to her face. Holly could still see a look of pain and shock in Anabel's eyes, but didn't care.

Holly shouted at the top of her lungs.

"You're not my mother, Anabel! And this Yew person, who probably doesn't even exist, isn't my father!"

Anabel opened her mouth to reply, but Holly only screamed.

"I have no mother! I have no parents, now!"

Anabel looked like she was about to cry.

Good, that was expected.

When Holly did not expect was Karen stepping up.

"Then, what do you have?" The female Elite Four stated with a quiet calmness.

Holly snarled back. "I have Kris! She's the only person who worth fighting for!"

Holly noticed Kristine had an expectant smile on her face.

Despite the situation, Holly still had the urge to smile back.

She had probably made the disabled Trainer proud.

Yet Holly clearly didn't make anyone else proud, as no one shared the smiles.

In particular, Molly Hale came forward, gaze and countenance blazing with rage.

The psychic glared straight at Holly, speaking coldly. "Why would you have such loyalty for someone with Kris's condition?"

Holly threw up her hands. "Condition? You mean that she is fused with a Pokémon? You've probably known that from the beginning, and it doesn't change anything!"

Molly Hale shook her head fiercely.

The psychic fixed Kristine with a glare, but the disabled Trainer did not flinch back.

Holly could hear Caitlin shout. "Molly, now is not the time to speak of that!"

Molly Hale continued shaking her head wildly.

"No, there's no better time than now, Caitlin!"

Molly Hale then refocused her gaze on Kristine, growling. "Perhaps you should tell the truth."

Kristine closed her eyes. After briefly hesitating, she opened them again and took a deep breath.

"In Fuchsia, the Safari Zone was attacked viciously by rebels…"

Molly Hale curtly nodded, yet did not say anything.

Holly blinked.

Why did Kristine start with that?

Everyone probably knew by now!

Yes Kristine suddenly faced Molly Hale without even the slightest bit of hesitation.

The disabled Trainer's next words sent chills down Holly's spine.

"I'm sorry. I know you thought I survived that attack, and honestly, I wish I could tell you that's what happened. But the truth is I died protecting another. I didn't even get a chance to say farewell."

Holly cocked her head.

What was Kristine saying?

Of course she survived the rebel attack!

She had to!

After all, Holly had seen Kristine heal up completely, and there appeared to be a reasonable explanation…

Yet no explanation seemed to be good enough for Molly Hale, as the psychic's hand lashed out and slapped Kristine across the face.

The disabled Trainer rapidly recoiled, but Molly only sneered.

"Oh come on, it's not like you can feel that, only being a mobile corpse."

Holly's eyes were wide.

Molly Hale wasn't making any sense!

Perhaps the psychic was truly crazy!

And regardless of whether or not she died in Fuchsia, Kristine did not deserve to be mistreated!

So Holly stepped up, screaming. "How dare you treat Kris like that when she died for everyone's sake in Fuchsia!"

Molly Hale shook her head again, voice icy cold as she narrowed her eyes at Holly. "No, she didn't die in Fuchsia."

Molly Hale took a deep breath, and the icy tone never left her voice.

"Kris died 15 years ago, and horrific cruelty to Pokémon is keeping her in this world."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So another huge reveal at the end, and one that is also partially the reason for the chapter's title. But before getting further into that reveal, it's worth elaborating on the rest of the chapter.**

 **\- Anabel being Holly's real mother was a long time coming. It was one of the things decided almost immediately when Holly's character was created. When I decided Holly was going to be Erika's adopted daughter, I knew I had to have her want to find her real parents and have them contribute in some way. Otherwise, the adoption would mean nothing, and she might as well just have been a normal character. However, I originally was unsure of which characters to have as Holly's parents. While Anabel was eventually picked as the final person early on, Kahili was also considered. The reason was that the player doesn't really know much about Kahili in the games, and I wanted to have her play a more prominent role with what the player does know. However, that idea was discarded. Kahili seemed far too young to have a child, had no romantic interests, and would have no reason to leave a baby in Kanto, still be in Alola, and not remember who the baby was. Therefore, Anabel was chosen. However, Holly's athleticism originally came from Kahili being her mother in earlier drafts, as well as the idea of her originally learning how to play golf.**

 **-Anabel was chosen to be Holly's real mother because she was the most likely to get married, to have a child, becomes separated from her family, and not remember the child upon being reunited. When I saw Anabel's story in Pokémon Sun and Moon, I decided I wanted to expand on it and her character. So the Traveler series, especially this story, was what resulted. This expansion was the one of the major reasons why Anabel keeps her memories after being transported to another world. The other reason, as mentioned way back in chapter 14, was that I thought that people losing their memories after being transported to other worlds made no sense. Therefore,** _ **no one**_ **that goes to other worlds loses their memories, no matter what world they go to or how long they travel.**

 **-So here's an early introduction to Will's Pokémon. Or his favorite one, anyway. Xatu is Will's main Pokémon in all media where he appears. In the games, he will come at the player with up to three of them at once on a single team. Each of his teams always has at least one of the bird, as well. This scene with Will and Xatu is also why Jake is unevolved when Ivy reappears. I decided I didn't want two representations of Xatu close together, especially when Xatu is mainly associated with Will.**

 **-Anabel's story is based off of what is known about her in the games and my own interpretations. Unfortunately, there is not much of the former. What is known is that Anabel is the leader of the Battle Frontier and runs one of the facilities there. Furthermore, she works alongside several other people who run these facilities. She is a powerful Trainer stronger than even regional Champions, and is skilled with police work despite not doing it for long. The anime expands on her story a little bit. Anabel has the ability to sense Pokémon's feelings, and sometimes calm them down by speaking. When she uses her own Pokémon, her connections are so strong that she can command them without using her voice. She states that this is not psychic power, but that hasn't stopped fan interpretations from making her a psychic. She's also not the leader of the Battle frontier in the anime, although she's still one of the strongest trainers they have. So even though Anabel does have some story, there was so much information missing that it was easy for me to add my own interpretations and events.**

 **-Yew is a completely original character created for the Traveler series, and one that was created almost from the start alongside Anabel specific plot line. Originally, I wanted Anabel to marry a canon character, so that Anabel's husband would have more of a purpose in the story. However, I couldn't find any characters that matched Holly's traits** _ **and**_ **seemed like they would be compatible with Anabel. Unfortunately, canon material didn't help much, since the games don't show whether Anabel has any romantic interest. In the anime, she has a crush on Ash. However, when she realizes Ash doesn't know about her feelings, she decides not to force the subject and lets him travel with his other companions. Unfortunately, Anabel and Ash are completely incompatible in Traveler due to the massive age difference.**

 **-As a result, Yew was created to be Anabel's husband. He was also created with Holly's traits in mind, since Anabel otherwise does not share a lot in common with Holly. This is mainly because the decision to make Anabel Holly's birth mother was decided a few chapters in the story, rather than at the very beginning. However, Yew carrying those traits helped things make more sense. It also knowing that the reason his name is Yew is to keep up with the plant theme naming. Holly and yew are both the names of berries. Erika also trains Grass Pokémon, and is associated with various defense plans. Anabel** _ **seems**_ **like the odd one out, but her Japanese name is Lila. It's likely that this is based off of the word lilac. Although the name is more of a reference to her hair and clothing than the plant, the reference still fits.**

 **-As for why Yew is dead from the start, there are a couple reasons. One is that it gives Anabel more reason to leave, even if it's her only option. She would be much more reluctant to leave if it meant that her husband was staying behind. The second reason is that people (both in the story and in the audience) would most likely recognize the resemblance between Holly and Yew, destroying most of Anabel's personal plot line. The third reason is that I wanted the story to focus a lot on Anabel, and having Yew there takes away from that. Finally, I was aiming for also having the story focus on Holly (and later Kristine's) interactions with canon cast. At first, I was hesitant to even put Kristine in alongside the main cast, and having other major living character that's also an original one further complicates the situation. I do want to do more with Yew eventually, but at this point I don't have much of an idea where and when he will appear (or even** _ **if**_ **he will), apart from anything that takes place during Anabel's past.**

 **-In the original draft, this chapter was supposed to go much differently. The main event about Anabel revealing her past, and what happened in said past was almost completely unchanged. This also include the hints about her past, and the order in which they were revealed. It was originally planned that Holly would have a better relationship with Anabel than she does in the final version, although there probably would've been some tension. Regardless, the relationship would've been good enough that Holly would've reluctantly accepted Anabel as her birth mother.**

 **-However, there was another early plot point where the information revealed here and the chapters before and after stressed Kristine out immensely. As a result, she loses control of her powers and summons an Ultra Wormhole. Kristine drags a Poipole through the wormhole, and the displaced Pokémon lands right in front of the others. However, before anyone can do anything, Anabel and the others see this as a sign that Kristine is truly dangerous with her uncontrolled abilities. So the others then proceed to take Kristine to Saffron and lock her away. This prompts Holly eventually had to saffron and rescue Kristine. Poipole, having no way to get home and no place to go, joins Holly's party. Holly and Poipole do eventually form a genuine bond, although begrudgingly. It was unknown if the twist near the end would play a part in the events of the chapter, if it even existed at all.**

 **Yet as Holly and Kristine's characters evolved, these plot points were no longer compatible with them and discarded. There were also some parts that would have been difficult to implement, such as when Holly would have her Gym battle if she was prioritizing going to Saffron. Therefore, this the old framework for the story was not used. However, I still thought Poipole and its evolution were interesting Pokémon that I wanted to expand on in this story. So Kristine unwillingly dragging a Poipole through an Ultra Wormhole still remains.**


	80. The Extinguished

**Welcome back to Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

80\. The Extinguished

Holly's eyes were wide and her face pale.

Kristine died 15 years ago?

But she was standing right there!

How could that be?

Molly must've have _really_ gone crazy!

Holly snarled. "What you mean? And what happened 15 years ago?"

Molly gravely replied. "Maybe Kris will tell the truth this time."

She glanced towards Kris expectantly. However, the disabled Trainer remained silent. The only movement was the hard glare that she threw back at Molly Hale.

The psychic coldly nodded.

"Very well. I guess I will open with what a few of us already here know, unless someone else is willing to speak."

Suddenly, Kahili stepped forward. "I'll explain. It mostly involves my home region, anyway."

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Kahili was in on this madness, too?

Was everyone around Holly and Kristine crazy, or an enemy?

It certainly seemed so.

Yet Holly couldn't focus on that, as Kahili began to speak.

"15 years ago, what happened was…"

Ivy suddenly yelled, face pale. "The foreign Pokémon appeared in all the regions!"

The young Trainer was suddenly aware of all eyes on her, and shrank back.

However, she managed to quietly stammer.

"But what does that have to do with Kris? And her dying?"

Kahili's eyes hardened.

"As Ivy mentioned, foreign Pokémon started appearing in all regions around 15 years ago. For a long time, no one really knew why. But I and a few of the other authorities think that we may finally have an answer."

Holly threw up her hands. "And what answer is that?"

Kahili seemed to ignore the remark, glancing at everyone in the room.

"Kris's fusion with Tulip leaves her attracted to Ultra Wormholes and allows her to see them when others can't. But it also gives her the ability to _summon_ Ultra Wormholes, and usually she can't control it. And one of the times Kris couldn't control that power was when she summoned the foreign Pokémon 15 years ago."

A huge gasp filled the room, and Holly suspected that this was the first time many of the others had heard the story.

Anabel in particular had a mixture of shock and horror on her face.

"How can that be?"

Holly's eyes remained narrowed.

Kristine could control her powers!

Holly had seen it when the disabled Trainer summoned that Poipole!

The others must just have made everything up!

Yet Kahili continued anyway.

"There were countless Wormholes, and foreign Pokémon dropped into the entire world. But the strain on Kris's body was too much, and her own abilities destroyed her."

Anabel snarled. "What about Tulip? She could've helped Kris!"

Kahili shook her head.

"All Ultra Beasts have the ability to create Wormholes, yes. But aside from a few exceptions, upon using that power, they die a miserable, painful, death. So Tulip couldn't have helped because she died too, also destroyed by her own power. And she's appearing in this world the same way Kris is."

Holly clenched her fists.

That just couldn't be true!

Holly had seen Tulip alive and well, and Kristine had even used the Pokémon to protect her!

The others must really not have known what they were talking about!

Or they were just being stupid and making things up for their own ends!

Holly wouldn't put it past them!

So she stepped up and screeched. "And you got all this information from Molly Hale?"

Molly Hale shook her head.

"Don't blame me. If you've someone to be annoyed at, be annoyed at Lusamine."

The blonde-haired woman stepped forward, and Holly could finally get a good look at her.

The woman's hair was so long, Holly wondered how it didn't hang in her face. She wore a white dress, with a bit of yellow on it. The white dress had some sort of crystal in the middle, with said crystal being green and black. White tights were on the woman's legs, and Holly noticed black outlines. The outlines matched black high heels, with a bit of yellow on them. Green eyes gave sight to a slender frame, and Holly wondered how old the woman really was.

Nevertheless, Holly guessed this must be Lusamine.

The woman Kristine saw as her mother.

And the one who turned against her.

Kristine was quick not to let Lusamine forgot it.

The disabled Trainer's voice was low and dangerous, as she glared at the blonde haired woman.

"Lusamine… You gave Silvally to that tyrant, despite knowing she is a threat to all honest Trainers… I saw you as a second mother, Lusamine… Why did you betray me?"

Lusamine put her hands on her hips. "You're the one to talk, Kristine. Why did you betray me? Abusing a Pokémon I loved and helped for so many years. A Pokémon I trusted you with over anyone else. Tulip only wanted a safe place after she couldn't come home, a close friend, and adventure. But you didn't give her any of that! Instead, you just threw her aside like she didn't even exist! And when you _did_ acknowledge Tulip, it was only as a tool for your own ends!"

Lusamine closed her eyes and shook her head.

"It's only fitting that you paid the ultimate price."

Holly's own eyes blazed with rage.

Kristine didn't abuse Tulip! They were best friends!

Surely the one who did the fusion could see that!

Yet Kristine didn't seem to be perturbed at all by Lusamine's remarks.

The disabled Trainer's gaze bore into the blonde haired woman.

"How funny that the weakling tries to be defiant! You're nothing more than a gutless coward who wasn't strong enough to protect your husband! And you weren't strong enough to stand up to your children after they turned against all the region!"

Tranquil fury blazed in Kristine's eyes, and Holly wondered if the disabled Trainer could burn down the entire building.

"You've no right to criticize me, Lusamine. Not after all the wrongdoings _you've_ let happen."

Holly could see heartbroken sorrow present in Lusamine's eyes, with the woman looked like she was about to cry.

Lusamine's voice shook as she spoke, and Holly could hear the high pitch of desperation within.

"All of your kindness… All of the heroic things you've done… Was is just an act?"

Kristine didn't answer the question, and Holly quickly decided she didn't care either.

There was no point in answering someone that deluded!

Instead, Holly shouted. "If Kris is really dead, how come she's still standing and talking right now?"

A familiar voice responded.

"It's because of Yveltal, unfortunately."

Holly growled when she heard the voice, recognizing it as Malva's.

Sure enough, the resistance leader stepped up from the crowd, rage blazing in her eyes.

Holly narrowed her own.

If Malva was among them, the people here were surely up to no good!

Yet before Holly could fire a retort, Malva spoke.

"I don't know how she did it, but Kris brainwashed a Yveltal shortly after her death. Now, the proud god of destruction is nothing more than a thrall. It's dedicated to keeping her alive, as though the death never happened. And something else is fatal, Yveltal simply goes on continuing to make it like the deaths did not occur, no matter what type of death it is."

Holly's eyes were wide.

Kristine's friend from before…

The one that healed the disabled Trainer and taken away Holly's powers…

Was he Yveltal?

And did he have so much trouble healing because he was meant to destroy?

But Kristine would never abuse a Pokémon, especially a god!

Otherwise she would not have called that Pokémon her friend!

The others must have made a mistake, or making things up!

Holly eyed Malva with a blazing glare.

Holly's voice came out in a snarl. "How do you know all this information? You're probably just making everything up!"

Yet Malva simply shook her head as she narrowed her eyes.

"It's not what I know. It's what Diantha knows."

Holly howled back.

"Diantha? Who the heck is that?"

Fury burned in Malva's eyes as she replied. "Champion of the Kalos region, and Vessel of Xerneas."

Before Malva could continue, Holly yelled back. "Oh yeah, what does that have to do with anything?"

Malva growled. "So you're not only a brat, but uneducated too. If you did any studying at all, you'd know what I'm talking about."

Holly clenched her fists.

How dare Malva insult her like that? And she still had no idea what the resistance leader was talking about!

Holly took a step forward, screaming. "Answer my questions!"

Malva seem unperturbed by the outburst, instead continuing.

"Xerneas is Yveltal's counterpart, so it can sense when there is something wrong with it. Therefore, Diantha could sense that Kris had somehow brainwashed Yveltal. Since Xerneas is also the Pokémon of life, Diantha realized that Kris had died shortly before brainwashing Yveltal. Having a duty to her home region and not sure what to do next, Diantha relayed this information to me. Since I already travel around the regions and lead the resistance movement against threats to them, she figured I could make the best use of it."

Holly gritted her teeth.

To think that a beloved Champion and Vessel would working together with a person as horrible as Malva!

Well, if Diantha was also their enemy, Kristine and Holly would have to take _her_ down too!

Yet it seemed like such a monumental task.

Was the entire world conspiring against them?

Yet Holly was torn from her thoughts as Malva fixed Kristine with a cold gaze.

Kristine met her gaze stoically and squarely, not even flinching as Malva spoke in an icy tone.

"You know that name. Don't pretend otherwise. Diantha, protector of Kalos, and one of the people chasing you after you fired the Ultimate Weapon. It was an act that could have destroyed the entire world."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Kristine had tried to destroy the entire world?

That sounded like the craziest thing ever, exactly the type of story someone would use to damage Kristine's reputation!

It was probably all a lie, like everything else that had been said here!

But before Holly could retort, Malva spoke again, eyes narrowed at Kristine.

"You knew what that weapon was, and what it could do. You even knew the maker of the weapon, the ancient king AZ. And yet you fired it anyway."

Malva paused, seemingly waiting for an answer.

However, there was nothing.

Instead, Kristine stared silently and stoically back, almost daring Malva to speak again.

Holly resisted the urge to throw up her hands.

What was Malva even talking about? Holly was certain she had never heard of something called the ultimate weapon or this AZ person before!

Yet Malva only took Kristine's bait and spoke again.

"The immortal king AZ… Luckily, he was there. AZ and his Floette were able to stop the weapon, and only Geosenge was destroyed. Unfortunately, AZ had to watch his beloved Pokémon die a second time, with no way to bring it back. But that wasn't the only casualty."

Malva took a deep breath before continuing, her voice as cold as ever as she continued to glare at Kristine.

"Countless people were still injured and died… An entire town was wiped off the face of the map… And the worst... Was that there was no reason to do what you did, Kris. The true enemy, Lysandre, was still in his hideout. And he and his followers had been weakened from one of your earlier attacks…"

Malva's voice suddenly trembled, and Holly knew the resistance leader was trying to keep her fury in check.

"All of those people and Pokémon died... A town ripped apart… For absolutely nothing… Your only enemy was right in front of you, Kris, yet you were focused on using unnecessary force... Of framing an entire town full of innocents for the deeds of one man… You didn't even stay to see the aftermath of the annihilation, fleeing as soon as you got the chance… You neglected a town of both people and Pokémon… Neglected the Pokémon that were still being held by Lysandre… Neglected AZ, leaving him to deal with the destruction alone…"

Malva suddenly raised her voice to a shout, making no effort to conceal the rage that burned in her eyes.

"Why did you do it, Kris? Why did you hurt so many innocent people?"

Kristine did not answer, her stoic countenance betraying no emotion.

Holly couldn't blame the disabled Trainer for it.

After all, why did a random Trainer and his deceased Pokémon suddenly matter now?

And why was the destruction of a small town so significant when so many other areas were also being destroyed, or at least at risk?

And what even was this Ultimate Weapon? Everyone acted like it was something important, but Holly had no idea what it was. And as far as Holly knew, weapons weren't anything special. She had one right now.

All of this seemed like just another attempt by the League to drag Kristine down, just like they always did.

Holly wouldn't let that happen!

But before Holly could speak, Malva eyed Kristine again.

"I shouldn't be surprised. You have a history of neglecting others. Like how your negligence led to the deaths of Agatha and Emma."

Holly's eyes narrowed.

What did Kristine had to do with the deaths of those people?

No one had ever said she'd been involved!

There was only that Kristine knew of Emma's death, and the disabled Trainer didn't appear to be connected to Agatha at all!

And how dare Malva call Kristine neglectful, when no one else even implied that she was!

Malva was simply crazy!

Yet Holly was torn from her thoughts as Malva sternly spoke again.

"Did you ever think of how your actions would make others feel, Kris? Looker, the International Police officer who befriended Emma… He was beside himself when she died… And Looker himself is so popular, I wouldn't be surprised if the entire force mourned… I might not completely understand how Looker felt, but I do know that Emma's young life was taken far too soon…"

Again, Kristine did not answer, emotions still unreadable.

Holly clenched her fist.

This girl Emma was just a nobody! And it wasn't important that she knew a police officer, when hundreds of Trainers interacted with them on their journeys!

Why was some unknown person's death such a big issue?

But Holly didn't get an answer to her question, as Malva continued speaking.

"There's Agatha's death as well… Regardless of how popular she was at the time she died, there's no denying that she was one of the strongest Trainers in the region, perhaps even the world. Somewhere, people were mourning for her. Then there was her past with Lorelei… Lorelei knew Agatha since she was a little girl, after Agatha saved Lorelei's Pokémon from dying… I heard that even set Lorelei on the road to become Pokémon Master, and Agatha was at the ceremony where she finally received the title… Naturally, Lorelei was devastated when Agatha was killed… I thought you would care because you know Lorelei, but I guess I was wrong."

Holly clenched her fists even tighter.

Who cared about Lorelei now?

Obviously, she wasn't here!

Judging by the fact that no one said she was nearby, it wasn't like Lorelei would come bursting in…

Kristine didn't care either, because she just continued glancing at Malva.

Malva simply shook her head, speaking in a grave tone.

"You ignored and Emma and Agatha when they needed help, and that led to their deaths. Their blood is on your hands, Kris."

Kristine still didn't respond, only sending a hard glare back.

Holly copied the gesture.

Enough was enough!

With that, she took a step forward.

Her voice rang across the room as she faced Malva.

"Malva, if you insult Kris any more, I'll use the power of Mega Evolution to destroy you!"

Holly expected Malva to be intimidated by the statement, but the resistance leader simply laughed.

"That's not going to happen, you little brat. It takes more than one Mega Evolved Pokémon to defeat someone as skilled as me."

Holly snarled.

"You just refuse to believe that the League and everyone who supports it is in the wrong! Even the Lucario from Sable knows that!"

A collective gasp echoed across the room. Holly glared at Anabel, noticing the betrayer's eyes were a mixture of shock and horror. Her face had gone pale, and Holly could hear her voice shaking as she spoke.

"A Lucario from Sable… That sick Riolu at the beginning… How…"

Holly didn't answer Anabel's question as she looked back at Malva. The resistance leader had recoiled, and her eyes had widened in surprise.

"How did a weakling like you get a Lucario?" She snarled.

Holly remained composed as she replied. "It's an old friend of mine, and still a Riolu when I met it. I helped the Pokémon at the beginning of my journey, but then it left my party at Sable. However, it rejoined me at the Radio Tower in this city. With a powerful Pokémon like Lucario at my side, I'm no weakling!"

Holly couldn't resist the urge to smirk.

That would show them!

The others thought she was just some child Trainer, but her bond with Lucario would prove otherwise!

Except no one seemed intimidated.

Instead, Holly eyed Delia's frown as the redhaired woman stepped up.

She spoke sternly.

"Young lady, did you evolve that Riolu yourself?"

Holly shook her head.

"Nope. When it rejoined me, it had already evolved. Besides, what does it matter? Riolu evolved, and now it's with me."

Delia narrowed her eyes.

"Riolu is a Pokémon that evolves through bonding with someone or something. And the fact that it already evolved before entering your care means that it bonded with someone else. So the friendship you talk about isn't yours. That Pokémon owes you nothing, and it has just as much right to walk off of your team as any other Pokémon that was just caught."

A fiery glare entered Holly's eyes. "You're wrong! My bond with Lucario is a strong as the bonds with all my other Pokémon!"

Delia simply shook her head.

Before Holly could respond, she was drawn to the sound of Karen's voice.

The Elite Four member was calm, but there was no hiding the accusatory tone in her voice.

"So you didn't evolve the Riolu on your own… That doesn't surprise me. I think that if you had obtained the Riolu at the beginning, you would never been able to evolve it. You don't seem to care about Pokémon or anyone except yourself. Besides, getting a Pokémon like Riolu to evolve takes time and effort, neither of which are willing to put into your training."

Holly gritted her teeth.

How dare Karen and Delia accuse her of such things!

They had no idea what they were talking about!

It's not like either of them even knew her!

Holly rapidly snarled back.

"Then I'll just get Kris to help me. Kris can evolve Pokémon easily."

Kristine nodded approvingly. "It's because I'm from White City."

Holly's eyes went wide.

"White City? What is that?"

Kristine calmly replied. "It is a prestigious place known for Pokémon battling. White City is in the Johto region, near the Pokémon League. Some of the best Trainers in the world are there, and the city constantly holds some of the most esteemed tournaments and festivals for Pokémon."

Holly's eyes lit up.

White City sounded spectacular, and she already couldn't wait to go there!

The adrenaline already rushed through Holly as she thought about battling some of the toughest Trainers in the world.

She would prove herself not only to the League, but to those beyond it!

And then, no one would be able to stand against her, or hurt anyone under her watch!

And Kristine being part of White City made perfect sense!

That explains why the disabled term with such incredible battler and had so much knowledge about Pokémon!

Holly's eyes were wide with excitement and joy overflowed in her voice.

"White City sounds amazing!"

Kristine smiled as she nodded.

"It is."

Suddenly, the happiness was interrupted by a grave tone of voice.

"Too bad neither of you are actually from there."

Holly realized Caitlin was looking at them with a disapproving glare.

Holly's eyes narrowed, and she felt rage boiling inside of her.

What was Caitlin talking about? How would she know where Kristine was from?

"Then where is Kris from, and how do you know?"

Caitlin spoke coldly as she replied. "I know because I go to White City often because I enjoy watching the high-stakes battles. And other events, such as the festivals, are also enjoyable. And since I am older than Kris, I would know if she was born or even from there."

Caitlin paused, then continued.

"Kris is instead from a region called Tierra, specifically from a part known as the Midwest."

Holly threw up her hands. "I've never heard of this region! You're lying!"

Caitlin shook her head.

"I'm not. Tierra does exist, but it's a bit different from other regions. For one, it is very large, probably larger than every other region combined. There is also a very diverse population of people and landscapes, so not everyone can go on Pokémon journeys or challenge powerful Trainers. However, those parts that were able to have a lot of people become Trainers tried bringing the customs of the other regions over to Tierra. This included customs like the Gym system which is common in almost every other region. However, because of its massive size and greatly differing environments, Tierra is still in the early stages of implementing this system. Luckily, Tierra has four people who call themselves Gym Leaders and teach young Trainers the ways of Pokémon. The region also has an eccentric professor, Prof. Willow. He studies the use of Pokémon and professions outside of traditional ones, and how people interact with their Pokémon in daily life. Even though Tierra doesn't have a Gym system built yet, they use Pokémon for many things. Perhaps even more things than any of the other regions."

Holly clenched her fists even tighter.

"The region doesn't even sound real! There's no way Kris would come from a place like that, being the great battler that she is!"

Caitlin shook her head again.

"No, Kris is not a great battler. Since Tierra doesn't focus as much on battling, she wasn't really famous for anything there. At some point in time, she made her way here, probably hoping to use her battling skills to her advantage. But Kris only became more powerful than the Champions, a feat many Trainers have already accomplished. When she tried fighting against Trainers that were also at that level, she didn't do very well. I suspect Kris became more famous for her disability and what she was unable to do, rather than what she little she did accomplish. It's rather sad…"

Holly now screeched. "How dare you talk about Kris like that! And she had to become powerful to even _get_ to the Trainers that had defeated the Champions!"

Caitlin shook her head.

"But Kris isn't on their level. Most of the Trainers are competitive battlers, something which Kris was unable to become. After her high school years ended, she attempted to get a college degree in competitive battling. But Kris was far too ruthless, treating every battle as if it was life or death. Many innocent Pokémon and people were hurt during her attempts. The battling schools eventually took notice, and Kris was ousted from their program because of her violent ways."

Holly narrowed her eyes.

What was Caitlin saying?

She must have been crazy!

But then…

What Caitlin was talking about made eerie sense…

There was the incident when Kristine and Holly first met, when the disabled Trainer used a Pokémon to directly attack Holly…

And then at the Nugget Bridge, attacking a bunch children almost unprovoked…

After that, attacking another person and their Pokémon, to the point where there was blood and maybe even death…

The harsh training regimens, where one of Holly's Pokémon could have died…

The ruthlessness towards Lt. Surge, evolving two Pokémon just to fight him…

There was Mallory, severely injuring a wild Pokémon at Silence Bridge…

Even Tulip had been involved, fending off a wild Pokémon despite not being able to fight…

This had all led up to the conflict with the rebels, where Kristine fought so brutally she was accused of being like them…

But still…

If Kristine really _did_ have an issue, that it was the job of the battling schools and the Pokémon League to help her with it! That was their duty to all Trainers!

And Caitlin claimed that Kristine was only famous because people only saw what she couldn't do…

Yet the authorities could only see that she couldn't battle without her violent tendencies, and not that she was a great Trainer!

So they were part of the problem!

Holly frowned.

Perhaps the League and its affiliations were projecting their views on to the rest of the world, and that was poisoning Kristine's reputation!

Knowing how corrupt the League was, Holly didn't doubt it.

Holly was snapped from her thoughts as Caitlin spoke again.

"In studying Kris's powers, the psychics have investigated her past, so we know all about everything she has done."

Holly clenched her fist so hard it turned white.

What right did the psychics have to do that? How dare they be so invasive!

Holly opened her mouth to protest, but quickly closed it when Molly Hale stepped forward.

She glared at Kris, and the disabled Trainer only emotionlessly glanced back.

Molly Hale shook her head, speaking.

"You've been silent throughout all this. You know it to be true. You never contacted your parents or told anyone about your home region. It's because you're just a corpse, and those things don't matter to you anymore."

Before Holly could jump to Kristine's defense, the disabled Trainer finally broke her silence.

"Without me, Holly wouldn't exist."

Another collective gasp echo throughout the room, and Holly felt chills run down her spine.

What did Kristine mean?

Sure, Kristine had saved Holly's life more than once, but Holly didn't think that was the same as not existing!

And Kristine clearly wasn't her parent, so it's not like she was talking about existing in _that_ way!

Kristine seized the advantage of the silence, speaking with confidence gleaming in her eyes.

"Yes, I was the one that saved Holly as a baby. I was attracted to an Ultra Wormhole in Celadon, and Holly appeared from it. I placed her on the Gym's doorstep, and you all know the rest."

Holly's blood ran cold.

 _Kristine_ had been the one who had found her? Who had placed her with Erika?

But did that mean…

 _Kristine_ was the one that started Holly's whole journey?

Her whole life as she knew it?

Holly flashbacked to their first meeting…

Kristine had stated she looked familiar…

Obviously, she recognized Holly after many years…

Which would imply…

Kristine had known Holly longer than almost anyone else in the room…

Their friendship had been longer than Holly had ever imagined…

She had more reason than ever to trust Kristine over anyone else.

Yet Holly was ripped from her thoughts as she noticed another person step up.

Even though it had been a long time since Holly had last seen him, there was no way she couldn't recognize the Pokémon collector Bill.

Or the stern frown on his face.

Bill's voice was as cold as ice as he narrowed his eyes.

"I don't believe that, Kristine."

Kristine was quick to respond. "Why is that, Bill?"

Bill kept grave gaze as he replied.

"How could you have saved Holly when she arrived from an Ultra Wormhole, if you're responsible for creating Ultra Wormholes in the first place?"

Kristine did not appear perturbed that the question, responding in the same calm tone as before.

"Certainly I can create Ultra Wormholes, but that doesn't mean I created the one that Holly went through."

Holly could see the doubt reflected in Bill's eyes as he shook his head.

The Pokémon collector closed his eyes and spoke regretfully. "I should have ended the fusion earlier. I had the Cell Separation System ready in the event that either you or Tulip died and the other was left behind, Kristine. But... I never considered the possibility of you two dying together…"

Holly resisted the urge to throw her hands.

So now even _Bill_ was betraying them?

Someone undoubtedly held in high regard by all Trainers despite not even battling?

Someone Kristine trusted and knew personally?

This was just ridiculous!

Holly had to stop these discussions!

Yet before Holly could do anything, she heard Erika's shout ring across the room.

"Enough!"

The Celadon's Gym Leader's stepped up, eyes blazing with rage.

She fixed her furious glare on Holly and Kristine.

"Right now, you two disgust me! Leave this place!"

Holly fiercely shook her head.

She snarled. "Again? Right after you exiled me before? No, I won't leave!"

Erika's glare did not waver. "You _will_ leave, or I'll make you! Get out of here now so I can have some time to process with going on!"

Holly glared back.

Erika couldn't do this to her, not after what had taken place before!

Especially with Kristine's connection to the Champion!

But before Holly could protest, Kristine stepped up.

"Very well. We will leave, but only on one condition."

Holly's eyes went wide.

What condition could Kristine possibly be referring to?

Erika put her hands on her hips. "What condition is that?"

Kristine quickly replied. "When we return, you are to face Holly in a Gym battle. You will not have anyone else battle in her place, and you will give her your Badge if she wins."

Holly's eyes went even wider.

She had forgotten about the Gym bans in her punishment from before! Judging by Kristine's warning, they were still in place!

What would Erika say?

Yet Kristine didn't give the Gym Leader a chance to respond.

Instead, the disabled trainer gravely continued. "Holly has met all the requirements to challenge you for your Badge, and she has paid off the debt she owed to you. As per League rules, you must challenge her."

The disabled Trainer narrowed her eyes, and Holly thought she saw Erika shrink back.

"If you do not, I won't hesitate to inform the Champion and see to it that you are properly punished. Do I make myself clear?"

Erika continued flinching, then hesitantly nodded.

"You do, and I accept the condition."

The disabled Trainer swiftly nodded. "Good."

She then gestured to Holly. "Let us go."

Holly had no time to form a reply as Kristine dashed out the building.

Not wanting to lose the disabled Trainer in the city, Holly rapidly followed.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So this another twist that I had in mind for a long time, since the story's inception. However, I wasn't sure I wanted to implement it, or even if I wanted to implement it at all. What I was doing the story and thought of the death of Torracat, I started thinking about the mechanics of spirits (as in literal ghosts, not the Pokémon Type) and now they would work in the Pokémon world. Pokémon media doesn't have too many of them, and there's really no explanation about how they work. The most well-known one is a female Marowak that is killed before the events of the Kanto games. She then haunts the Pokémon Tower until she is subdued. This is either done by defeating her in battle (original games and the remakes) or by bringing her son to her (Pokémon Let's Go games). Other than the fact that she resist any attempts at capture, there's really no explanation as to how or why she manifests. Spirits appearing after Marowak have even less explanation than that, if they have any at all.**

 **-So I decided with at least Torracat being a confirmed character that would die, I wanted to expand on the concept of spirits. And I decided I wanted to do that with a human character that was part of the main cast and connected to the spirits from beginning, as opposed to a Pokémon that could switch in and out until their death. So my answer to that was Kristine.**

 **At first, I had toyed around with the idea of Kristine actually being the one Anabel knew, and manifesting in the world Anabel came to because she was restless about her death. Upon seeing Anabel again, Kristine wouldn't want her to know what happened, and thus acted like she didn't know her. That idea was discarded because they could simply recognize each other, even if Kristine vehemently denied any connection. Furthermore, others would start to get suspicious if someone appeared out of nowhere, and it would eventually attract the attention of those who could figure out what her real condition was.** _ **Then**_ **there was the issue of the Kristine of that world, and what she would do, along with what happened to her. This made the entire thing even more complicated, and the plot line had issues. So that was dropped early on. For much of the story, Kristine was alive.**

 **Then, another idea came up. I was writing about what I wanted to do for Fuschia, and the scene in the secret house. At the time, it seemed to make sense to have Kristine die there. However, she needed to continue traveling with the group in order for the plot to continue. So she was planned to wander around as a restless spirit, unsatisfied with what happened and what she failed to accomplish in life. Since the people she was around weren't perceptive to spirits, her condition would go unnoticed. Eventually, someone would realize what happened, and take action.**

 **Kristine would then receive the help of others, in order to exist in a state that was similar to being alive. It was clear that she wasn't truly alive, instead in a condition between life and death. As a result, there were many side effects, such as not being able to feel many sensations, and showing almost no interest in things like sleep, food, or water. She also began to hate what she was, but realized it was the only way to continue traveling, and there was no way to correct it without stopping the journey. Much later on, there would be an attempt to perform a ritual to resurrect her. At first the ritual would fail, and Kristine would become discouraged. Later on, the ritual would succeed, and Kristine would completely be resurrected. However, that was only after a lot of pain and sacrifice, leaving Kristine to question whether the ritual was even worth it.**

 **Like the other plot line, this was discarded. One of the main issues is not knowing the mechanics of resurrection and Kristine's undead state (since undead states don't even exist in the canon Pokémon media, and resurrection is almost never seen). Another reason was that others would notice her condition even if they weren't sensitive to spirits. For example, someone being unable to feel much and not doing things like nourishing themselves would weird out many people. This gets particularly bad because Kristine would still probably end up in a nurse's office at the end of the attack on Fuchsia. A nurse would most definitely notice something was wrong, since lack of things like sensation or wanting food are often signs of illness. The line Kristine states in the end of the last chapter a holdover from the original plot point, however.**

 **But the main reason both plot lines were not used had to actually do with something in Kristine's past, made even before the idea of her being dead was.**

 **I had written about her calling in massive amounts foreign Pokémon with her uncontrolled power, and decided I would have that in the final version of the story almost immediately. However, with how important the plot point was, I could not change it. So I was stuck with figuring out how Kristine would survive this event, as she had to be alive for Holly Rising. The idea was even worse with Tulip involved, since it is already been written that Ultra Beasts die upon summoning Ultra Wormholes.**

 **And that's when I realized something about Kristine surviving.**

 **She couldn't.**

 **Neither could Tulip.**

 **Kristine's strange behavior started making more sense when I realized this as well. For example, I'd already written in another story in the series that psychic Pokémon could eventually run out of power carrying things around and end up in the emergency room. Yet Google never seemed to run out of power even though he was carrying Kristine the entire story using psychic power. There was also other things, such as Kristine's disability and health issues almost never appearing. At first I chalked it up to Kristine not being the main character, but with other characters having health issues (such as Anabel's emotional problems, and Holly's issues with poison and fatigue), it seemed odd that she would never have problems with her health. Especially since unlike a lot of the other examples, the problems were chronic and things that she had found out about herself when she was younger. This oddity got even worse because there were stories were she was planned to be the main character, and that would mean she would suddenly have all these health problems that barely even got a passing mention before.**

 **Another example was that many characters had plans for the future laid out, or least thought about what they wanted to do when the story was over. Yet Kristine never spoke about her future even once, or even indicated she was thinking about it. That was once again chalked up to her not being the main point of view, but seemed strange when almost everyone else knew what they're going to do later on, while she didn't. Furthermore, having her suddenly start thinking about her future as soon as she becomes the point of view character would be jarring.**

 **Yet another major issue came up when Tulip was in the picture. Realistically, having a parasite in one's body would make the host extremely malnourished. There could be ways of getting around that, but such examples are extremely rare in real life and often involve other side effects. One could argue that this could also be gotten around simply by not feeding Tulip, but then Tulip would be the one extremely malnourished, and be unable to contribute much of anything. However, neither was shown as malnourished, and more or less completely normal. Effectively, the fusion was functioning, when realistically, given the circumstances and what information was known, it really should not have been.**

 **With all of these issues in Kristine's character, her past, and the idea of someone major being a spirit, having Kristine be dead from the beginning made the most sense. After all, being malnourished wouldn't be an issue if neither Kristine nor Tulip were alive, because a dead person does not eat. The future wouldn't matter, because Kristine's life ended long ago. Health issues would not come up, because the body itself has ceased to function. Finally, no one would run out of power carrying her, because they weren't carrying anything at all.**

 **With all of these concepts in mind, I began sprinkling hints in the story about what Kristine really was. All of these hints led up to final sentence in last chapter, and the conversation in the beginning of this one. However, the specifics of the method Kristine uses to appear alive and why that particular method was used will be explained later on.**

 **-So, after being mentioned in the story quite a while back, Lusamine finally appears here. Her not being strong enough to protect her husband comes from the games. However, her children turning against the region and her not being strong enough to stand up to them comes from my interpretation of those games.**

 **-Years before the start of the Alola games, Lusamine married a scientist named Mohn and had two children with him. However, Mohn was studying Ultra Wormholes one day when he got sucked into one and disappeared. Lusamine was heartbroken and then forced to raise her children by herself. She then devoted her life to studying Ultra Beasts and Ultra Wormholes in an effort to bring her husband back. However, the studying turned into an obsession that was pursued at the expense of almost everything else. This includes her own family, her own safety, and the safety of others around her and the world itself. Part of the main plot line of the games is helping Lusamine to realize how much damage her obsession has done, no matter how well-intentioned it may have been. This plotline also involves setting Lusamine on the path to redemption, although not much of that redemption is seen on screen.**

 **Yet things are still fairly sad regardless. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, the player can meet a man named Mohn is an optional area called the Poké Pelego. However, the reveal that Mohn is also the name of Lusamine's husband comes much later on, so the player is unlikely to make the connection. The characters themselves never make the connection, and Mohn is more or less presumed dead. Since Mohn has lost his memories, it's left ambiguous whether he reunites with his family. However, it it's extremely unlikely he does.**

 **-In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Mohn's story is given more of a conclusion, although it's still not the happiest one. If specific conditions are fulfilled after the main game is completed, an event will occur. Mohn will visit the Aether Foundation, an organization run by Lusamine. She recognizes him and realizes he has lost his memory, but decides not to force him to remember. Lusamine believes that Mohn is happy managing the Poké Pelago, and after a brief conversation, lets Mohn leave the Aether Foundation. However, with the two agreeing to work together toward a mutual goal of Pokémon conservation, there's still a chance that Mohn will eventually remember his wife and children (or least, get to know them again).**

 **-The effect that Lusamine's children have on this story, however, is not seen in the canon games. Lusamine's two children are called Lille and Gladion. They both flee their mother and the Aether Foundation for their own reasons, meeting up with the player many times throughout the story. Eventually, through them, the player becomes involved in the conflict with Lusamine, and by extension, the conflicts going on in the rest of Alola. At first, they sound like heroic allies that are willing to aid the player whenever possible. Indeed, the games portray them that way.**

 **-However, if one takes a closer look at the two, there's plenty of room for an alternative interpretation.**

 **An alternative interpretation where they're not heroic at all.**

 **For example, Lille is one of the first characters the player meets. At first, she helps out the player in the early parts of the game, serving as a tutorial.**

 **But the problem is it doesn't stop there.**

 **Lille disdains battling and doesn't want Pokémon to get hurt, so the player spends a lot of the game following her around or otherwise helping her out in order to protect her through the islands.**

 **The issue is how the story is executed. It mainly revolves around Lillie and her family, even though the player is still there as a separate character. They have their own goal of completing the games' island challenge, but that goal gets almost completely overshadowed by Lillie's and Gladion's own.**

 **What ends up happening is that Lille starts almost literally dragging the player around, forcing the player to agree to almost all of the numerous requests she makes throughout the game. Furthermore, she makes the player do all of the battling in the game for her as the player gets wrapped up in Lille's own conflicts. Lille's character is supposed to be sympathetic, but her character comes off as manipulative and unsympathetic.**

 **What makes this all problematic is that Lille could have easily captured battling Pokémon on her own (or gotten one as a gift from someone). She could then proceed to stop Lusamine on her own, all the while overcoming her fear. It's something much more sympathetic and believable than what the game does with her. But because the game is Pokémon, there is a customizable, silent, protagonist, whose journey almost completely revolves around Lillie as she drags them from one conflict to the next.**

 **Unfortunately, her brother Gladion doesn't have a much better. In fact, his character is** _ **worse.**_ **The problem is that Gladion** _ **is**_ **a Trainer, and a fairly competent one at that. Yet he still leaves the player to do most of the work of resolving his family's problems, including protecting Lillie. Gladion is supposed to be a serious rival and eventual friend, but he spends most of the time angry at the player and attacking them. When he finally and reluctantly joins up with the player near the climax of the game, the player getting dragged into the family problems has gotten so bad that Gladion and Lillie** _ **apologize to them.**_ **Unfortunately, the player is knee-deep in Lille and Gladion's issues at this point, and has no choice but to keep going.**

 **Something that also contributes to the alternate character interpretation is how Lusamine is portrayed. When she first appears, she's seen as a reasonable authority figure, with dialogue and personality to match. Even when it's revealed that's not really the case, a lot of her dialogue can be taken out of context and placed in a situation where she** _ **is**_ **reasonable without being changed at all. This gets more apparent in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. In these games, Lusamine is depicted much more sympathetically, yet Gladion and Lille's characters remain almost unchanged. The intention is most likely to make Lusamine a more understandable character, but it also makes Lille and Gladion's characters even more jarring.**

 **All these observations led to a villainous version of Lille and Gladion being used for Traveler. Although their betrayal affects Lusamine and the regions in this story, they are not major characters in it. Therefore, their reasons for betraying Lusamine and the regions will be revealed in later books.**

 **-Diantha being the Vessel of Xerneas comes from another interpretation of the games. In all media, Diantha stands in opposition to a man named Lysandre. Lysandre can eventually gain the power of Xerneas or Yveltal, depending on whether the player is playing Pokémon X or Y. However, he is more commonly associated with Yveltal, due to his motivations and what eventually happens to him in the games making more sense if he gains its power as opposed to that of Xerneas. Therefore, Traveler decided to use the more common interpretation. As a result, I thought it would also make sense to have Diantha wield Xerneas's power to further contrast Lysandre.**

 **-Kristine firing the Ultimate Weapon is based off of two events in the games. In Pokémon X and Y, during one of the later conflicts with Team Flare, the player reaches a room where the Ultimate Weapon is to rise above the ground and activate. It's made clear before then that the Ultimate Weapon is one of mass destruction, and could devastate the region. However, the player is told to press one of two buttons. One button deactivates the Ultimate Weapon, and the other makes it appear. Unfortunately, the Ultimate Weapon appears no matter which button the player picks. As a result, a town named Geosenge is damaged, but no one is hurt.**

 **-The second scene takes place in Lysandre's secret hideout below Geosenge. After being defeated by the player, Lysandre tries to fire the ultimate weapon in order to destroy everything in the hideout. However, the ultimate weapon does not fire properly, everyone except Lysandre escapes, and the region is saved.**

 **-Traveler examines what could happen if the player was given the choice to activate the ultimate weapon (like in the games), and realize they** _ **also**_ **have the power to fire it (similar to what Lysandre tries to do in the games). Therefore, Kristine's actions are based on one of the possibilities involving what would happen if a player chose to mercilessly act on the choice of bringing the Ultimate Weapon to life. The idea was that if the player truly wanted to make sure every enemy was completely destroyed regardless of consequences, they could wrest control away from Lysandre and fire the weapon themselves. Many good people would also get hurt or even die, but at that point, player would be so hell-bent on destroying their foes that they wouldn't care who got caught in the crossfire. This all led to Kristine choosing to attack with the Ultimate Weapon, a darker take on what happens in the games, and a fusion of the two scenes where the Ultimate Weapon appears.**

 **-AZ is a character from Pokémon X and Y. Him being an immortal ancient king, the creator of the Ultimate Weapon, and owning a Floette comes directly from those games. There are some key differences, however. In the games, AZ is never at Geosenge during the final conflict with Lysandre. However, as the creator the Ultimate Weapon, I thought it would be logical that AZ would be around to try and stop it if there actually was a reasonable danger of it going off. It's unknown why AZ is not in Geosenge when Lysandre tries to fire it off in the games. However, the implication is AZ is not there because Lysandre shortly before the player's previous battle with him, and AZ has to spend an undetermined amount of time trying to escape.**

 **-A second difference is that AZ spends the entirety of Pokémon X and Y looking for his Floette, and finally reunites with her at the end of the game. What happens to them after is not known. In Traveler's time, AZ is already with his Floette, and their time together ends in tragedy. AZ's Floette being killed again by the Ultimate Weapon is inspired by what happens to her in the games. In the games, she leaves to fight in a war 3000 years before their beginning. Unfortunately, she is killed in the war, and AZ finds out after her coffin is delivered to him. Consumed by despair and grief, AZ built the machine that would become the Ultimate Weapon. He uses it to successfully resurrect Floette, but she leaves him almost immediately after. The reason is because Floette realizes that many other Pokémon were killed in order for it to be revived, and that AZ has lost the love of Pokémon that led him to revive her in the first place. AZ turned the machine into a weapon, ending the war. With all that history, I thought it fitting for her to be killed at the same weapon that revived her previously (cruel be ironic though that is). The Ultimate Weapon's power has to be contained in order to avoid destroying the region. Therefore, I felt like Floette, being resurrected by it and knowing the creator of the Ultimate Weapon very well, would have the knowledge, power, and desire to stop it.**

 **-Agatha and Lorelei's relationship is based on the from the Pokémon Special manga. How they met each other and Agatha influencing Lorelei is exactly the same as what Malva describes it in this story. However, the anime is the only place where Lorelei is called a Pokémon Master. It's unknown if Agatha ever did anything with Lorelei when the latter became a Pokémon Master. This is because it's never explained what type of relationship Lorelei has with Agatha in the anime, or if they even really know each other. However, since Traveler combines different Pokémon media together, Lorelei's connection to Agatha in the Pokémon Special manga, her title of Pokémon Master, and a possible connection she could have had with Agatha in the anime all factor into her backstory together.**

 **-Delia's comment about Pokémon bonding and Riolu is based on game mechanics. Riolu is a Pokémon that only involves if its friendship is near maxed. However, friendship is a hidden stat in the Pokémon games and can be difficult and tedious to raise. It's particularly bad if someone is near the beginning of the games, where Riolu can be found. However, it's possible for a player to trade Riolu to another Trainer who has progressed further, have them raise the friendship until the Pokémon evolves, and trade it back. If this is done, the bond will not stay even though the evolution does. Instead, Riolu's friendship will either reset to default, or reset to whatever level it was at with the particular Trainer it's being traded back to, depending on the game. Therefore, even if Riolu is evolved and in a Trainer's possession, it doesn't necessarily mean that Trainer has done the work of raising its friendship and evolving it.**

 **-White City is actually a place in the canon Pokémon media, although it is a little bit obscure. It comes from the game Pokémon Stadium 2, and is exclusive to that game. When the player starts up this game, the main area they travel in will be a place in Johto in White City. The player can head to different areas in the city to access several battle modes, and a few other things like mini games. The goal of Pokémon Stadium 2 is to clear all battle modes, and eventually make their way to the strongest Trainer possible. Therefore, White City having tournaments and festivals is based on the different battle modes in the game. The idea of some of the strongest Trainers the world residing there is based on the difficulty of Pokémon Stadium 2. At the time it was released, Pokémon Stadium 2 was extremely advanced, and featured Trainers far more powerful than anything that had ever been seen. To this day the game remains one of, if not the, most difficult games in the series.**

 **-Catlin heading to White City often to watch the battles is inspired by something in the games. In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, she's unable to fight herself. However, she does enjoy watching players battle opponents in the Battle Castle from a balcony there. She then rewards the winner of these fights based on their performance. The battles in the Battle Castle are often very difficult and have high stakes. Therefore, I thought it would make sense if Catlin also enjoyed watching similar battles in other places. Johto seemed that the most feasible, because Catlin and the Battle Castle are present in the remakes of those games.**

 **-So here is an introduction to the Tierra region. This region actually** _ **is**_ **seen in Pokémon media, but not in the way it is presented in the story. In fact, the region itself has no name, despite being referenced and seen.**

 **The reason for that is Tierra's the name for the real world alongside the Pokémon regions, made into its own giant one.**

 **-The reason the real world was included in the Traveler series was because of Kristine's back story. Originally, I was planning on making her and her family from one of the more well-known Pokémon regions. However, I quickly realized that her story didn't really fit with any of them. Therefore, I could only make her from one of the other regions by forcing her to fit with them, or forcing them to change to fit her. Even though I wanted travelers have a lot of changes and different interpretations, I still wanted to keep the spirit of the original Pokémon series, so I chose not to do that. Instead, I decided to add the lesser-known region of modern-day Earth and expand on it.**

 **The idea of Earth and the real-life world existing alongside the more well-known Pokémon regions is seen in several examples in Pokémon media. There are several references scattered around the series. The most well-known references are probably Lieutenant Surge being called the Lightning American and Mew being found in the jungles of South America. However, there are many other references, such as a Rocket Grunt complaining about being exiled to Russia, Ash talking about the Minnesota Vikings, references to the Democrat and Republican parties, and someone being confused about whether Einstein or Edison invented the lightbulb. While these lesser-known references mainly served as jokes, they did indicate that the real-life world did exist in some form alongside the Pokémon one. These real-life references were eventually removed in newer games, to the disappointment of some fans.**

 **-However, the biggest example of the Pokémon world existing alongside the real one is the mobile game Pokémon Go. It's especially noticeable because** _ **the entire game was based around the concept.**_ **It was also in this game that real-life, modern-day Earth, became a Pokémon region that players could explore for the first time. The game and the concepts it presents became wildly popular, and still remains one of the most downloaded mobile apps. As a result, a lot of the information about Tierra is based off of what can be found in Pokémon Go.**

 **In this game, the player meets Professor Willow and becomes a Pokémon Trainer with a starter Pokémon. Armed with the GPS on their mobile device and as many supplies as they can find, they set out to capture as many Pokémon as they can. Supplies and Pokémon can be found by walking around, while simultaneously visiting and learning about real-life locations in the player's area. Supplies can also be bought with money, though the game is free otherwise, and the supplies bought with money are basic. The player can level up with different actions done (such as battling, capturing, and evolving Pokémon), but it becomes harder to level up as the player gains more levels.**

 **Once the player reached a certain level, they could choose to work with a local Gym Leader. These Gym Leaders are all exclusive to Pokémon Go, and each was represented by one of the Kanto legendary birds (Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres), and a team. Once the player joined one of these teams, certain areas became Gyms that the player could access. The player could leave their Pokémon at one of the Gyms, and the Pokémon would be required to defend it from other teams. The player could also try conquer Gyms led by members of the other teams. However, unlike the main games, there was no story progression from conquering and losing Gyms and no League to test one's skills. Combat was incredibly basic, as the focus on the game remained on catching and leveling up. Proper Trainer battling and trading eventually were implemented in Pokémon Go, but it was years after the game's release. It was because of the rudimentary Gym and combat system that Tierra is stated to be in the early stages of implementing the traditional battling system in this story.**

 **-The Gym Leaders Catlin mentions are also from Pokémon Go. There are three in total, to represent the three Kanto legendary birds. However, a fourth has been added to this series due to a gameplay mechanic. When players get a chance select which Gym Leader team to be with, they also have the option to choose not to be with** _ **any**_ **team. Doing this is generally ill advised, however, since not being with a team locks the player out of several gameplay elements. Furthermore, once a team is chosen, a player cannot go back on their choice. This option and the existence of gameplay or story elements to match has never been officially acknowledged.**

 **However, enough people opted out of siding with the canon teams to form their own. These people called themselves Team Harmony, using Lugia as their mascot. This decision is based off of the movie Pokémon 2000, where Lugia is shown to be the master of the Kanto legendary birds. It can also calm them down when they are fighting, restoring peace to any lands that had been damaged during clashes. This is where the name Team Harmony came from. Interestingly, Lugia wasn't even in Pokémon Go when it was launched, with the game having only the first 151 Pokémon available. As time went on, newer Pokémon were added, and are still being added at the time of this writing. Legendary Pokémon were added even later than the other ones, and could only be captured under very specific real-life conditions. Thus, it would be quite a while before Lugia officially made it into the game. Regardless, in this story, Team Harmony** _ **is**_ **an official team, complete with their own Gym Leader.**

 **-Prof. Willow's area of study comes of my own interpretation. Since not everyone in the real-life world would be able to realistically go on a training journey, I came up with the idea that they started training Pokémon to be useful for other things. Since the amount of people not going on journeys would probably be higher, the people at Tierra became skilled at doing that. Thus, it made sense that Prof. Willow would study how the Pokémon were used for the different tasks that did not involve battling or other traditional Pokémon pursuits. Professor Willow, despite coming from the canon Pokémon game Pokémon Go, did not really have his field of study revealed within the game. Therefore, I decide to create one for him within Tierra. Outside materials eventually revealed he studies Pokémon and their natural habitats in hopes of finding new ones. However, since this isn't really explained in the game and other professors already studying Pokémon habitats, I decided not to use the information. That's not to say it won't the game info won't be worked into what he studies in Traveler eventually, however.**

 **-Kristine's history with competitive battling comes from my own experiences. Competitive battling is a large part of Pokémon, complete with its own communities. However, it can take a long time to perfect and requires a lot of knowledge of the game itself. In a world that revolves around Pokémon and to a lesser extent, battling, I thought that offering to competitive battling as a college degree would not seem too far-fetched.**

 **-As for my own personal experiences with competitive battling, these experiences started upon the release of Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. The games introduced full Wi-Fi services, which included a battling online. For the first time, competitive battling was available to anyone, anywhere, against anyone in the world, regardless of how skilled they actually were. The only requirements were having a secure Wi-Fi connection and a full party of Pokémon to play with. Being an avid battler and pretty good at the main story content, I decide to give online battling a try. Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that online battling against human players involves strategies and in mechanics that are hardly, if ever, seen in the main game. Needless to say, I was quickly annihilated.**

 **Therefore, I did some research on these mechanics and the different strategies available. After trying to figure out how to get into competitive battling, I finally decided that I didn't want to pursue it. I found out that a lot of committee battling takes massive time and effort, unless one is lucky to have someone who is willing to give them Pokémon and items to speed things up, or third-party equipment to cut down on some of the time. Unfortunately, I didn't have any of those things, so I knew if I got into competitive battling I would be spending a lot of time, energy, and luck on a single game series. And since I didn't have optimized or proper equipment, there was a good chance that the time I spent might even amount to anything useful. Therefore, competitive battling wasn't something that interested me, so I just abandoned the idea. Later games made it easier for players to get into competitive battling, and continue to do so. So there's still a chance I may pick up competitive battling one day.**

 **-However, I did find out my forte was going for completion, collecting many Pokémon and using as many as I could, completing challenges with and within the games (including completion itself being a challenge), and using countless different diverse teams. I even did try my hand at some of the battle facilities resembling the competitive battling against computer-controlled opponents. Even though competitive battling against human players was out of my League, I did enjoy battling in those facilities, and even did fairly well in some of them. Before I knew it, I didn't play in Pokémon for over two decades, amassed a massive passion for it, and knowledge like an encyclopedia.**

 **So what I thought of Kristine's character, I thought of my past experiences a battling. This included what I enjoyed in what and what I good at. This in turn led to what appeared to be Kristine's strengths of raising many powerful Pokémon, knowing about countless different aspects and mechanics, and being able to hold her own against established prestigious Trainers, such as Champions. However, there also was the weakness and the harsh reality of her not being out to do well with competitive battling, effectively locking herself of a prosperous future where she could use her battling talents.**

 **-However, Kristine's reasoning for not doing well in competitive battling is obviously very different from my own. The reason for this has to do with the way the Traveler series works. Since battles are fought using live Pokémon that do not have limits with the amount of moves they can have, battling works very differently. A lot of things that make competitive battling tedious (such as breeding hundreds of Pokémon in order to find the perfect one for a team) are eliminated or simply not feasible. The equipment that would make competitive battling quick and easy also isn't available in Traveler. With this, it's established that opposing Pokémon raised by very strong Trainers can reasonably stand up against each other, even if they aren't raised competitively. Thanks to battling itself changing and qualifications to enter competitive battling being harder to obtain, there aren't as many competitive battlers in Traveler, and unlike in the games, competitive battling isn't the only place one can go to see powerful Trainers battle.**

 **-All of this provided reasoning as to why Kristine was a powerful battler despite not taking up competitive battling. However, it also throughout the idea of using my own real-life reasoning as to why Kristine did not last long in competitive battling. So I had to come up with a different reason, one that fit her personality and background. As a result, I came up with the idea that she was too violent instead. In the games, one can be as merciless as they want to with their own and opponents' Pokémon. However, in a world where Pokémon are living creatures, and losing one can be devastating, being too violent or even just taking training too far would be an issue. Considering Kristine had already established herself as being excessively ruthless, I thought the new reasoning fit her well.**


	81. The Rekindled

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

81\. The Rekindled

Holly's mind swirled with thoughts as she followed Kristine out of the Center.

How dare Erika chase her out of the city again!

And how dare the others all gang up on her and Kristine!

But…

Now that Holly and Kristine were out of the Pokémon Center…

Where would they go now? What would they do?

Holly suddenly heard Kristine's voice in her head.

" _Let's go to my secret base. We can have some privacy, so we can discuss what happened there."_

Holly nodded, and wasted no time following the disabled Trainer.

In seemed like in the matter of moments, they were back in Kristine's underground secret base.

Holly was surprised no one noticed them, but she figured everyone was too busy gambling to pay attention.

Regardless, Kristine quickly sat down on one of the cots.

Holly followed suit, surprised at how soft the bed was.

However, her surprise did not last long as she glanced at Kristine.

The disabled Trainer sat waiting expectantly, and Holly instantly knew what she wanted to say.

She shook her head and her eyes narrowed.

Passion filled her Holly's voice as she let it ring out clearly.

" _I don't believe what the others said about you! I don't believe anything they have to say!"_

Kristine rapidly replied. _"Nor should you. They're all just a bunch of filthy traitors anyway."_

Holly's face hardened.

She couldn't have said it better herself!

Yet Kristine's face and voice immediately softened.

" _Besides, everything is all in the past now. What's important is that we focus on the present."_

Holly immediately relaxed.

Of course Kristine would have an answer to the situation!

But Holly tried not to shudder as Kristine's voice turned grave.

" _I don't trust them, together the Pokémon Center with no one against them…"_

Holly shouted. _"I don't trust the others either! Who knows what they might do?"_

Holly's voice faltered and trailed off.

" _But… How do we fight back against them? We can't exactly walk in and ask the others what they are planning…"_

At this, Kristine simply smiled and the familiar confidence returned to her eyes.

"Oh, don't worry about that. We have friends."

Holly's eyes went wide.

What did Kristine mean?

Yet soon after the disabled Trainer spoke, another figure manifested.

The figure was shimmering, like water reflecting light.

Yet Holly could recognize it instantly.

A giant grin spread across her face, and she gleefully shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Incinaroar!"

Holly's Pokémon let out a roar that Holly interpreted as joyful.

Kristine nodded, smiling approvingly.

"It says it misses you, and it's happy to see you as well."

Holly nodded, keeping her smile.

Yet the smile soon faded, as a question rattled in her mind.

"How…"

Kristine continued smiling as she answered.

"I have the ability to see and talk with ghosts. So I knew Incinaroar was with us the entire time. It probably just didn't want to appear with all the hostile people around. Since it was loyal to you in life, it is still loyal to you as a spirit."

Another wide grin made its way onto Holly's face.

Back in Fuchsia, Janine had talked about spirit speaking. At that time, no one was sure if Kristine could perform it.

At that time, Holly didn't even believe a power like that existed.

But now…

Holly's deceased starter Pokémon was standing right in front of her…

As though nothing was wrong…

Maybe spirit speaking really did exist!

Perhaps Kristine really did have the power after all!

Yet Holly's smile quickly faded from her face.

Another question made its way into her head, and she was quick to ask.

"What should I do? I've never been near a ghost before…"

Kristine responded matter-of-factly.

"Just talk to it like you would normally. Ghost or not, it's still the same old Pokémon. Tell it everything that's going on."

Holly's eyes were wide.

"Talk to a dead Pokémon? That's creepy! I don't think I can!"

Warmth filled Kristine's voice as she responded.

"Would you like me to talk to it?"

Holly nodded rapidly.

"Yes, please."

The disabled Trainer quickly turned to Incinaroar.

"Is that okay with you?"

Incinaroar respectfully nodded.

Everything was so natural that Holly wondered how many times Kristine had seen people react to ghosts like Holly had.

She must have expected it, somehow.

But if the disabled Trainer knew Holly was going to react the way she did, she gave no indication.

Instead, a severe expression crossed her face.

Incinaroar focused its gaze on Kristine, and the disabled Trainer began to speak.

"Incinaroar, Anabel and a group of other people are conspiring against us. They are at the Pokémon Center in the city. We'd like to intercept them, but they forbade us from going there. Please, head to the Center, find out what's going on, and report back here. Understood?"

Incinaroar nodded, but Holly and stop concerned from filling her voice.

"How's Incinaroar going to do that? Won't it get caught?"

Kristine shook her head.

"Spirits have a variety of abilities. One of which is the power to watch what happens in the living world without anyone knowing. This ability can be so great that even skilled supernatural power users like Molly Hale cannot detect a lingering ghost. And since no one has found out about Incinaroar until now, it's safe to assume it has the same ability. Barriers like walls or doors also mean nothing to a spirit, so Inciaroar can get to and from the Center easily."

Holly let out a sigh of relief.

Even though it was dead, she didn't want Incinaroar to get in trouble too!

With powerful people like Molly Hale around, anything could happen!

Kristine turned to Incinaroar and spoke again.

"Now then, Incinaroar, good luck."

Incinaroar nodded a final time before disappearing.

Holly let out a deep sigh.

There was nothing to do now but wait.

Except the agonizing wait felt like could go on eternally.

Holly wasn't sure how much time had passed?

Minutes?

Hours?

Maybe even days?

Holly only knew that the more time spent waiting, the less chance there was of seeing Incinaroar return successful.

It is when Holly was certain that she couldn't wait any longer, Incinaroar appeared.

Holly let out a sigh of relief.

Incinaroar had made it after all!

Yet her relief soon evaporated as she saw Kristine's hard gaze.

Holly couldn't forget what her starter Pokémon was here for.

So Kristine spoke, and Holly listened intently.

"Well, Incinaroar, what have you learned?"

Incinaroar responded with a series of growls, roars, and hisses.

Holly didn't know what it was saying, but Kristine seemed to.

The disabled Trainer narrowed her eyes, and her voice was grim.

"Troubling…"

Holly's eyes went wide.

"What is it?"

Kristine's next words sent chills down Holly's spine.

"Professor Pine has turned against us."

Holly let out a gasp.

Even _Professor Pine_ had betrayed them?

How could she?

She managed to stutter. "No… How is that possible…"

Kristine's voice was as cold as ice as she replied.

"According to Incinaroar, Professor Julia Pine sided with Anabel and the other traitors when they told her what happened to us."

Holly clenched her fists. "Without even hearing our side of the story? How dare she!"

Holly's rage suddenly faltered. "There's that name again, Julia…"

Kristine nodded. "That is her first name. She mentioned it as such during the conversation. The name you knew was most likely a fake."

Holly couldn't resist howling. "Why would she use a false name? Why would she lie to us?"

Kristine continued to speak gravely. "Probably because she didn't want anyone to know about her trap."

"Her trap?"

Kristine nodded.

"Shortly before this study started, Professor Pine was visited by some strange people. These people asked her to help them with distortions caused by Ultra Wormholes. They believed that the distortions were caused by a Trainer that was the right age for Professor Pine's study. These people said that Professor Pine should set a trap for the Trainer, and that they would take the Trainer down. Professor Pine didn't agree right away, however. She didn't know who how to proceed, or if what the people were saying was even real."

Holly shook, and she couldn't tell if it was from rage or fear.

All of this didn't seem possible…

And yet if it was…

Professor Pine had no right to her title! How could the League continue to let her be a professor if she endangered innocent Trainers?

Holly couldn't hold back her burning rage as she spoke her next words.

"What happened to Professor Pine? If there is a trap set, then obviously she agreed to help!"

Kristine nodded gravely.

"Things were normal until that episode with Nidoqueen. She poisoned you when she was a Nidoran. And then there was the time you nearly killed her at Sable… And after that, when I first identified that you had the Ultra Wormhole energy and the attack near Cerulean… Of course, Professor Pine was told everything… When she heard all that, she decided that the Trainer causing the distortions was you. And that made it easy to decide to help and set the trap."

Holly gritted her teeth.

She remembered the words of the blue haired rider at the Safari Zone.

" _Someone wants you gone, and it's my job to fulfill that wish."_

Holly shuddered.

Was it Professor Pine wanted her gone?

The one that had given Holly her first Pokémon?

The one that had started her on the journey?

The one that had finally given her a chance to be a Trainer?

That just _couldn't_ be!

Holly blurted out. "But why go after me? I have nothing to do with Ultra Wormholes! I only found out that I was even connected with them recently. The Ultra Wormholes are the result of your power."

Kristine responded matter-of-factly.

"But Professor Pine didn't know that. And neither did hardly anyone else. Professor Pine barely knew me at the time. I met her shortly after I found you, when I got lost in the city afterward. She led me home, but the encounter was brief. I doubt she made any connections. Besides, even if she had, I'm much too old for the study. No one would've had any reason to suspect me."

Holly gritted her teeth.

So _that_ was how Kristine knew Professor Pine's real name…

But still…

Did that mean…

Holly was aware of her voice trembling with rage she spoke. "Does Professor Pine know of your powers now?"

Kristine nodded severely.

"She does indeed. When the others spoke to Professor Pine, they explained my connection to Ultra Wormholes. The others thought that I could be behind the distortions, so now those strange people are after me, too."

Holly resisted the urge to scream in rage.

There was no proof that Kristine caused any distortions, even if she could make Ultra Wormholes!

No one had a right to go after her!

Holly opened her mouth to continue voicing her displeasure, but closed it as soon as Kristine spoke again.

"Unfortunately, Professor Pine is creating a new kind of trap."

Holly clenched her fists so hard they turned white.

"What do you mean, a new type of trap?"

Kristine gravely replied.

"If we give up or lose on this journey, we will get taken into custody, or worse. But if we defeat the League…

Holly could not stop herself from shouting.

"Anabel and the others will be ready and waiting to capture us!"

Kristine nodded, a cold, tranquil, fury in her eyes.

"I'm not sure how many people would try to stop us now, given that the others are trying to lure us into a false sense of security. But one thing is clear. If we back out, we fall into a trap. If we go forward, we fall into a trap."

Holly snarled. "Then we'll have to spring it, and make sure there's no way we can lose!"

She shook her head.

"I just can't understand why Professor Pine would do all this…"

Kristine's eerie calmness continued as she replied. "It may be because of her history."

Holly's eyes were wide as she snarled. "Her history?"

Kristine nodded. "According to the conversation in the Center, Professor Pine is the daughter of someone in Team Rocket. She claims she got away from the team by being raised by other relatives who were not involved. Thus Professor Pine was able to live a normal life without committing any crimes. Apparently , she remains distant, innocent, and separate from anything Team Rocket does."

Holly thrust out her fists.

"It doesn't matter how affiliated Professor Pine is with Team Rocket now! She has her past with them, and she could use it against innocent Trainers at any moment!"

Kristine gave another nod. "All those associated with evil teams must be destroyed. During the conversation, the coward agreed to hide in her lab while the other traitors continued to fight. She was trying to avoid provoking me, it seemed. But I will find her, and I will annihilate her. It's no more than she deserves."

Holly snarled. "I'm right there with you! Those people betrayed me too!"

Holly's face fell as she continued talking. "But, what can we do? Those people are all very powerful…"

A huge grin spread across Kristine's face. "Oh don't worry, we have resources."

Before Holly could ask the Kristine meant, the disabled Trainer tossed a Poké Ball in the air.

Tangela emerged, looking the same as always had.

But that wasn't the case for long.

Tangela suddenly began to glow in a blinding, bright, white light.

Holly averted her eyes, but she couldn't help smiling.

There was only one thing this meant.

When she looked back, a different Pokémon stood in Tangela's place.

It still had long blue vines, but they were much thicker than Tangela's had been. Holly could not really see the creature's face, but there was a bit of blackness and white beady eyes peering back at her. The Pokémon had long blue arms with red tips. The tips looked almost like fingers, but there were only three. The bottom of the Pokémon was black, with red feet.

Holly knew this Pokémon's name like her own.

Tangrowth, evolved form of Tangela.

Holly responded gleefully.

"Thank you, Kristine!"

Kristine nodded. "You need every one of your Pokémon to be as powerful as possible for the upcoming challenges. Even if the Pokémon are not ones you normally use. So evolving Tangela is a natural decision."

Holly nodded in agreement as Kristine recalled the Pokémon.

"Speaking of evolutions, there is something else I want to give you."

Holly's eyes were wide and she cocked her head.

"What do you mean?"

Kristine smiled and held a picture in her hand.

Holly took it and let out a gasp.

The subject of the picture was a Pokémon. It appeared to be relaxed, with only calm contentment in its yellow and black eyes. The creature had orange fur, with black stripes on its legs and matching claws. A bell hung around its neck that was the same color as its eyes. The Pokémon had black fur on its back with orange designs and stripes. Black ears stood straight up, and Holly could see a bit of white.

Despite the peaceful picture, Holly shuddered.

This was a Torracat. Holly didn't know if the picture was of hers, but she didn't care.

This was a picture of her first Pokémon.

The one she started her journey with.

And the one that evolved and died to protect her.

Holly couldn't stop her voice from shaking. "This picture… How did you…"

Kristine quickly replied. "I enjoy photography, so I take pictures of Pokémon during my travels. I took a picture of a Torracat a while back and kept it with me. Then, when yours evolved and died, I thought it would give this to you. No matter what happens, your starter Pokémon is always watching over you, even if it can no longer accompany you on your journey. You can look at this picture and be reminded of the beginning of your travels, and how far you've come since."

Holly blinked, trying not to let the tears overflow from her eyes.

Her voice still shook as she spoke. "Thank you, Kristine! I'll cherish it!"

Kristine nodded approvingly. "I know you will. Now then, we have still other resources."

The disabled Trainer suddenly set something on the ground.

Holly's eyes were wide when she realized what it was.

It was a stack of discs that were all different colors. Holly wasn't sure how many there were, but she was sure she'd never seen so many.

Holly managed to choke out. "These are…"

Kristine finished her sentence. "Technical Machines. The battles from here on out will only get more and more brutal, especially as we strike at the very heart of the League. Therefore, your Pokémon need more powerful moves. Moves that can defeat any opponent. These Technical Machines will assure that your Pokémon learn these moves."

Before Holly could respond, Kristine held another disc in her hands. This disc was dark purple, and Holly caught it as the disabled Trainer tossed at her.

"This is the Technical Machine for Toxic. It's typically given out to those who defeat Fuchsia's Gym Leader, but I suppose Janine was too distraught to give it to you."

Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

How typical of such a sore loser!

But she focused as Kristine began speaking again.

"Toxic is an ancient, deadly move. It poisons the target and the poison worsens over time. I'd recommend teaching it to Nagadangel. The move can be learned by almost any Pokémon, but it's especially strong when used by Poison Type ones."

Holly nodded. "All right."

Kristine nodded back, smiling.

"The last thing we have… is our plan."

Eagerness filled Holly's voice as she exclaimed. "The one where we go to Saffron and punish Anabel and the others!"

"Correct." Kristine replied, continuing shortly after.

"But there is much more to our plan than that. Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you, because soon, we strike."

Holly could hardly contain her glee.

Anabel and the others would be punished for their horrible acts!

And everyone would know how corrupt the League was!

At last they would ensure that no one else would suffer under the atrocities of Anabel, the other authorities, and the League!

Holly beamed. "I will!"

And so Holly stood at attention.

She clung to every word Kristine said as the disabled Trainer went about constructing their strategy.

Holly hungrily devoured every juicy detail, her smile growing wider and wider as Kristine continued to feed her information.

Holly focused more than she ever thought possible, mesmerized by Kristine's ideas.

She had to have everything down to the last letter!

It was the only way they could win!

Luckily, Kristine noticed Holly's attentiveness, and gave her own smile of approval.

"I'm not going to ask you if you understand, because I know you do from how intently you were listening."

Holly nodded, still beaming.

Kristine continued keeping her own smile. "Then let us head to the Gym. It's long past time for your battle."

Holly gleefully replied. "Yes, it is!"

As she followed Kristine back to the city, Holly was certain of one other thing.

She had never felt more confident in her life.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, this chapter. Quite a few things worth noting, so I will go in order first.**

 **-As I mentioned last chapter, the powers of spirits and literal ghosts aren't really detailed at all. Therefore, Incinaroar's powers are based on those ghosts and spirits are fairly commonly shown with.**

 **-Here is some more Professor Pine, after a long absence! What she does here is partially based on the RP itself, and partially based on my own expansions of it.**

 **-Not much was known about Professor Pine in the original RP, although there was some information. According to the RP, she was the daughter of an unknown Rocket grunt. Prof. Pine was meant to be the main villain of the RP, but a lot the details of what she did were not known. The only thing that was known from the RP was that she wants lure Trainers from the study into some kind of trap. However, when, how, and what type of trap would be enacted not specified. Stealing Pokémon at the end was suggested, but I decide not to use it. The last thing was that the professor's first name was Annelle.**

 **-With precious little information to go on and a young professor added to Viridian, I found the concept interesting and want to expand in it. However, I wasn't sure how or when to expand, and out to continuously at a character that was basically a blank slate, yet still operating throughout the story. This is why Professor Pine doesn't appear in person, and what appearances she does have are few and far between.**

 **The difference in the names also comes from the RP and my expansions combined. I started writing down ideas for expanding Professor's Pine character, I did not know her first name. Therefore, I picked the name Julia and started writing out her story. However, later on I found out her name was Annelle. Unfortunately, I'd already written several instances in her story already that used the first name Julia. Therefore, I decided that I would use the name Annelle from the RP. However, Julia would be her real name, with the name Annelle being a pseudonym. This way, what I'd written in my expansion notes could be fused with the information in the RP, without the former needing to be changed at all.**

 **-As for why I chose to have Professor do what she did, I can't say much now without revealing the major plot spoiler. However, I will talk about it later. Furthermore, what happened offscreen when the others were talking to Professor Pine is planned to be revealed in a companion story called Allegiance.**

 **-The picture of Torracat comes from something that happened much earlier in the story, during its introduction. Or rather, what didn't happen. I realized what I was writing that Torracat was the only Pokémon that did not receive a full description. The reason was that because I was writing for an RP with shorter chapters, a sort of deadline, and quicker uploads, I wasn't sure how much description I wanted to put in. However, when I decided to give Pokémon full descriptions anyway, I realized Torracat was the only Pokémon without one. Therefore, it gets one here.**

 **-In the games, Toxic is given by Janine to anyone that beats her Gym. Admittedly, I forgot to have her hand it out when Holly defeated that Gym. However, due to what was going on in the story, it ended up working out well anyway. Toxic being stronger when used by Poison Types comes from the games. Toxic typically has a chance to miss foes. However, if is used by a Poison Type, Toxic will not miss.**

 **-As for the rest of the Technical Machines, they are also here for story reasons. Technical machines often contain powerful moves, and are used for optimizing a Pokémon's moveset. Finding Technical Machines usually requires the player to complete quests, and exploring specific and often hidden parts of the Pokémon world. However, implementing this in the story would require a lot of backtracking and extra writing. That was something Holly, and by extension the RP itself, could not afford. At the same time, with the battles ramping up as the story continued through the second half, I wanted Holly to have her Pokémon's moves and options overall optimized. So the many Technical Machines are introduced here as a result. I'm considering having them be properly found in other stories in the series, however.**


	82. The Backdraft

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

82\. The Backdraft

As Kristine and Holly raced toward the Gym, Holly wondered if she would be rejected.

After all, Erika did not specify when they could come back.

Yet as the Gym doors opened, and Holly let out a sigh of relief.

Now she would finally be able to punish Erika for everything she'd done!

Holly would prove that she and Kristine were in the right!

Holly followed Kristine into the Gym's familiar area of grass and trees.

Several sets of icy eyes glared at her.

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

The others had simply reconvened at the Gym.

Yet Holly did not let herself show any anger now.

In the end, she would destroy everyone against her anyway.

Besides, she was only focused on one person.

Erika stood in the center of the Gym, waiting patiently.

She looked as though she could freeze the entire place, with a coldness present in her eyes that Holly rarely ever saw.

Yet Holly didn't care.

Erika could be as angry as she wanted, but it didn't change the fact that the Celadon Gym Leader was the one who had done wrong.

Today, Erika would get what she deserved.

Holly was aware of Kristine walking up to where Erika was waiting.

The disabled Trainer held a stoic, piercing, gaze.

Kristine's voice betrayed no emotion, and she looked Erika straight in the eyes.

"Now then, the promised Gym battle?"

Erika only nodded curtly.

Holly could see the others stepping back.

They would not interfere.

Perhaps they wouldn't even speak.

Regardless, it seemed as though the only people in the room were Kristine, Holly, and Erika.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

It may as well been that way.

They were the only ones that mattered now.

Erika and Holly quickly took their places across from each other on the battlefield.

Kristine stepped back, but Holly could see the disabled Trainer was still nearby.

Holly noticed she was watching intently, and instantly relaxed.

No matter what, Kristine would still be there to help her.

As long as the disabled Trainer was by her side, Holly couldn't fail.

Yet Holly's thoughts were torn away from Kristine as she focused on Erika.

The Celadon Gym Leader's eyes were hard, and she held a Poké Ball in her right hand.

She tossed it into the air, voice taking on a chilling tone.

"Go, Tangrowth."

A Pokémon appeared in a flash of bright white light. Holly could see it was the same as her own, but experience was reflected in its sharp gaze.

Holly's own eyes narrowed.

Experience or not, she still had the advantage.

And she knew exactly which Pokémon she would use!

Holly tossed her own Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Naganadel!"

Her own Pokémon appeared in its bright white light, gleaming stingers poised for combat.

Holly could hear gasps echo around the room, and Erika's eyes were wide.

A grin spread on Holly's face.

Of course the others would be terrified of a Pokémon like this!

It was a powerful Ultra Beast, and probably nothing that the others had seen before!

She could use Naganadel to take Erika by surprise!

Judging by her reaction, she already had!

Yet Erika quickly regained her composure, stepping forward slightly.

When she spoke, her voice was not full of surprise, but horror.

Erika screeched. "Holly, that Pokémon... What have you done to it!?"

Holly emotionlessly replied. "I caught it."

Erika's voice rose in her fury. "That's not what I meant! That Pokémon is under the spell of the move Hypnosis! It's completely brainwashed!"

Holly shook her head furiously. "No, it isn't! The move Hypnosis just puts Pokémon to sleep!"

Erika clenched her fist as she yelled. "And it uses the power of suggestion to do that! Under the right circumstances, it can also suggest the target to do _other_ things! Like obey the user mindlessly! Holly, how did you do what you did to this poor Pokémon, and why?"

Holly frowned and thrust out her fists. "You don't know what you're talking about, and even if you did, it's not like I would tell an enemy anything!"

Erika flinched back, sorrow present in her face.

Holly smirked.

Good.

That would show Erika!

But wearing her adversary down with insults was just the beginning!

And the Celadon Gym Leader's hesitation showed that the beginning was working!

Holly wasn't about to give Erika time to recover, rapidly seizing the advantage.

She screamed. "Naganadel, Sludge Bomb!"

Holly's Pokémon let out a cry and a purple ball of sludge appeared in its mouth. Instantly, it launched the sludge ball at Tangrowth.

The opposing Pokémon screamed as the sludge ball slammed into it head on. Poison dripped from its vines, and Holly didn't need to look at Tangrowth's contorted face long to know that didn't stand a chance.

Tangrowth only took a few shaky steps backward, before it collapsed on the ground.

As Erika recalled her Pokémon, Holly fixed her with a smirk.

Yet Erika did not flinch.

Instead, Erika's face twisted with rage.

"You didn't react at all to Tangrowth's pain, and you don't even seem to care about your own Pokémon! This can only mean that your power to sense others' pain is gone!"

Holly narrowed her eyes.

"Of course it's gone. Why would I keep something that's gets in my way?"

Desperation filled Erika's voice and Holly could see the light of emotion burning in her eyes.

"Holly, it didn't get in your way! That was a form of empathy, with people and with Pokémon! Without it, you'll never become a great Trainer!"

Holly snarled. "Oh, shut up! I don't need your lectures! Just fight already, like you promised!"

Erika cringed, and Holly resisted the urge to smirk again.

She had dealt another blow, and it was far stronger than any Pokémon attack.

No matter what the outcome of the battle was, Erika would not be able to recover.

Yet for now, the Celadon Gym Leader composed herself.

She tossed another Poké Ball into the air, but her voice was subdued.

"Go, Jumpluff."

As the Pokémon appeared in a flash of bright white light, Holly only nodded.

Erika's spirit was already being crushed, and that meant Holly was doing lasting damage.

But she had to keep the pressure on.

So she focused on the new adversary in front of her.

It was a blue creature with a little tuft of green on its head. The creature had white cotton balls for arms, and a similar cotton ball on its head. Red eyes restlessly scanned the battlefield as the creature hopped around on blue feet.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Jumpluff may have been one of the fastest Grass Pokémon, but Holly wouldn't let that confound her.

After all, she knew what Jumpluff was weak to.

She rapidly recalled Naganadel, and tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Glaceon!"

Holly's Ice Type Pokémon appeared rapidly, alertness shining in its eyes.

But before it could make a move, Erika yelled. "Jumpluff, Stun Spore!"

Jumpluff waved its arms around, and a yellow powder shot from them. The powder flew straight towards Glaceon, but Holly wasn't concerned.

She knew Glaceon was more than strong enough to evade the attack on its own, and Stun Spore was easy to dodge.

As if to prove Holly's point, Glaceon leapt in the air. The Stun Spore passed harmlessly below, and Glaceon soared toward its opponent.

Holly nodded.

Now was the perfect time to strike!

Glee filled her voice as she yelled. "Glaceon, Ice Beam!"

Ice appeared as Glaceon opened its mouth. Instantly, the ice took the shape of a beam. Holly's Pokémon shot the beam from its mouth, striking its opponent dead on.

Jumpluff screamed, and Holly could hear the ice crackling as it encased the Pokémon. Jumpluff was still blue, but it was lighter than before. The Pokémon now sparkled eerily, and Holly had a feeling that Jumpluff wasn't sparkling on its own. Jumpluff didn't crash to the ground, but stayed standing and unmoving.

Erika's face blanched, and she threw her hand over her mouth. The Celadon Gym Leader used her free hand to recall her Pokémon, but Holly could see that hand shaking.

Erika spoke, voice also trembling. Although the words were barely audible, Holly could still make out what they were.

"Why… Why did you…"

"Don't ask! Holly snapped. "You don't deserve to know anyway!"

She shouted impatiently. "Just send out your next Pokémon!"

Erika grimaced, but held a Poké Ball in her hand.

She tossed it into the air.

"Go, Victreebel."

A Pokémon appeared in bright white light, and Holly took time to study it.

It had a yellow body with dark green spots. Holly could see large green leaves on its sides and head. A brown object that looked like a vine sprouted from the creature's head, and there was a yellow leaf at the end. A ring that resembled a pink mouth was slightly below the leaf on the Pokémon's head. The mouth even had teeth, and Holly often wondered what could be caught within.

However, she didn't wonder long.

Instead, Holly recalled Glaceon and held another Poké Ball in her hand.

She threw it towards the battlefield.

"Go, Porygon 2!"

Holly's mechanical Pokémon appeared in a flash of bright white light. It hovered on the battlefield, curiously staring at the foe.

Erika put her hands on her hips.

" _This_ was worth gambling away all your money? _One Pokémon,_ when you have so many others?"

Holly nodded curtly.

"Every minute I spent gambling was worth it, and I will show you why!"

She screamed. "Porygon 2, Psychic!"

A light blue aura radiated in Porygon 2's and quickly spread to the rest of its body. The same blue aura surrounded Victreebel.

Before Holly's opponent could react, Porygon 2 picked it up and tossed it into the air. Victreebel let out a screech as it was slammed onto the floor. Victreebel squeezed its eyes shut, and didn't even attempt right itself.

Holly smiled again as Erika recalled her Pokémon.

Surely she had proven herself now!

Yet Erika only shook her head, an icy gaze still in her eyes.

Holly glared back, making her own gaze as fierce as she could muster.

Erika just couldn't accept the fact that she was losing!

And she couldn't accept the fact that Holly was correct in all the things she had said since coming here!

And Erika _certainly_ couldn't accept that Holly and Kristine's entire cause was just, and that she had just fallen under the sway of corruption!

It was time to force Erika to face reality!

The Celadon Gym Leader held a Poké Ball in her hand, and Holly could tell from her grim countenance that the battle would not last much longer.

Erika tossed the Ball into the air.

"Go, Vileplume."

Another Pokémon appeared in a flash of bright white light, and Holly took a moment to study it.

The Pokémon's body was blue, with short hands and feet. However, it had a giant red flower on its head. The flower also had white spots, with what looked like an orange cap in the middle.

Holly nodded.

Vileplume was Erika's strongest Pokémon. It had apparently saved the Celadon Gym Leader as a child before it evolved. They had been inseparable ever since.

But the bond wouldn't be enough.

Vileplume couldn't save Erika now.

Holly rapidly recalled Porygon 2, throwing another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Honchkrow!"

Holly's bird Pokémon appeared on the battlefield, letting out a screeching cry as it did so.

Vileplume didn't even flinch, courageously standing its ground for its Trainer.

Yet Holly knew bravery would not be enough to win.

She gleefully yelled. "Honchkrow, Brave Bird!"

Honchkrow tucked in its wings, nearly touching the ground as it soared towards its opponent. About halfway through the flight, flames surrounded every inch of Honchkrow's body. Yet the Pokémon didn't seem bothered by it, eyes focused straight ahead. Honchkrow let out another shrieking cry, and spread its wings. The flames were replaced by a blue aura, and Holly's Pokémon picked up speed.

Vileplume could do nothing but scream as Honchkrow slammed into it.

The opposing Pokémon staggered backwards from the force of the blow, immediately crashing the ground. Honchkrow soared back to where it had been before, although Holly could see a slight wince as blue sparks flew up its body.

However, she couldn't focus on that as Erika recalled Vileplume.

The Celadon Gym Leader shook her head and gritted her teeth.

She choked out the words. "I have nothing left…"

Holly narrowed her eyes as she recalled Honchkrow.

Pretending to be in pain wouldn't help Erika now!

Holly heard Kristine step up as the disabled Trainer stated.

"Time for the reward, yes?"

Holly held out her hand.

Surely Erika would keep her promise.

After all there was the threat of being disqualified from the League hanging over her head.

Holly smirked.

That was the same threat that Erika tried to carry out at the beginning of her journey.

The same threat that Kristine had stopped, and was now imposing on another.

Holly resisted the urge to grin, and she knew it wasn't just because she had won the battle.

There was no end to the satisfaction that came with knowing that Erika would finally get a taste of her own medicine!

Holly held out her hand, a silent demand in the gesture.

Erika seem to understand, a broken gaze in her eyes.

Holly's own eyes narrowed.

Erika could play the victim all she wanted!

In the end, she was the cause everything wrong!

The Celadon Gym Leader slowly walked over to Holly. She placed a badge that looked like a rainbow flower in Holly's hand. Holly could also feel Erika pressing a green disc almost over the badge. The Technical Machine for Giga Drain, Holly knew. It was a powerful move, one that her Grass Type Pokémon would appreciate.

Holly greedily snatched the items, not even giving a nod of thanks in return.

The two opponents stepped away from each other, their battle now truly over.

Yet Holly knew this was no time to celebrate.

There was something else she needed to do.

Out of the corner of her eye, Holly saw Kristine nod.

Everything was in place.

With that, Google suddenly radiated with psychic power.

Holly wondered if the others were going to gasp, or try to run up and stop it.

But wonder was all the thought was.

Because the others didn't do either.

Or rather, they couldn't.

In an instant, Google's psychic power froze them all in place.

The other stood like statues, still eerily silent.

Google had paralyzed them so severely that even Will and Molly Hale could do nothing.

Instead they could only watch helplessly, completely at Kristine and Holly's mercy.

Holly resisted the urge to smirk.

This how all Trainers felt under the oppression of the League!

Finally, the tables had turned, and Erika would not be the only one getting a dose of her own medicine!

This was how things should be, and Holly was certain the League was finally beginning to understand that!

But they begin to understand far too late!

Holly stole a glance at Erika, noting her defeated, horrified, and shocked expression.

This time, Holly really did smirk.

That expression would be the last thing Erika ever wore!

And the next step made sure of it!

Holly tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Arcanine!"

Holly's Pokémon appeared immediately, letting out an earsplitting howl.

Holly knew her Pokémon was ready for combat.

But, that was not what Holly had in mind.

Instead, Holly let her voice ring through the Gym as she spoke her command.

"Arcanine, use Flamethrower to burn this place down!"

The Pokémon nodded before opening its mouth.

A stream of fire burst from it, hitting a nearby wall.

The wall immediately burst into flames, blaze beginning to devour the defenseless Gym.

Yet Arcanine wasn't finished.

More fire launched from its mouth, on the hunt for other areas.

And Holly knew her Pokémon would not stop until everything was engulfed in fire.

More walls, the ceiling, every tree, every branch, every leaf, even the tiniest blade of grass…

All becoming part of one raging, powerful, flame…

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Erika was a fool to try to make her part of Celadon's Grass Type Trainers.

Fire was Holly's passion. It always would be.

The fire that now turned Holly's vision a mixture of yellow, orange, and red.

The fire that now produced the gray thick smoke billowing upwards…

The fire that roared, leapt and crackled as it consumed its prey…

Glorious, beautiful, fire…

Fire that Holly wished would never stop…

Yet Holly knew all good things must come to an end.

It wasn't her place to burn with the others, after all.

And of course, Kristine knew that too.

Holly heard the disabled Trainer's voice in her head.

" _Google, teleport us out. You know where to go."_

As the psychic power engulfed Holly and whisked her away, one thought occupied Holly's mind.

Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Erika's conversation about empathy to Holly is inspired by the anime. In this media, Erika is impressed by Ash's battle skills. However, she states that he lacks empathy with his Pokémon, and without it, he will never become a great Trainer. Erika then demonstrates her point by sending out her Gloom and defeating Ash's Pokémon without hardly battling. Since Holly's powers are about empathy, Erika retains her philosophy on it in this story.**

 **-Vileplume saving Erika as a child is also based on the anime. When she was young, Erika was cornered by a wild Grimer. Terrified and helpless, she had no idea what to do. However, a wild Gloom suddenly appeared, and Erika asked it to help her. The Gloom obliged by spraying a horrible stench from its flower to drive the Grimer away. Erika was so grateful to it that she let it join her team. The two had been together ever since, and Gloom quickly became Erika's most powerful battler. Traveler keeps this backstory, but adds one change. In the anime, Gloom is unevolved. This is the same for Pokémon Yellow, since it is based on the anime. However, in all other media Erika appears in, she uses a fully evolved Vileplume instead. Therefore, I thought it would make sense to have Gloom be fully evolved here.**

 **-Holly burning the Gym down is yet another inspiration from the anime. In the anime, Team Rocket sets Erika's Gym on fire. Luckily, no one is hurt, and everyone manages to escape to safety. The Gym is damaged, but still standing otherwise.**

 **-In early drafts of the story, the Gym battle was going to go differently. Holly was originally so distraught over the death of Torracat that she lost to Erika. Erika states that though she understands the loss, Holly is not defined by a single Pokémon. She also mentions that there are others relying on Holly at this point, and the entire region may now need her help. However, Holly is still devastated, and tries to get Kristine to battle in her place. Erika refuses this, but Kristine forces the fight. As a result, Erika decides to act as though the Badge has been acquired normally, but withholds both it and the corresponding Technical Machine until she feels Holly has truly earned them. This meant that the Holly could leave the city, she could not pass the gates of the League. As Holly's personality changed, this plot point was removed. It also would have been difficult to implement, mainly because of backtracking and deciding what requirements would be needed to get Erika's Badge.**


	83. Proper Reward

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the authors' notes for details. There is a new prompt here, but it will again be the only one for a while.**

 **Nevertheless, here is the prompt!**

 _Saffron is the largest city in Kanto, and is home to several areas. It hosts the famous Silph Co., responsible for the distribution of many products in Kanto. A Fighting Dojo also exists here, but not all Trainers use it. Saffron is protected by its Psychic Type Gym, and the Gym's Leader, Sabrina._

* * *

83\. Proper Reward

Holly felt her feet hit the ground, but she had no time to dwell on it.

Kristine took off running, and Holly immediately follow the disabled Trainer.

Buildings and other landscapes whizzed by as Holly's feet pounded on the pavement.

Holly wondered where Kristine was going, or if the disabled Trainer would stop.

However, she didn't dare ask that question, instead focusing all of her energy on keeping up with Kristine.

Finally, the disabled Trainer halted, and Holly did the same.

Her eyes widened as she took in her surroundings.

They were right near the Saffron City Gym, yet still in an area where they could avoid being seen. If they just dashed out of hiding, they would be right in front of the place.

Holly nodded.

They were right in the major parts of the city, yet beneath everyone's watch. Kristine had chosen while.

Yet one question rattled in Holly's mind, and stop herself from asking.

Through thought, she stated.

" _The others… Are they alive?"_

Kristine did not answer immediately, but instead, gestured.

Mickey appeared, and the Hoopa floated forward.

Energy radiated around it, and its eyes searched restlessly.

The Pokémon was obviously looking for something, but Holly had no idea what.

Mickey must've found what it was looking for, though, because the energy disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Mickey simply nodded, and Kristine nodded back.

" _The others are alive, and they escaped. Mickey doesn't know anything other than that though."_

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Of course a ghost Pokémon would know something about whether people lived or died!

But to think that the others would flee from her trap so easily…

It seemed too improbable to be true…

Yet Kristine rapidly responded. _"Google's power of freezing others only works if it actively uses it. Since it has now focused its psychic power on carrying me and teleporting us around, it's no longer utilizing its ability to freeze the others. On top of that, the others have quite a few people can utilize teleportation. It's not that surprising that they escaped."_

Holly's face fell, as disappointment clearly showed in her eyes.

After all that work she did, only to have the others thwart such a simple trap…

She should have known something so simple wouldn't work against Trainers so powerful!

And she should have known about their abilities! And about Google's limitations!

Knowledge like that would've made the plan much more effective!

Holly glanced at Kristine, and noticed the disabled Trainer's countenance had softened.

" _You still did a lot of damage to them, Holly. It will take Celadon a while to recover, and Erika even more so. She has most likely lost Pokémon, part of her home, and maybe even Gym Trainers. And she and maybe even some of the others will be stalled trying to put the fire out. If they even can. Furthermore, it's very likely the others were injured or at least weakened during your attack. They will have trouble retaliating."_

Holly beamed.

Leave it to Kristine to see both sides of a strategy!

Yet the disabled Trainer spoke again. _"Don't celebrate just yet. It's likely that the others are heading here, since Saffron is the next major city and a huge part of the region's well-being. So we must still fight against them."_

Holly nodded sharply.

"I'm prepared for anything!"

Confidence gleamed in Kristine's eyes as she replied. _"Then it is time to enact the next phase of our plan."_

Holly nodded, a smile spreading on her face.

No matter what happened, the traitors didn't stand a chance!

Kristine rapidly gestured, and Holly noticed a Pokémon creep up.

The Pokémon looked like a white cat, but stood on two legs. Its paws, neck, and a tuft of fur on its head were dark blue. The rest of the Pokémon's body was white, with a huge fluffy tail and ears. It had dark red eyes that focused sharply on the areas ahead.

Holly knew this Pokémon was called Meowstic.

Holly had heard females had mostly white fur, and males mostly dark blue. Apparently, there were some other differences too, but couldn't remember what they were.

Regardless, she did know it was a popular Pokémon in the Kalos region, and a favorite of psychics like Sabrina.

Holly's grin only grew wider.

No one would suspect anything!

Not wanting to gloat too long, Holly turned towards the Meowstic and her Trainer.

Kristine was now glanced at her Pokémon and Holly could hear the disabled Trainer speak through thought.

"It is time. You know what you must do."

The Meowstic nodded, then calmly walked away from them.

Holly watched the Pokémon go, until her form was swallowed up in the background of the city.

Now all they had to do was wait.

But waiting seemed to be the hardest thing in Holly's life.

How could she wait when their plan was finally about to be realized?

Holly tapped her foot impatiently, but Kristine shot her a disapproving glance.

"What?" Holly snapped.

Kristine sternly replied.

" _You'll give us away if you keep tapping your feet like that! What do you think will happen if someone hears you, or sees the movements?"_

Holly nearly blushed with embarrassment.

Kristine was right.

She couldn't afford to make such stupid mistakes.

Not when they were so close to their goals!

" _Sorry."_ Holly muttered.

" _Apology accepted."_ Kristine responded in a composed tone.

Before Holly could say anything more, she noticed a flicker of movement in the distance.

Holly strained her eyes, trying to see what was going on.

She still couldn't really see, but she could hear.

Pounding pierced Holly's ears, and she realized the pounding belonged to footsteps.

The flicker of movement morphed into several shadows.

After a while, the shadows became visible.

And they revealed themselves to be an entire crowd.

Holly knew exactly who the crowd was.

Especially since Anabel led the charge.

The betrayer's eyes were hard and focused as she sprinted after Kristine's Meowstic.

Kahili ran behind Anabel, but easily matched her pace. The Alola Champion's eyes were just as hard, and she was sprinting so fast Holly wondered how she didn't bang into Anabel.

But Holly couldn't focus on Kahili when there were other people in the crowd.

Molly Hale and Caitlin flanked Kahili on both sides, neither psychic showing a hint of strain.

Holly wasn't sure how they could run so fast, but suspected they were secretly floating above the ground.

There was someone who Holly was certain was floating above the ground, though.

Ivy's eyes were wide with fear as psychic energy surrounded her. She made no noise as she followed the others, having been lifted into the air. Holly noticed a similar aura orbiting around Molly Hale, and realized the psychic was carrying Ivy. Perhaps the annoying Trainer couldn't run as fast as the others, or perhaps she had been too scared to move.

Whatever the case, Holly rolled her eyes.

Another reason Ivy was useless.

Luckily, there wasn't just Ivy to focus on.

Delia sprinted next to Ivy, narrowed eyes hard and focused. Even though she stayed next to Ivy, Holly noticed that the redhaired woman was still close to Molly Hale. Perhaps Delia wanted to protect her, even now.

Luckily, Molly Hale had more than one protector.

Malva ran on Delia's other side, eyes blazing as fiercely as the fire Pokémon she was known to train. Her face was twisted in a snarl of rage, and Holly wondered how much of that rage Malva would unleash once the group got to their destination.

But now she was focused on protection, easily keeping pace with both Delia and Molly.

Holly rolled her eyes.

Those people were all annoyances!

They didn't need protection!

But Delia and Malva weren't the only ones channeling their protective instincts.

Karen and Will ran shoulder to shoulder, seemingly wanting to safeguard each other. Holly wondered why Will didn't use his own psychic power, but figured he must've wanted Karen to be able to keep up.

But there was one person who didn't need to keep up.

Lusamine sprinted at a speed faster than Holly ever thought possible. She looked as though she was flying, and Holly wondered if the only reason she slowed her pace was so that the others would have enough room to run. A resolute look appeared in Lusamine's eyes, and Holly suspected Lusamine was so determined because she wanted to stop the one she saw as her daughter.

Holly frowned.

Imagine what Lusamine would think when her daughter figure was going to stop her!

However, Lusamine wasn't the only one filled with determination.

Bill's eyes burned with a fire fiercer than Holly had ever seen. Holly wondered if he had the same feelings as Lusamine, since he was close to Kristine.

Yet Bill's feelings could not match his strides. He lagged behind the others, a bit of redness in his face. Holly guessed he didn't battle or travel much, so he wouldn't be as fit as the others. No one ran alongside him, despite the fact that the others must have clearly been aware he was behind. Either the situation was too urgent for them to slow down, or the others trusted Bill could handle himself. Knowing his power with Pokémon, the latter could have very well been the case.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Despite the fact that everything was going to plan, something was wrong.

There was no smoke scent on the breeze…

No coughing or irritated eyes from the residue…

No burns marred any of the people who ran, and there was no pain in their steps…

There wasn't even any tattered clothing, wounds, or blood…

Even though there should have been all of that…

Yet the others were acting as though nothing had happened, united in their pursuit of Kristine's Pokémon.

Holly blinked.

It clearly didn't make sense, and there was no obvious answer. Kristine didn't even chime in, so Holly suspected the disabled Trainer didn't know what was happening either.

Furthermore, there were something even odder.

Erika was not with the others, even though she probably had the most reason to be out of all them. The rest of them had escaped uninjured, so there was no reason Erika hadn't.

Maybe Erika chose defend her home city, although it was as good as gone by now.

Or maybe the others had just left her behind. She was one of the weaker ones in the group, after all.

Perhaps Erika suddenly decided that she couldn't bring herself to fight her own adopted daughter. Considering how crushed she was during the Gym battle, Holly would be surprised if that was the case.

Whatever the reason was, Holly quickly decided she couldn't care less.

Holly could just go back and punish Erika later, and it didn't change the outcome now.

Besides, Holly had more important things to focus on.

Like how Kristine's Pokémon was leading the others near where Holly and her Trainer were hiding.

Kristine's Pokémon finally halted, so close Holly could see both her and the traitors clearly.

And she could also see Kristine curtly nodding her head.

At the disabled Trainer's gesture, gaping ovals of shadows appeared underneath the traitors' feet.

They tried to step out of the shapes, but it was a futile effort.

More shadows shot out of the shapes, latching on to every limb.

There was a loud noise as the shadows pulled the traitors to their knees.

Kristine rapidly nodded again, the disabled Trainer showing no sympathy to her helpless victims.

The shadows then threw the traitors' arms behind their backs, and pinned them down to the ground.

Immobilizing them…

Binding them…

Chaining them…

Holly smiled.

All the traitors were now prisoners in chains.

There was nothing more fitting.

Suddenly, a scream rang through the air.

Holly recognized the voice as Ivy's, but then the voice was intertwined with many others.

Gasping.

Shouting.

Snarling.

Yelling.

All music to Holly's ears.

She closed her eyes, savoring the melody.

It was just what those traitors deserved!

It was something she could hear until the end of time!

But she knew she didn't have until the end of time.

Because she heard Kristine's voice in her head.

" _Let us reveal ourselves."_

Holly responded with another nod.

It was the perfect time to show those traitors who the stronger one was!

With that, Kristine leapt out of their hiding place. Holly quickly followed.

Holly registered they were now in front of the Gym. However, she didn't pay much attention to that.

Instead, she glanced all the faces of the victims.

Holly could read their expressions like a book.

Horrified…

Terrified….

Enraged…

Devastated…

Desperate…

Holly only continued to glare.

The rewards that traitors deserved!

Yet Holly could not have predicted what happened next.

Molly Hale suddenly twisted against her restraints, staring straight ahead.

Holly blinked.

Why would Molly Hale do that?

It wasn't like she could escape…

The psychic answered Holly's question as she took a deep breath and shouted.

"Sabrina, help!"

Holly's eyes darted to the side, registering the appearance of more psychic energy. Within minutes, a woman teleported next to her.

The woman's long black hair nearly touched the ground. Her red clothing and black pants remained unsullied, but Holly wondered for how long. The woman's blue eyes had a stoic expression, but Holly knew she was concerned.

It's wasn't like Sabrina to ignore someone in trouble, after all.

Holly had known Saffron's psychic Gym Leader her entire life, so she understood that better than anyone.

Yet Sabrina's desire to help wouldn't get her far now.

For almost as soon as the Saffron Gym Leader appeared, Kristine nodded again.

Instantly, the same shadows formed below Sabrina.

The Saffron Gym Leader hissed as the shadows ensnared her, reducing her to the same sorry state as the others.

Kristine smirked as she walked over to Sabrina's other side.

"I knew you would come to defend your city, so thwarting the attempt is rather simple. Really, considering you're supposed to be a powerful psychic, you're so predictable."

Sabrina gritted her teeth, but did not say anything.

Yet Kristine did not care as she continued.

"Sabrina, proud Gym Leader of Saffron, you make a wonderful prisoner."

Holly immediately chimed in. "Right as always, Kris!"

A broad smile spread over Holly's face.

How fitting, that the one who imprisoned countless people should be made a prisoner herself!

It was the best type of justice!

And it seemed she wasn't the only one that thought that way.

Holly heard a screech, one she didn't recognize.

The traitors clearly recognized it though, as Holly noticed several their faces going pale.

However, Kristine's face broke into a wide grin, and the disabled Trainer looked more confident than Holly had ever seen her.

"Yes, excellent work, Lucifer! And I appreciate your agreement! I don't know where I would be without your support!

There was another screech, and Holly thought she could detect something that resembled joy.

In another minute, a Pokémon appeared at Kristine's side.

The Pokémon looked like a giant snake, body gray and twisting. Black and red stripes also ran down the creature's body, although it still left some grey. Yellow spikes stuck out from the creature's sides, and Holly could see something that resembled a mane of spikes on its head. There was something that looked like a mask of the same color, and red eyes seemed to glow as they peered ominously over the battlefield. Black tendrils sprouted from the Pokémon's back, and the tendrils had red spikes at the end. Holly wasn't sure if the tendrils were hands or wings, but quickly decided she didn't care.

Instead, she tried not to shiver.

This was Giratina, god of death.

Judge of souls.

Teller of the fate of those in the afterlife.

Second-in-command to Arceus, supreme god of all Pokémon.

And perhaps, only second in power.

Holly tried not to swallow hard.

This had all been part of the plan…

Yet still…

To be next to a Pokémon so powerful was both an honor and a terror.

What was that thinking as it disarmed the traitors?

Was it judging their souls right now?

Had it judged Kristine's soul before it joined her?

Would judge Holly's soul someday?

Holly was rapidly torn from her thoughts as she noticed a faint glow.

She rapidly realized the glow was that of psychic power, and it was radiating around Sabrina.

The Saffron's Gym Leader's eyes became narrowed and focused, the same energy reflected in her gaze.

Holly quickly resisted the urge to let her eyes go wide.

Would Sabrina escape?

Yet Kristine only smirked.

"I thought you would try something like that, so I came prepared!"

The disabled Trainer glanced straight at her Meowstic.

Holly resisted the urge to cock her head.

How could a mere Meowstic defeat a psychic as strong as Sabrina?

Suddenly, Meowstic was surrounded by bright white light.

And then she began to change.

In an instant, Meowstic was no more.

In her place is a completely different creature.

The creature still looked like a cat, but the similarities ended there. The cat was pink, with a long tail swishing to and fro. It had a tiny body with even tinier paws. Holly noticed that two of the paws were feet, and another two were hands. Holly wondered if the creature was bipedal, but it just floated in the air. Blue eyes stared the scene in front of it, expression unreadable.

Holly couldn't tell what the Pokémon was thinking, but she knew what type of Pokémon it was.

Mew, believed by some to be the ancestor of all Pokémon species.

Capable of learning almost any attack possible.

A Pokémon so rare some still doubted its existence.

And, one of the strongest Pokémon world.

Kristine had mentioned she had this Pokémon when they discussed the plan.

But to think that she truly had power this potent…

It was still nothing short of awe-inspiring.

And Kristine clearly knew what she wanted to do with it.

Her eyes narrowed as she spoke to her Mew.

"Bubble, Leech Life, on both the traitors and their Pokémon."

Kristine's Mew suddenly glowed blood red. Holly could see something that looked like same colored rays being brought towards the Pokémon.

Rapidly, the traitors and their Poké Balls were engulfed in the same blood red light. The rays only grew stronger as they rushed towards Kristine's Mew.

Holly heard groans and piercing screams, as the air was filled with the sounds of the traitors' suffering. Another sound reached Holly's ears as she was alerted someone retching. A quick glance told her where the sound was coming from.

Ivy's face's was pale and slightly green as her head pointed towards the ground. Violent hacking noises rattled in her throat, and her body trembled as it was seized by spasms. However, she never brought anything up. Black circles surrounded her eyes, and they appeared to be so swollen she could barely look at Holly.

Yet still, she managed to whimper hoarsely.

"Holly… I thought… you were my friend…"

Holly shot a glare in Ivy's direction.

How could that useless Trainer also be so stupid?

Holly snarled. "Don't you understand, Ivy? I was never your friend!"

With that, Holly picked up a Poké Ball and tossed it into the air.

Naganadel appeared in a flash of white light, eyes mercilessly scanning the battlefield.

Holly growled. "Speak again, Ivy, and I'll have Naganadel poison you!"

Holly's Pokémon let out a hiss, as if it was agreeing with what she had said.

Holly nodded.

Of course it would!

No matter what anyone said, Naganadel was one of her loyal partners!

Ivy had shrunk back, face growing even paler. Holly wondered if she would actually vomit.

Yet Holly quickly decided she didn't care.

Ivy didn't matter now!

Instead, Holly's eyes narrowed as she continued to gaze forward.

Most of the traitor were struggling to remain upright. Others were like Ivy, barely keeping their eyes open. Another sensation pierced Holly's ears, and Holly knew it was coming from the traitors as some of them crashed to the ground.

But no matter what happened to the traitors, there was no mistaking the pained, desperate, pleading look they all shared.

Yet Holly didn't show any sympathy.

The traitors' pleas wouldn't help them now!

Holly only smiled and nodded her head.

The traitors were getting exactly what they deserved!

But this wasn't the end of their pain.

Far from it.

Holly nodded again.

It was time to enact the next phase of the plan.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-What Giratina does here is based on both canon and fan interpretations. Giratina is often compared to Satan by fans. The reason is that it was banished by Arcues, the Pokémon world's equivalent to God. It was banished towards violence, thrown into an uninhabited place called the Distortion World. Furthermore, Giratina also resembles a serpent, and has the ability to appear from unsettling shadows. In this way, Giratina's story is also similar to that of Satan. Satan was an Archangel, before being punished and banished by God. Satan then became the leader of his own realm, Hell, where those weapons judged to be evil would go. He also took the form of a serpent to successfully tempt Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. Satan is sometimes also associated with shadows, darkness, and evil. The reason Kristine's Giratina has the name Lucifer is that in some versions of Satan story, it was believed Lucifer was his name before he fell. Giratina being Arceus's right-hand man is also a reference to the biblical Lucifer serving God.**

 **-Giratina being the god of death has to do with some fan interpretations. A common depiction is that it is the Pokémon equivalent of the Grim Reaper, using its tendrils to take someone's soul. This theory has some slight backing in canon. In the Sinnoh games, Giratina can usually be found in a place called the Turnback Cave. Turnback Cave is thought to be the door to the afterlife, attached to another area called Sendoff Spring. This spring is said to be where the dead go to journey to the afterlife. Furthermore, Turnback Cave itself contains text about the sparkling and fading of life.**

 **-Giratina been able to manipulate shadows is based on both the games and an interpretation of them. In the games, Giratina has a signature move called Shadow Force. With this move, Giratina disappears into shadows, then reappears to cause massive damage. In Pokémon Platinum, Giratina is angry that Cyrus has intruded the Spear Pillar. It creates shadows below Cyrus before forcing him into them and the Distortion World. Both of these instances show that Giratina can control shadows, but it is never explained to what extent. Therefore, I thought it wouldn't be so far-fetched if Giratina was able to control shadows for other purposes.**

 **-Mew's ability to learn almost every move comes from the games. Mew has the ability to learn any move available from a man-made source. In other words, Mew can use any Technical Machine, Hidden Machine, and Move Tutor (provided the move is not exclusively for specific Pokémon in the latter case). Mew is also one of two Pokémon that can naturally learn Transform in the games, the other being Ditto. As such, Mew can use Transform to temporarily gain access to every other move in the game. Consequently, it is both powerful and extremely unpredictable in battle. Mew being so rare that its existence is doubted and supposedly the ancestor of all Pokémon comes from its Pokédex entries.**

 **-The way Mew uses Transform in this chapter is seen in both the anime and the games, although not very often. Typically, Transform can only allow all Pokémon to change the opponent in front of it. However, there are rare examples of Pokémon changing into things that are not in front of them, or even in battle. Most of these cases also are unexplained.**

 **The first case of this happening is in the game Pokémon Snap. When the player enters the cave area, they can see what appear to be Bulbasaur on a grassy part of such cave. Although the game identifies them as their species, taking a closer look will reveal that they seem a little odd. Throwing Pester Balls at them surprises the Pokémon, and they revert to their true form as Dittos. What makes this notable is that Bulbasaur can be found nowhere near the cave area, instead being found by the river above it.**

 **A second and more direct example is in Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs. In this game, there is an elderly woman named Kasa that uses a Ditto. She eventually battles the player, and her Ditto transforms into various Pokémon the player has summoned throughout the game. However, the player cannot use these Pokémon in battle, and Ditto is never seen directly in front of them. A lesser example is when Ditto eventually transforms into the player's Pichu. It's able to do this to catch everyone up off guard despite being nowhere near Pichu's location. It's unknown how Ditto does all of this, but since Kasa is a master of disguise, it's implied she taught it those abilities somehow.**

 **-The final example comes from the anime. The Ditto Trainer Duplica has a Ditto named Miniditt. For the most part, Transform works normally. However, if Miniditt tries to transform into a Pokémon that is larger, it will instead transform into a miniature version of that Pokémon. Duplica spends the episode trying to figure out what's wrong with her Pokémon, and trying to figure how to get to transform normally. After a while, she realizes that she can't get it to Transform normally no matter what and there is otherwise nothing wrong. People also enjoy Miniditt's unique talents, so Duplica decides to find other Ditto with unique transforming talents.**

 **-The battle was supposed to go much differently in early versions of the story. After Kristine gets taken away to Saffron, Holly remembers that Kristine had secretly allowed her full access to all of her Pokémon. At that point, Holly realizes Kristine probably expected to be taken away, and uses the PC to free all of Kristine's Pokémon. After explaining what has happened to their Trainer, Kristine's Pokémon unanimously agree to go with Holly to rescue her. Along the way, Holly fights Anabel and the others, winning as Kristine's Pokémon act on their own. Eventually, she reaches Sabrina and the other psychics, asking them to let Kristine go. When the others ask what will happen if they refuse, Holly states that shall simply have to use** _ **this**_ **Pokémon. At that moment, Giratina appears. Holly states that she knows that Giratina can kill, and that Kristine would kill if Holly was the one taken away. So she will kill it she has to. Not wanting any blood to be spilled, Sabrina releases Kristine without a fight, however, she warns the two that they're going to a dark path, and asked them if they will keep going. Both Kristine and Holly say they will, not caring about Sabrina's words. Molly Hale also does something where she tries to show Kristine and Holly who they truly are, but neither of them pay attention to her.**

 **-This scene wasn't in the final draft for various reasons. One of them was that it was difficult to write, specifically the idea of who was doing what, and what Pokémon Kristine actually had. Furthermore, the others know Kristine is a powerful opponent, and easily take them down, but they would still be able to put up a fight and a regular battle. One of the most from the issues was that even though Holly has Kristine's Pokémon, it doesn't mean she knows how to use them properly or command them. That would put her at a distinct disadvantage, because every Pokémon would have to fight alone. Holly herself is still almost defenseless against people like Anabel as a result. The final thing that made the plot points not work was that it was almost impossible to figure out when and how Holly would get Sabrina's Badge. She would have to get it at some point, but she clearly wouldn't be able to get it at the same time she was threatening Sabrina's life. So although the entire plot point was discarded, Giratina being at the center of the fight remained.**


	84. Payback

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I don't own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

84\. Payback

Holly immediately eyed Kristine, and the disabled Trainer seemed to sense Holly's thoughts.

"Are ready for the next part?"

Holly nodded fiercely.

"Of course I am!"

She kept her fierce gaze as she stared back at the traitors.

Kristine should've known better than to ask whether she was ready!

Yet the disabled Trainer only replied rapidly. "All right."

She glanced at her Giratina. "Lucifer, bring Anabel to the front."

Anabel let out a yelp that as she lurched forward. The shadows binding the betrayer to the ground disappeared, but Holly knew her enemy was not free.

Anabel's hands were still forced behind her back, and she was lifted into the air. Holly could see more shadows orbiting around the betrayer, but it wasn't obvious how they worked. They looked a little bit like the energy of psychic power, yet Holly knew they were anything but.

Holly guessed the new shadows somehow kept Anabel from moving. She was proven right as the betrayer futilely struggled against the restraints. Defiance burned in Anabel's eyes, but the defiance began to fade as the betrayer floated closer and closer to the front.

By the time the shadows halted, Anabel's eyes had gone wide with fear.

Holly only glared coldly back.

Anabel _should_ be afraid!

It was only right, after everything she had done!

Now the betrayer could experience the fear she inflicted on so many others!

Holly turned away from Anabel as the betrayer was brought up to float in the air beside her.

The shadows turned Anabel around so harshly the betrayer winced.

Yet Holly showed her no sympathy, only continuing to glare.

Anabel deserved to be in pain after all the damage she had inflicted upon countless other Trainers!

But Holly couldn't focus on Anabel's pain for long.

Because now the betrayer's eyes were even wider.

Anabel was now floating in a place where she had full view of the battlefield, and her helpless comrades.

They all desperately focused on Anabel, yet she could do nothing but stare back.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Anabel was now able to see everything but was unable to do anything…

Just like the cruel fate she had forced onto Holly during their journey…

And what the others, under Anabel's command, had tried to force onto Kristine…

It was only fitting that the betrayer suffer the same horrific punishment!

Yet Holly knew that punishment was not yet finished.

No, the main events were still to come.

Holly glanced straight Anabel, watching as the shadows engulfing the betrayer grew larger.

Suddenly, the shadows snatched a Poké Ball from Anabel's belt.

The device flew through the air on its own, Lucifer's helpless captive.

Holly recognized the pink color of a Luxury Ball.

There could only be one Pokémon inside.

Anabel's Silvally burst onto the battlefield in a flash of light. However, it staggered around. The Pokémon swayed back and forth as it desperately tried to keep its footing. Holly thought it would collapse, yet the creature was determined to stay upright. However, its entire body dropped, and it looked as though it was struggling to keep its head up.

Kristine only glared at the Pokémon, and Holly quickly followed suit.

This was exactly as they had planned!

That creature was an insult to all Pokémon! It deserved to suffer!

But watching the Silvally flail in pain wasn't enough!

No, Holly needed to make sure it never hurt anyone again!

Her eyes hardened as she tossed her own Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Glaceon."

Holly Ice Type Pokémon appeared rapidly, ears angled forward as it snarled at its opponent.

Silvally could only whimper.

Holly frowned.

How pathetic that the proud Beast Killer was now clinging to life!

But this meant Holly couldn't waste any time.

Her voice was cold and dangerously low as she uttered her command.

"Glaceon, kill this abomination. And make sure it's painful."

Glaceon did not hesitate as it focused menacingly on Silvally. Holly's Pokémon quickly opened its mouth, and ice appeared inside. The ice formed into an enormous beam, which Glaceon shot out of its mouth. The beam struck Silvally dead on, spreading to its entire body.

This time, determination was not enough.

Silvally fell over instantly, hitting the ground with a loud, deafening, crash. It made no effort to get back up, and Holly would've thought the Pokémon was dead if not for its strained panting.

The enemy Pokémon's limbs move sluggishly, and Holly noticed that some weren't even moving. Blue crystals covered its body, giving off an eerie, shimmering, glow. Silvally shivered furiously, yet it was clear the Pokémon would find no warmth. Even though the Pokémon was pale to begin with, Holly thought she could see Silvally's face slowly turning white.

Holly frowned.

Silvally was clearly suffering.

So why didn't it just hurry up and die already?

Holly noticed her Glaceon probably thought the same thing.

Its body was in a tense combat stance as it growled deeply.

Silvally was now facing Glaceon as it lay in front of it, and Holly wondered if her Pokémon would just finish off the foe with another attack.

Yet Silvally opened its mouth, probably preparing to let out another scream.

But that scream never came.

Instead, Glaceon opened its own mouth wide as ice formed. Rapidly, Glaceon fired a beam of ice straight into Silvally's mouth. There was a deafening gagging sound as Silvally tried to dislodge the ice from its throat.

However, Glaceon kept firing.

The gagging turned to even louder choking. Sillvally's face grew even paler, and there seemed to be a bit of dusky blue. Holly heard the sound of something hardening, and suspected Sillvally's throat was being frozen from the inside out.

If that was the case, it wouldn't have mattered.

Because Silvally let out one last gasp, and then lay still.

Ice fell out of Silvally's gaping mouth, and Glaceon stepped back.

Holly looked into the opposing Pokémon eyes, realizing that the pupils were large and black.

Large and black…

Just like…

No, Holly couldn't think about that now.

The encounter was all done and over.

What was important was the present.

Holly had to focus on the victories!

Like the fact that the betrayer's abomination couldn't trouble anyone anymore!

And how all of the traitors had lost a significant amount of power already!

And they could only lose more!

So Holly simply smirked, eying the dead Silvally like a trophy she had won.

The traitors met her gaze with expressions of shock and horror, but Holly paid them no attention.

Let them be shocked and horrified!

It was only fitting that Silvally received its punishment!

Kristine stepped forward, voice cold as it carried across the area.

"The Pokémon hurt many others, and caused many people to betray me and Holly. It's only right that it died here today."

Holly nodded approvingly.

Kristine was right, as usual!

Yet the disabled Trainer's speech was followed by noisy sobbing. A close look in the crowd told Holly was coming from Lusamine.

The woman's face was red with tears, and more kept coming. Dirt stained her blonde hair as it touched the ground, but Lusamine clearly didn't notice. Instead, the woman's mournful howls rang through the air.

Holly wanted to cover her ears, but decided she would not give her enemies that satisfaction.

After all, why did an adult have to act so childish?

Holly didn't act like that when _her_ Pokémon died!

Lusamine's embarrassing display only proved how stupid the League was!

Yet Holly's attention was torn away from Lusamine as she focused on the glaring gazes of Malva and Molly Hale.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Even after what happened, the two _still_ were defiant?

Perhaps they needed to be taught an extra lesson!

But before Holly could speak, she heard Malva's accusing snarl. "You're insane! Both of you!"

This was followed immediately by Molly Hale shouting. "How could you? Killing a helpless Pokémon, and making everyone here suffer?"

"Silence!" Holly screamed.

She stomped her foot on the ground.

Enough was enough!

As if sensing her thoughts, Kristine nodded and tossed Holly a Poké Ball.

Holly threw the ball, and her Tangrowth appeared in a flash of light.

Holly pointed at the others, and her voice boomed through the air as she shouted. "Tangrowth, use Power Whip on Molly Hale and Malva!"

Holly's Pokémon nodded, and instantly, its arms turned purple. It ran over to where the traitors were, still glowing ominously.

There was a deafening cracking sound as cruel whips struck flesh.

Holly grinned as her she watched her Pokémon rapidly lash Molly Hale and Malva. The two cringed in pain, defiance fading away. Blood dripped down their backs, and from several other areas of their bodies. The traitors' blood covered Tangrowth's still glowing arms, red contrasting eerily against the purple. Yet Tangrowth was not bothered at all, and the beatings continued. Eventually they stopped, and Holly's Pokémon was drenched in blood. Molly Hale and Malva were also soaked in the sticky red substance, looking more like bloodstained beings than people.

Yet Holly showed not one shred of sympathy as her Tangrowth stepped back.

Those turncoats deserved everything they got!

So, Holly only listened gleefully as Kristine stepped forward again. "Does anyone else dare speak out against us?"

Holly quickly scanned the crowd.

Delia looked like she was about to say something, but instead bit her lip. After seeing what happened to Molly Hale and Malva, she wisely thought the better of speaking. Caitlin shot Delia a sympathetic look, but did not say anything. Lusamine's wailing was the only response, the woman still sobbing pathetically.

Holly growled to Kristine. "Lusamine's getting on my nerves. Should we punish her extra too?"

Kristine shook her head. "No, she's already suffered enough. Besides, punishing her more will only make the crying worse."

Holly nodded.

Despite how much her ears currently protested, Kristine _did_ have a point.

Besides, the fact that Lusamine was suffering may as well have turned the crying into music.

But Holly did not have much time to focus on that as Kristine stated. "Let's continue."

Holly nodded again.

There were still things to be done.

Holly gestured to Tangrowth, and the Pokémon headed over to her side.

Once the two were reunited, Holly focused again on Anabel.

The shadows plucked another Poké Ball from Anabel's belt. Once again, the ball flew through the air on its own, a prisoner of Lucifer's shadows.

Anabel's Espeon appeared when the Poké Ball finally hit the ground.

However, Anabel's Pokémon staggered, desperately trying to keep its footing. Like Silvally, Espeon's body drooped, and it looked like it was already going to hit the ground. Somehow, the Pokémon managed to stay standing, but there was no hiding the agony burning in its eyes.

Despite the suffering, Holly smiled.

The treacherous Pokémon deserved to be in agony, after unquestioningly following a tyrant like Anabel!

And this was the least of its worries.

Holly took a deep breath, letting her voice bring through the air.

"Anabel of Hoenn, you spend your life fighting off criminals. You present yourself as someone admirable. But, in reality, you make threats, manipulate people, break the laws you swear to protect, and endanger all Trainers. You're no better than the criminals you battle, because you are one!"

Holly paused briefly, her voice still ringing through the air but becoming colder than ice as she continued.

"It's time you faced the consequences of your actions, Anabel! And now you will receive a criminal's punishment!"

Holly then glared at Espeon as the Pokémon struggled.

"Anabel, Espeon is your favorite Pokémon. It's painfully obvious. Therefore, this is your Espeon, and it died by your hands today!"

Holly ignored the terrified gasps of the crowd as she threw more Poké Balls. Kristine rapidly did the same.

Within minutes, all of her other Pokémon were at her side.

Raichu…

Exeggutor…

Politoed…

Honchkrow…

Porygon 2…

Arcanine…

Lucario…

Mawile…

Nidoqueen…

Mightyena…

They were all there, united for one purpose.

That purpose was clear as Holly gave her cold command.

"Tear this Pokémon apart _, painfully."_

Holly suddenly heard the sound of another Poké Ball opening, and Holly realized it was Kristine's.

In another instance, Mallory appeared.

The crazed Mimikyu had an air of excitement, bouncing around with a wide grin on her face.

Kristine commanded in the same cold tone.

"Mallory, assist. But do not deprive Holly's Pokémon of getting their justice."

Mallory let out an earsplitting shriek.

"Time to play! Time to play!"

Kristine and Holly only nodded.

For once, Mallory was right.

The rest of the Pokémon let out snarls, hisses, and growls as they charged towards Espeon.

Anabel's Pokémon screamed as it was knocked over, and quickly buried under a mass of countless others. Holly heard ripping sounds, and smirked as she understood claws, whips, and teeth were digging into flesh. Espeon's screams pierced the air and crescendoed. Holly could see pools of blood forming below Anabel's Pokémon, and wondered where the wounds had been inflicted.

But there were other sources of pain.

Such as the electric shocks that occasionally lit up the area. Or the ice that crackled and stood out with its glimmering crystals. The sound of flames roaring reached Holly's ears, their burning rivaling the finest music. Holly faintly saw the glow of psychic power, and Espeon's screams reached a pitch Holly never thought possible. Whether the psychics were tearing through Espeon's mind, or slamming it against the ground, Holly didn't know. Was she did know was that dripping venom and spraying water had joined the chorus. And then there was the unmistakable cackling of Mallory as she gleefully destroyed her opponent.

Holly grinned.

With such a treacherous enemy, it is only fair that they all disposed of it together!

And it made the whole endeavor go quicker, it seemed.

Before Holly knew it, Espeon let one last desperate scream, going eerily still.

The other Pokémon ceased their attacks, stepping away from their handiwork.

With so many Pokémon attacking, Holly wasn't sure exactly how Espeon had died.

Yet there was one thing she was sure of.

Espeon was no more.

Instead, only a bloodied, mangled, corpse remained.

Holly glanced up at the crowd, meeting the disgusted and horrified gazes of the traitors.

She couldn't help having a triumphant look cross her face.

It wasn't like they could do anything.

Yet Holly's thoughts were interrupted by deafening sobbing.

Holly supposed Lusamine was making a racket, but realized it was coming from Anabel.

The betrayer's face was red with tears, and her crying seemed like the loudest sound Holly had ever heard. Anabel's entire body trembled, and she made no effort to stop the shaking. Her clothing was disheveled and wet from the tears. If Anabel was closer to the ground, her hair surely would've gotten dirty. Now, the proud International Police Officer's entire body slumped.

Holly nodded.

Fitting that such a traitor be reduced to someone so pathetic!

Anabel's sobbing continued to ring through the air as she made her sorrow known.

Yet Holly was in no mood for it.

Anabel inflicted that horrible punishment on Holly, which caused her favorite Pokémon to be killed!

It was only fitting that she suffer the same fate!

Besides, Anabel could cry all she wanted! Nothing was going to change!

With that, Holly snarled. "Save your tears, traitor!"

Kristine also identified she spoke coldly. "We are not finished with you yet."

She glanced at her Giratina, issuing another command without hesitation. "Lucifer, bring out Anabel's other Pokémon."

Shadows once again formed around Anabel's other Poké Balls, and the devices soared away from her. The Poké Balls opened to reveal Anabel's other Pokémon, all in the same sorry state that their dead companions had been.

Yet Holly's eyes only hardened.

Once she and Kristine were through with them, those Pokémon would suffer a fate worse than death!

But for once, the fate wasn't hers to hand out.

Instead, Holly glanced toward Kristine.

The disabled Trainer wasted no time uttering a chilling command. "Google, Hypnosis on all of Anabel's Pokémon. Do the usual."

Psychic power radiated around Google as it focused on Anabel's Pokémon. Giant, ominous, red rings shot out of its eyes, heading straight towards the Delphox's unlucky opponents. The other Pokémon screamed and tried to dodge the rings. Unfortunately, they were so weak they could barely move, much less avoid attacks. Before long, all of Anabel's Pokémons' eyes drooped.

In another instant, every one of the Pokémons' eyes shut.

Google kept Anabel's Pokémon standing with its psychic power, and the psychic power orbited around Kristine.

Kristine looked at all the Pokémon at once. Icy coldness never left the disabled Trainer's voice as she spoke.

"Anabel has disgraced herself as both a Trainer and a person, being exposed as the tyrant and criminal that she truly is. She is unworthy of training, or even owning, Pokémon. Therefore, you shall all train alongside Holly instead, and do everything she tells you to. Holly's your Trainer now."

More stunned gasps came from the crowd of traitors, but Holly ignored them to focus on Kristine.

The psychic power around the disabled Trainer, Google, and the enemy Pokémon intensified. Holly wondered if it would fill the entire place. Google grabbed its flaming stick and pointed it at the enemies. Holly guessed it was some kind of unspoken command, as the psychic power grew stronger still.

And then, every one of Anabel's Pokémon stirred.

They now held no desperation, malice, or pain. None of one of them screamed or staggered.

Instead, every one of Anabel's Pokémon glanced up at Holly. There was an almost reverent look in their eyes as they gave her their full attention.

Holly grinned, recalling Anabel's Pokémon as the psychic power disappeared.

Now, the betrayer couldn't hurt anyone with Pokémon anymore!

At last, Anabel was truly powerless!

Holly heard a gagging sound, scowling as she realized it was coming from Anabel.

Holly turned to face Anabel, glare never leaving.

A shudder wracked Anabel's body and she softly choked out. "No…"

Kristine responded without a touch of gentleness. _"Yes._ Accept it, Anabel. You were never worthy of those Pokémon. You were never worthy of _any_ Pokémon. And now you pay the price for being a false Trainer. By having them taken by a true one."

"I… I…" Anabel started stammering, but broke into tears before she could finish her sentence. Her face grew even redder, and her wailing even louder.

Holly only continued glaring in disgust.

If these were the people that ran the League and the world, no wonder it was in such bad shape!

They portrayed themselves as respectable authority figures, but in truth they were tyrannical, constant, liars!

And there was no clearer, more pathetic, example than Anabel!

The one that got Holly and Kristine into all the mess in the first place!

Holly glanced at the sobbing wreck in front of her, before turning back to Kristine.

She spoke in an annoyed tone. "How stupid! Can we finish things off?"

Kristine nodded with a gleam of confidence in her eyes. "With pleasure."

With that, Holly turned to her Pokémon, focusing her gaze on Arcanine. The Pokémon was covered in blood, but still ready and able to fight.

Exactly what Holly wanted.

Holly shouted. "Arcanine, use Crunch on Anabel and follow it up with Outrage! And make sure the wounds aren't lethal. Anabel needs to suffer as long as possible!"

Arcanine let out a roar, and opened its mouth wide. Its teeth glowed white as it leapt towards Anabel.

Faster than Holly could track, Arcanine bit Anabel with all its strength.

The cracking of bones mingled with Anabel's screams, and the betrayer's face turned deathly pale.

Yet Arcanine wasn't finished.

Holly's Pokémon uses giant paws to hold itself and Anabel in place. It ripped its teeth out of the betrayer's flesh, and bit down again. Several more times this continued, the cracking and screams getting louder each time. Yet Arcanine did not seem bothered by either as it continued its assault.

A pool of blood formed below the betrayer, and she looked like she was about to vomit.

Yet Holly held no sympathy.

Anabel could throw up and cry all she wanted!

Holly knew Anabel deserved to suffer as much as possible, and Arcanine knew that too!

After all, it was doing a great job of that now!

But what it was doing wasn't enough.

Arcanine's eyes glowed bright red, and it was surrounded by aura of the same color. Suddenly, it let out an earsplitting howl, throwing it set up to the sky. Arcanine then attacked in a frenzy unlike anything Holly had ever seen, clawing, biting, and tearing at every place possible.

Anabel screamed even louder, and a pleading look entered her eyes as she silently begged Holly's Pokémon to stop.

Yet Arcanine did not listen, and Anabel's screams were met only by the ripping of clothes and flesh. The pool of blood grew larger, wounds forming faster than Holly could see.

Yet Holly smiled.

Kristine had been right about teaching her Pokémon those all those powerful moves!

Without them, Holly could not have helped lead an attack like this!

And she couldn't have made Anabel suffer like the betrayer deserved!

All this was all because of Kristine!

Now Holly would finally pay the disabled Trainer back by eliminating every one of her enemies!

Holly was drawn to her Pokémon as the red aura stopped.

However, Arcanine's eyes still glowed red as it jumped off of Anabel and made its way to Holly.

Holly remembered that Kristine had warned her about this when they had discussed the plan. Apparently, Outrage could make Pokémon attack their own allies after it was used. But there was medicine to help, and luckily Kristine had given her some.

So, Holly grabbed the medicine's yellow container, and threw it at Arcanine.

The Pokémon stopped to let the medicine wash over it, giving a joyful bark. After that, the red aura in its eyes disappeared, replaced by confident calmness.

The same couldn't be said for Anabel.

Her eyes were still red, full of tears, fright, and pain. The rest of her body was drenched in blood, turning everything else red. Holly could see more flowing out, and was positive Anabel had wounds almost everywhere. The betrayer couldn't stop shaking, her shivers resembling earthquakes. Holly figured the betrayer had broken at least a few bones, although Anabel wasn't holding any of her limbs awkwardly.

It was clear Anabel had suffered a lot of damage during her punishment.

But that wasn't the most important thing.

Instead, Holly turned from Anabel and smiled again.

What was important that an easy victory was in reach!

She and Kristine were about to destroy all their enemies!

And then they would go on to take down the League!

After that, no one would suffer from their corrupt ways again!

Success was guaranteed!

Holly was sure of it!

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So it took me a while to figure out how to specifically write this chapter. However, I knew that Holly was going to kill Anabel's Silvally from the get-go. As far as Holly is concerned, Anabel's Silvally is an enemy to Kristine. In Holly's eyes, Silvally is seen as something that drove Anabel truly over the edge and down the path of a betrayer. So Holly murdering Anabel's Silvally was pretty much a given.**

 **-I chose Glaceon for the kill because of two specific reasons. One is that I wanted to see it get more action after its recent introduction, especially on Holly's darker endeavors. The other reason was that I wanted something that would convey the horror and brutality of the death without being overly gory or graphic. Choking on ice seemed like the perfect method, and Glaceon was the best Pokémon to make sure that happened to an opponent.**

 **-So as soon as thought of this chapter, I knew that Espeon was going to be killed by Holly's hand. From Holly's point of view, Anabel killed her favorite Pokémon, Incinaroar. Since Holly is motivated by vengeance against Anabel (and any of Anabel's allies), it would make sense that Holly would retaliate by taking the life of Anabel's favorite Pokémon, Espeon. Interestingly, Kristine wasn't originally going to participate in the attack against Espeon at all. However, I thought it would be fitting that Kristine also took part in causing Espeon's death. As far as both she and Holly are concerned, Anabel hurt Kristine as well.**

 **-When I was first writing this chapter, I knew I wanted Anabel to get seriously hurt and weakened, but I didn't know how. Whenever remembered Hypnosis and what it did to Naganadel, I decided to bring the concept again. I knew it was the perfect way to incapacitate Anabel's Pokémon without killing them (and thus ending any chance of doing more in the future with them), and to a lesser extent, Anabel herself. When I was thinking about how Anabel would be injured, I remembered Arcanine learning Crunch and Outrage. Both of those moves are depicted as being particularly brutal in canon material, so I thought they would be the perfect ones to seriously hurt someone.**


	85. The One Unknown

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

85\. The One Unknown

Holly could not stop smiling at her and Kristine's victory.

The traitors couldn't stop them, their greatest enemies were dead, and Anabel was being punished!

There was no way they could lose now!

She was so busy smiling that she could hardly see anything else.

However, Holly's eyes widened when she looked up.

There was a small dot in the sky, some sort of figure. Holly wasn't sure what it was, but she knew one thing. It wasn't any Holly had seen before, and Kristine didn't indicate any familiarity with it either.

Holly rubbed her eyes, wondering of what she saw wasn't real.

But it must've been, because the figure kept coming.

Holly's eyes grew wide again.

What could any single figure gain by coming here?

Did they hope to stop them?

They couldn't!

If a group of some of the strongest trainers in existence couldn't halt Holly and Kristine, a newcomer couldn't do anything!

If the figure decide to arrive here, surely they must've known that!

Perhaps the figure had a death wish!

One that Holly and Kristine would surely grant!

Holly narrowed her eyes as the figure loomed closer.

She resisted the urge to let them go wide again as she realized she could finally get a closer look.

It was truly unlike anything Holly had ever laid eyes upon.

Clearly, there was a person on a Pokémon, but the clarity ended there. The Pokémon's gaze pierced the air, intently searching. Holly realized the gaze belonged to one of those treacherous abominations, Silvally.

But what would one be doing here?

Lusamine was out of commission, and had not mentioned giving any other trainers a Silvally…

And the one Holly had seen wasn't living anymore…

So where did this creature come from?

And the Silvally seemed to be wearing something the other hadn't.

It looked like a horse saddle, having some sort of raised circle in front. The saddle was brown and large, almost looking like a seat. Stirrups hung down on both sides, and the person's feet rested comfortably. Reins hung around the neck of the Pokémon, with a bridle on top of its head. The reins had a pair of bands, one red and one white. One was held in the person's right hand, and Holly recognized it as the red band. The left hand gripped the raised circle, keeping the rider sturdy.

Holly's mind flashed back to the beginning of the journey in Mount Moon.

It seems like ages ago, yet Holly could remember the moment clearly.

The Silvally was wearing the same equipment that Kristine had used with Echo!

But Echo had been a horse Pokémon, a Rapidash.

And no matter how one viewed it, Silvally was a god!

Holly's eyes were hard, and she started frowning.

What Trainer would treat a god like a common horse?

All the more reason to destroy this intruder!

Yet said intruder was even more bizarre.

The first thing that caught Holly's attention was massive wings. They were pure white, and seemed to shimmer strangely. It reminded Holly of the stories she heard about angels, even though she'd never actually seen one.

What would an angel be doing here? As far as Holly knew, they weren't even real!

And there was something else odd about the intruder.

Heavy, dark shadows surrounded the person's entire body, contrasting eerily with the shimmering white wings. The shadows were so thick and numerous Holly could barely see anything about the person.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Who would conceal themselves in shadows? Was this person too cowardly to show their face?

Yet Holly suddenly noticed Kristine stiffen.

She glanced at the disabled Trainer, noticing a grave look in her eyes.

Kristine couldn't be afraid of some stranger shrouded in shadows, could she?

Holly figured she may as well ask.

She spoke through thought. _"Kristine, what's wrong?"_

Kristine rapidly replied. _"Holly, do you remember what Caitlin and Molly Hale talked about in Fuchsia?"_

Holly's eyes widened as she recalled the conversation.

" _There was another Trainer with us, and that Trainer was also a supernatural power user. If you have someone to thank, you should be thanking that Trainer. She's the one who launched that last attack on the rebels that made them retreat. She's the one who saved you."_

" _You really are the opposite of the other Trainer. She trusted us, and we trusted her in return. The Trainer was kind, polite, and sincere, even though she knew almost nothing about us. She risked her own life to make sure every innocent on the battlefield was safe. And the Trainer was only able to do this because she was willing to accept our help in order to draw out her own latent power."_

" _I saw the Trainer, Holly, and I saw her use that attack. It wasn't anything anyone was familiar with, though. She didn't have time to elaborate either, because she collapsed shortly afterward. The Trainer was enveloped in a ghostly aura, so I couldn't see what she looked like. However, I do know that this Trainer wielded power beyond the likes of anything I've ever seen."_

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

Was _this_ the Trainer from Fuchsia?

The one that forced countless enemies to retreat without battling at all?

The one who launched attacks no one had ever seen, or could even identify?

The one who defeated one of Holly's strongest Pokémon with a species only normally used by nurses?

Holly narrowed her eyes again.

Legendary Trainer or no, she could take the stranger down!

The stranger should know she stood no chance here!

Holly turned her gaze forward, focusing on the other Trainer.

Either the Trainer didn't know she stood no chance, or was too reckless to care.

She loomed in the distance, flying closer and closer.

And then, there was an unspoken command.

The stranger's Silvally suddenly burst into a sprint, moving at a speed faster than Holly ever thought possible. The Pokémon was surrounded by a white aura, matching the wings of its rider perfectly.

A prickle of dread ran down Holly's spine.

The Trainer was growing nearer, and she was headed straight for Holly.

Holly heard Kristine's cries of _"Holly, look out!"_ , yet she could only stay focused on the stranger speeding towards her.

If this was her ultimate opponent, then she had to meet her head-on!

Except there was nothing to look out for, and nothing to meet.

Holly only felt a breeze as the Silvally avoided her.

Instead, it soared into the shadows Lucifer had created.

More shadows shot out from the stranger. These shadows enveloped Anabel, cradling her.

And then they took her away.

The Silvally effortlessly leapt through Lucifer's shadows, Anabel still engulfed in the rider's own. The rider continued flying in the air, shadows comfortably carrying Anabel slightly above the rider's Silvally.

That's when Holly snapped to attention.

She couldn't let the stranger get away with rescuing the betrayer!

If this trainer allied with traitors, then she was one too!

"Naganadel, Toxic on these intruders!" Holly screamed.

Holly's Pokémon let out a roar, then flew towards the Silvally. Naganadel opened its mouth and sprayed a purple liquid.

The liquid headed straight for the rider, and Holly couldn't help grinning.

Even the strongest Trainers were terrified of the mighty Naganadel!

Soon, the intruder would be incapacitated, and everything would continue as planned!

Yet the stranger didn't even flinch.

She whipped around in the air, easily maintaining her and Anabel's balance. Light radiated from the stranger, and Holly recognized it the glow of psychic power.

Before Holly could warn Naganadel, the psychic power seized hold of the incoming Toxic attack.

It forced the poison backwards, and the psychic power threw the Toxic attack at its owner. Naganadel hissed as it was drenched in its own venom.

Yet the intruder didn't give Naganadel time to recover, and the psychic power around her intensified.

The psychic power instantly grabbed Naganadel and slammed it into the ground.

Naganadel lay unconscious, and Holly tried not to gasp as she rapidly recalled it.

Holly still glared up at the other person defiantly, yet the other did not even flinch as the psychic power left her.

How dare this intruder harm her Naganadel!

And she didn't even send out another Pokémon to fight!

She probably wasn't even a real Trainer!

True Trainers didn't side with traitors!

A question rattled in Holly's head, turning her anger to confusion.

Caitlin and Molly Hale had mentioned the mysterious Trainer had supernatural abilities, but they never mentioned her using them. Caitlin had even said that the Trainer needed her and Molly Hale's help to utilize her hidden psychic power.

So if this truly was the person from Fuchsia…

How was she attacking with psychic powers now?

The answer sent chills down Holly's spine.

A deafening, screeching, cry pierced the air, and Holly noticed it had an angry tone to it.

Yet anger didn't stop it from being familiar.

The cry was the same as Lucifer's.

And Lucifer was a Giratina.

So that meant…

This trainer had the power of Giratina, too!

But how could Giratina use its powers like that? From what little Holly knew, it wasn't a psychic…

And why would Giratina journey with such a bizarre trainer?

A wimp like her who needed help from everyone could never earn the respect of the legendary Pokémon!

The Trainer was probably just someone who couldn't fight for herself and borrowing someone else's Pokémon!

Either that, or she was a horrible person who enslaved the gods!

Yet Holly decided it didn't matter what this intruder was.

The rogue Trainer was in the way of Holly's and Kristine's plan, and had to be eliminated!

Holly was rapidly torn from her thoughts by the sound of someone's voice.

She immediately recognized the voice as Molly Hale's, the psychic's tone filled with shock.

"You… You're from the Safari Zone…"

Holly's eyes narrowed.

So this _was_ the Trainer from before!

All the more reason to take her down!

Yet as Holly tensed for battle, she was not prepared for what came next.

Holly expected a simple nod from the Trainer, or maybe a short sentence.

However, more energy radiated from her, and Holly could see ghostly purple orbs forming. The orbs suddenly floated above the stranger, seemingly waiting for a command. Again, the stranger did not speak, but a command was given. The orbs glowed brightly, and words appeared in the air.

" _Yes, it's me. I'm still here and alive."_

Holly put her hands on her hips.

Was the other person some crippled mute? Was she just too stupid or shy to talk? And why not have a psychic Pokémon voice their thoughts for her? Holly heard they were good at doing that.

But before she could speak, Holly was aware of another person's voice.

" _Why did you come?"_ Caitlin's voice was calm, but her eyes betrayed concern.

More words rapidly appeared, replacing the previous ones.

" _Why wouldn't I come? There are innocent people in danger! Besides, you helped me before, so it's only natural I return the favor. I'm just grateful I made it in time."_

Holly glared at the other Trainer.

She _hadn't_ made it in time!

Kristine and Holly still had all their power!

They could still defeat the intruder!

And the traitors weren't innocent; it's what made them traitors!

Besides, didn't anyone tell the other Trainer how Kristine and Holly were innocent and how much danger they were in?

Someone must have, or perhaps they were withholding the information from the stranger on purpose…

Whatever the case, what she said wasn't the truth!

But there was another voice that chimed in, and it was Delia's.

The woman's eyes were wide with fear. "Run! Save yourself! I don't want to see you get hurt!"

The stranger quickly created more words. _"No, I'm not going to run. I did not come all this way just get hurt."_

Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

This Trainer really was a fool!

She knew she was only getting herself hurt, but didn't want to admit it!

Kristine suddenly stepped up. "You should listen to her. Perhaps you can stop desecrating gods and forcing so much strain on your Silvally."

Holly nodded in agreement.

Of course Kristine was right!

Yet the other Trainer only responded with more words of her own.

" _I'm not desecrating anything. My Silvally, Lydia, chose to become a Ride Pokémon on her own after I gave her the option. And her species can carry large amounts of weight for long distances, even if that weight is much heavier than what is possible for its size. It's one of the things the original Silvallys were designed for, and is considered an ability on par with magic."_

Holly thought she could see Lusamine nodding, but she still glared at the other Trainer.

It didn't matter what the Silvally thought about the whole thing! To treat it like a common horse was still desecration!

Yet just when Holly was about to fire a retort, she noticed that the rider and her mount were now flying very close to the ground.

Yet none of Holly or Kristine's Pokémon tried to stop them. Judging by the display of their earlier power, Holly doubted any of the Pokémon would.

Holly resisted the urge to let her eyes widen.

The other Trainer had distracted her and Kristine while they were talking!

That must've been why she responded to the questions so quickly and easily!

Holly clenched her fist.

It was a such dirty trick! She should have realized it!

Yeah now the stranger landed gently and perfectly. She turned around again to glance at Holly and Kristine, but it was impossible to see her expression. Holly did notice that the stranger was across from the Saffron Gym, standing exactly where the others had come from.

Holly still narrowed her eyes, but could not help feeling a sense of confusion.

Why was the Trainer waiting there? There wasn't anything in that area…

Nevertheless, Holly was snapped from her confusion as the stranger began to write again.

" _Besides, Lydia isn't the only one I have with me."_

Holly snarled. "What do you mean?"

As if on cue, another sound pierced Holly's ears.

Holly shuddered as she realized what was.

Footsteps.

That meant there were other people arriving!

But who were those people, and what would they do?

In another minute, Holly received her answer.

A lithe figure dashed up, feet seemingly barely touching the ground. There was no mistaking the rage that burned in the person's purple eyes. The black clothing and red cape didn't contain even one blemish. Rather, the person stood alertly surveying the battlefield.

Holly's eyes went wide as she recognized the newcomer.

Janine.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader had obviously come to help the traitors.

But…

Kristine had stated that she took care of Janine, and the disabled Trainer had never said her plan had failed…

So Janine must've escaped…

But how?

Holly glanced at Kristine, realizing the disabled Trainer was as confused as she was.

If Kristine didn't know what happened…

Was there anyone that did?

Suddenly, Holly heard several more footsteps pounding.

Her jaws dropped as she recognized another familiar face.

Erika glared back, her expression graver than Holly had ever seen.

Yet…

She was another person that should have been badly injured, if not from the Gym battle, then from the fire afterward…

Yet here she was, alive and well, as though nothing had happened…

How was it even possible?

Yet Holly didn't have time to worry about Erika, as the familiarity kept coming.

There was a woman with brown hair and blue clothing, easily keeping pace with Janine and Erika.

Holly had not seen her in a long time, but knew who she was.

This was Giselle, the head of the Pokémon Tech.

And the one that handed Holly her first loss on her journey.

She should have been all the way back at Sable!

So what was she doing here?

A mixture of sorrow and rage was present in Giselle's eyes, and Holly wondered what the woman was thinking.

Yet she couldn't stay focused on Giselle for long, as another figure ran up beside her.

The woman had dark red hair and blue eyes. She wore a black shirt and a blue miniskirt. Her black shoes were slip-ons, but somehow they didn't impede her ability to run. Yellow rings contrasted against white skin.

Holly gulped.

This was someone she hadn't seen in a long time, and hoped not to see again.

This was Lorelei, former member of the Elite Four, and Pokémon Master.

Holly heard she wielded fearsome magic, and Holly knew that Lorelei probably wouldn't hesitate to use it now. Holly wondered what the magic would do, and shuddered as she realized she didn't want to find out.

Thankfully, her thoughts were ripped away from Lorelei as another person appeared.

The person looked almost exactly like Azure, but was much older. Although this was the first time they'd ever met, Holly recognized the person as Blue, the former Viridian Gym Leader, a legendary Pokémon Trainer, and Azure's father.

Holly did not flinch.

She and Kristine had many of the world's greatest Trainers at their mercy.

One more wasn't going to do anything!

Except…

Blue probably knew what happened Azure back in Lavender. Perhaps Azure had told him, and if not, he found that some other way…

So what would Blue do with that information?

Would he fight to protect his son?

Holly narrowed her eyes.

If so, he truly was a fool!

He should know he had no chance here!

But there were still other people that stood no chance.

Such as a woman who sprinted up beside Blue.

She had red hair, but it was not as dark as Lorelei's. The woman's eyes matched her hair, her gaze blazing fiercely yet still eerily calm. Her clothing was dark black, but outlined in red. The woman wore long red boots with yellow bands on them. She also wore something that looked almost like fingerless gloves, but did not protect her hands. This clothing was the opposite colors.

Holly resisted the urge to cock her head.

Who was that? No one she knew, but obviously someone important to be with all these other people…

Luckily, Kristine answered through thought.

" _That's Courtney Hiroko, one of the members of Johto's Elite Four. She's calm and quiet, but she's so fierce in battle she is known as the Fire Queen."_

Holly resisted the urge to roll their eyes.

" _She's known as the Fire Queen and she acts like that? A true Fire Type user lets their power blaze as they burn their opponents down! This Courtney Hiroko probably isn't even a real Trainer!"_

Kristine responded in a grave tone.

" _Don't let her demeanor fool you. Courtney Hiroko didn't become a member of the Elite Four by accident."_

Despite Kristine's warning, Holly still kept her eyes narrowed.

She would show this Courtney Hiroko who the true Fire type Trainer was!

Suddenly, another woman ran up beside Courtney Hiroko. The Elite Four member nodded to her comrade, and she simply nodded back. Perhaps there was some silent agreement between them, or perhaps they were just signaling they were both ready.

Whatever the case, the two women sharply stared ahead.

The newcomer had gray eyes and red glasses. Long brown hair tumbled past her neck and slightly down her back. The woman wore blue clothing, and Holly could see both a lighter and a darker shade. There were also darker stripes, but they weren't as easy to make out. The woman had clipped on a simple light brown belt, with something that looked like dark red feathers. There were patches of her clothing that were the same color as these feathers.

" _Who's that?"_ Holly hissed, through thought.

Kristine growled. _"Her name is Nia, and she's a skilled Pokémon Master. She is not from this region, but she fled to it and wandered around after tragedy struck her homeland. I met her when I was younger, and she is a cheerful person. I can't believe she would fight against me here."_

Holly clenched her fist.

Another the League had corrupted!

They just wouldn't stop!

Holly snarled. _"The others must have forced her into it, or manipulated her!"_

Kristine responded calmly. _"Perhaps. Regardless, if Nia sides with the traitors, then she is our enemy. And if she is our enemy, then she needs to be taken down."_

Suddenly, shock briefly flashed in Kristine's eyes, and Holly saw the disabled Trainer stiffen.

Before she could ask what was wrong, Kristine rapidly replied. _"There's a massive amount of Ultra Wormhole energy radiating from all those people… None of them should have any access to that energy… So why is it here now?"_

Holly's eyes were wide, and she couldn't help responding. _"The Trainer in the shadows… Does she have Ultra Wormhole energy as well?"_

Kristine nodded gravely.

" _Yes, she does. More than anyone I've seen. The amount of energy she radiates… It's almost overwhelming... It's abnormal, to say the least…"_

Holly's eyes widened.

If this Trainer startled Kristine, then surely she was a threat!

So Holly continued. _"Then… Are you familiar with her at all? Should she have that energy?"_

Kristine's eyes narrowed as she replied. _"I'm not familiar with her, so I can't say I know about the energy. But I do know she's against us right now, so she has to be eliminated."_

Holly nodded.

Leave it to Kristine to always be on task!

However, Holly was drawn out of her thoughts as she heard another person's voice.

Holly recognized the voice as Janine's, and there was no mistaking the fury in her eyes.

"That was a low blow, Kris, trying to kill me! Using your Pokémon to surround the city, luring me to my Gym, and sending your Pokémon to take my life on my own property! It's despicable!"

Kristine narrowed her eyes, speaking with cold calmness.

"And it was the perfect trap. You should have died long ago, considering how weak you are. I was just making sure nature took its proper course."

Janine gritted her teeth and Holly took the opportunity to chime in.

"You're the despicable one, Janine! You had no right to place those tracking devices on us!"

Kristine nodded. "If you hadn't tried to track us, I wouldn't have had to do what I did. But there should have been no escape… How did you get here?"

Janine snarled. "It's because of the one in the shadows. She fought off every one of your underlings. She not only saved the city, but she also saved my life! She means more to me than you ever will!"

Yet at this response, Kristine scoffed.

"I find hard to believe that some stranger can just defeat my highly trained Pokémon. But lying suits you, I suppose."

Erika stepped up, shouting as her voice rang through the air.

"Janine is not lying, and this Trainer isn't just some stranger. She used only a single Pokémon to put out all the fire, and did it faster than anyone I've ever seen. It's thanks to her that the Gym itself was saved!"

Lorelei's voice joined Erika's, and the Pokémon Master's eyes were hard. "It's not just a Pokémon Gym that was saved, Holly. The Trainer was able to borrow my magic, and used it to remotely prevent the fire from harming anyone inside the Gym. That is how no one was hurt. She couldn't use that ability to destroy the blaze itself, but her Pokémon took care of that."

Kristine rolled her eyes.

"No Trainer in the world has that type of power. You just like to make things up."

Suddenly, there was a shrill yell.

Holly realized that it had come from Blue, and his face was twisted in rage.

"I don't believe anything you have to say! Not after you nearly hurt my son! Not after you hurt me!"

Before Holly or Kristine could reply, Giselle spoke with a sorrowful tone.

"To think how far you and Holly have fallen, Kris… I never imagined it would come to this…"

Kristine bitterly replied. "Stop imagining anything. This is reality."

Holly nodded.

All of the traitors should know that!

Yet Courtney Hiroko spoke in defiance, tranquil tone hiding her fury.

"What is not imagination is that I and everyone else here believed in you, Kris. You betrayed our trust."

Holly clenched her fist.

Kristine did betray anyone!

She was the one betrayed!

By the entire League, and all of its supporters!

Yet suddenly the woman named Nia stepped up, a stern expression on her face.

"I guess we can't idolize Kristine anymore. Instead, there's the Mold Breaker."

At this, the stranger nodded, and Nia responded with something that sounded like a cheer.

"You can do it!"

Holly frowned.

This Nia person was already weird!

Who would cheer during a serious moment?

Holly's frown turned into a scowl as she remembered the oddest thing.

The name Mold Breaker…

It was obviously a title of some sort, but for what?

Holly knew Mold Breaker was also the name of a Pokémon ability…

But it clearly wasn't being used that way if it was referring to a person…

So it didn't make any sense!

This place wasn't moldy, so there was nothing to break!

Why would someone have such a stupid title, and who would give it to them?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she noticed movement.

Erika was now kneeling on the ground, and looked at the Mold Breaker expectantly.

The shadows carrying Anabel slowly and gently placed her in Erika's arms.

Holly was shocked the Celadon Gym Leader didn't try to flee at the moment, but she must've known such was futile.

What also shocked Holly was when the Mold Breaker dismounted rapidly.

A light surrounded her Silvally, and Holly assumed the Mold Breaker was recalling it somehow.

However, Holly did not expect the Pokémon to suddenly turn into a floating, gray, orb.

There was an unspoken command, and the orb flew into the Mold Breaker's body.

Holly's eyes were wide.

The Mold Breaker's Pokémon was simply gone…

No Poké Ball…

No red and white lights…

No attaching things to belts or other areas…

Simply _nothing_ …

Holly glanced towards Kristine, but the disabled Trainer offered no explanation.

What had the Mold Breaker done?

Yet that still wasn't the most shocking thing about her.

What was more shocking was what the Mold Breaker _couldn't_ do.

Like stand properly.

Her legs were both twisted, with her favoring her right one. The Mold Breaker stood on the toe of her left leg. Her heel and foot would be in the air. Her right one was usually down, but occasionally, it would switch places with the left. Holly caught glimpses of both feet on the ground. However, this only lasted a second, before the left foot was up in the air again.

Holly's eyes were wide.

That stance…

It was almost exactly like Kristine's…

What did this mean?

How was it even possible?

Holly shook her head.

Maybe didn't mean anything, and it must have been very possible!

People with limps weren't exactly rare!

Besides, it didn't matter now!

All that mattered was destroying all opposition!

Holly was ripped away from her thoughts as she noticed Kristine.

She faced the Mold Breaker with the most intimidating expression Holly had ever seen.

The disabled Trainer spoken to the stranger in a dangerously low voice.

"No matter what you are, you are now our new enemy. Prepare to be annihilated."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So here it is, the Mold Breaker. The mysterious trainer single-handedly responsible for Holly's group escaping from the Safari Zone alive, and the rebels retreating. The character that I had planned to place into the series from the start, and have an active role throughout. The character that had a massive impact long before her name or anything about her was ever revealed. The one that was created before the RP even started, and depending how technical one wants to get,** _ **decades before.**_ **If one uses the technical definition, then she is the first character I ever made, as old as my writing passion itself (spanning around** _ **two decades as of this writing).**_

 **No matter what definition is used, the Mold Breaker has been through** _ **many**_ **incarnations, and has an extensive history. However, in order to avoid major plot spoilers and boring people with all of the technical things, that history will not be discussed here. However, I will go into more detail on exactly who the Mold Breaker is and how she was created later on. I will say that the reason the Mold Breaker appears here is because after I decided to change the fight in Saffron around, I wasn't sure what to do. Things eventually grew even more difficult as Fuchsia was unintentionally moved up. I hadn't yet planned out how I wanted the plot to proceed at that time (other than any prompts I was given from the RP itself), and the plot points coming sooner they anticipated made me even more unsure. Then, I remembered the Mold Breaker, and realized it would make sense to have her appear based on what I had already written about her. After that, the rest was history.**

 **-The Mold Breaker riding a Silvally is slightly inspired by the anime. In this, Gladion rides his Silvally through Ultra Space. I thought that was interesting, and had already written down that the Mold Breaker would obtain a Silvally at some point during her backstory. So all I had to do was flesh out her backstory a bit more, and the Mold Breaker's Silvally became an official Ride Pokémon.**

 **-Speaking of Ride Pokémon, I may as well elaborate a bit more on them here. As mentioned way back near the beginning of the story, several Pokémon can be ridden by the player in the games. However, they are not officially called Ride Pokémon until the Alola games. Furthermore, only a handful of Pokémon can be ridden, and most of the time, the areas where one could ride them are very limited. Furthermore, what Pokémon could be ridden did not typically carry over from game to game in the series. However, the Traveler series expands on the idea. In Traveler, any Pokémon can be officially trained as a Ride Pokémon, provided the species can be ridden normally (e.g. the Pokémon is not too small or too short).**

 **-The gear the Mold Breaker uses with her Ride Pokémon is based on my own observations. Ride Pokémon typically have only a small seat on them, and something that looks like bicycle handlebars that the rider hangs onto. I noticed that there was nothing to keep the rider in the seat, or even guide a Pokémon in the right direction. Therefore, the Ride Pokémon would not realistically function. However, since a horse saddle and equipment does all the above with a horse, I decided to use that for the Mold Breaker's Ride Pokémon instead. It's worth noting that the only time typical horse riding equipment is used is with Ponyta and Rapidash in the anime. Furthermore, that appearance is very brief, lasting only a single episode.**

 **-The comment about Silvally carry large amounts of weight long distances comes my own observations. In real life, horses can only safely carry a portion of their own body weight. However, an average horse weighs a little more than 1000 pounds. However, most Pokémon only weigh in the low hundreds of pounds. Therefore, most Pokémon should be not able to carry** _ **anyone.**_ **Silvally is in the above category, yet still carries Gladion in the anime without any issue. Since Silvally is a Pokémon made by artificial means, it was easy to add that as the reason why it could safely carry a rider. I'm unsure what explanation, if any, will be given for other Pokémon, though.**

 **-So, enter Lorelei and Blue. I really wasn't going to have them appear personally in this story. However, as the plot changed and developed, it made sense for them to appear in person. So here they are. Lorelei has several different appearances throughout the canon series. What she looks like here is a fusion of two of those appearances. Lorelei's long dark red hair and blue eyes come from the anime. The rest of her design comes from Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green.**

 **-Courtney Hiroko is a canon character, although not some people would recognize. She actually she comes from the little-known Game Boy Color game Pokémon Trading Card Game. Courtney reappears in its sequel, yet said sequel was never released outside of Japan. The sequel has received a complete fan translation, however. As a result, those outside of Japan can understand what happens in the game, and even play it for themselves. Courtney happens to be an Elite Four member in both of the games, although in those games the Elite Four are called Grand Masters. Just like in this story, she uses Fire Type Pokémon and is known as the Fire Queen. Unusual for Fire Type Trainers, she is extraordinarily calm, even in a bad situation. Hiroko is actually her Japanese name, but is used alongside her English name here. The reason is because there's another Courtney that's also appears in the Traveler series. The two are entirely different characters, and have completely different names in the Japanese versions of their games. However, they both got translated to Courtney somehow, so last names are used to tell them apart.**

 **-The reason Courtney Hiroko appears here is because of some of the lore of the RP itself. Karen and Will left the Johto Elite Four to fill the empty slots made by Lorelei and Agatha. Bruno and Lance also regain their previous positions in the Kanto Elite Four. That left a lot of positions open, and unlike in the games, the Johto and Kanto Leagues are separate from each other. Since the original RP was exclusive to Kanto, the rebuilding of the Johto Elite Four was never explained. However, when I turned it the RP into a series that encompassed all regions, I knew I had to expand on that. Then I remembered the spinoff games and their powerful Trainers. Those Trainers seemed to be a natural fit for the Johto Elite Four, so there were easily included.**

 **-Nia is another character from the spinoff games, but from one that's a bit more well-known. She is one of the main characters in Pokkén Tournament, a fighting game originally only the release in Japanese arcades. It eventually did receive a localization in select American arcades, but said localization was very limited. The game was fully localized and completely released worldwide on the Wii U several years later. Even later on, it received a remake on the Nintendo Switch known as Pokkén Tournament DX. In this story's early days, I had gotten a Nintendo Switch and Pokkén Tournament DX. I really enjoyed the game and decided I wanted it to be represented in the Traveler series somehow. Therefore, Nia was included in the story.**

 **-Nia looks exactly the same in her game as she does in this story. However, in her home game, Nia's outfits are customizable. She gains more as the player plays through the game, and the one that she's wearing in this story is the default. I'm not sure she will use any of the customized outfits in Traveler, or of any references to customization will be made.**

 **-Nia being cheerful is exactly the same as she is in her home game. However, since Pokkén Tournament doesn't give a lot of background story about its characters, a lot Nia's is my own interpretation. Nia being a skilled Trainer is something that's implied in her own games. Information about her in the game's online mode hints that she is a very powerful Trainer, but no one really knows if that's indeed the case. The player never finds that out either, because they never fight Nia. She's never even seen in battle, despite having at least a Weavile as her main Pokémon. However, I decided to use the interpretation that the game hints at, and make her an incredibly powerful Trainer. Her being a Pokémon Master is there to emphasize that.**

 **The rest of Nia's backstory is almost completely my own creation. I will say that it's inspired by something I saw in her game and a few of the others in the canon series. This will all be explained in more detail later on.**

 **-The cheer Nia uses at the end of this chapter actually comes directly from her home game. Her tendency to cheer even during the most serious of battles also comes from her own game. In fact, Nia's cheering is actually a gameplay mechanic. That's because in Pokkén Tournament battles last a number of rounds (typically two, although some go longer). In between each round, Nia will cheer for the player. The cheering has various effects, and the player can set these effects in the settings menu before they head off to fight in battle. The effects also depend on whether the player wins or loses the round. Nia also cheers at other points in the game, although these cheers have no effect on gameplay. The particular cheer Nia shouts in this story is used in her game if the player is trying to unlock an achievement and goes to check the progress.**

 **-Mold Breaker being about a Pokémon ability comes directly from the games. If a Pokémon has the ability Mold Breaker, the ability will cancel any other ability that impedes the user's capacity to battle. For example, if an opponent has an ability that allows it to survive something that would normally defeated if they are at full health, Mold Breaker will go through that ability and the opponent will be defeated no matter what. Since there are many abilities meant to impede opponents, Mold Breaker is an extremely powerful one. Therefore, very few Pokémon have it, and everyone on the battlefield is alerted whenever a Pokémon with Mold Breaker is sent out.**

 **-The Mold Breaker silently having her Pokémon recalled by turning into orbs is slightly inspired by canon, and heavily inspired by another game unrelated to Pokémon. In terms of canon inspiration, Molly Hale does something similar when she battles in her dream world. Since she doesn't actually have any Pokémon, she instead materializes Poké Balls out of nowhere using the power of the Unown. After that, she uses them like normal devices, although they almost appear to be shimmering. After she is done fighting, the Pokémon summoned run over to her, before also shimmering and disappearing. The second inspiration as a much more direct and have your influence. However, since it is also a slight plot spoiler, I won't discuss it here. However, I will discuss that game, and how it affected what the Mold Breaker became, later on.**


	86. Single Strike

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the authors' notes for details.**

* * *

86\. Single Strike

Kristine stated, through thought.

" _Let us begin, Holly."_

Holly eagerly replied. _"Yes, let's."_

Kristine nodded. _"Very well then, Google. Summon our reinforcements."_

Psychic power radiated around Google, and immediately intensified.

The sky darkened, and there were gasps of shock.

Holly grinned.

This darkness was not from a move, Pokémon, or even a person.

No, this darkness was from a mass of Poké Balls, perhaps hundreds of them.

They simply floated in the air, held by Google's psychic power.

The Poké Balls patiently waited for the command to unleash their deadly content.

Holly's grin only grew wider.

Of course, Kristine had prepared by going getting every Pokémon from her PC and Holly's in case they had to fight. She had used Mickey carry them all to Saffron, and then keep them hidden. When Holly asked, the disabled Trainer mentioned it was technically against the League rules.

But now it didn't matter.

Kristine and Holly had stopped supporting the League a long time ago.

So they would ignore their rules.

Even the most basic ones.

And of course, the traitors never saw it coming!

All the more advantages for Holly and Kristine!

Holly glanced at the disabled Trainer as she uttered a cold command.

"Go."

At Kristine's words, the Poké Balls launched themselves in the air. There were screeches as everyone was momentarily blinded, and bright white light surrounded the entire area.

When the light cleared, more Pokémon were there.

Holly nodded approvingly.

There must've been almost every Pokémon in existence here!

The Lucario Bryan stood, Mega Evolved and poised to fight. Crazy Mallory cackled, blood still dripping off her body from the earlier kill. Isaac blocked out the sun, and Holly could see that several other Pokémon stood in his shadows. Even Echo and the Parasect Jane waited in front of Isaac.

Holly's grin grew wider than she ever thought possible.

With so powerful Pokémon ready to attack, the Mold Breaker wouldn't stand a chance!

Kristine glanced at all her Pokémon, voice ringing through the air as she gave another command.

"Charge this intruder, and destroy her utterly!"

The Pokémon let out a collective roar as they obeyed.

A deafening chorus of stomping feet filled Holly's ears as Kristine's Pokémon headed towards their target.

Yet Holly only smirked.

It would be so satisfying to see the Mold Breaker being ripped apart!

The Mold Breaker just stood still, not even twitching as Kristine's Pokémon rushed toward her.

Holly continued smirking and couldn't help shouting. "I guess you just want to die!"

Yet there was no answer.

Instead, a dark purple liquid shot out of the Mold Breaker's body. It covered the entire battlefield, drenching all of Kristine's combat-ready Pokémon. The oncoming Pokémon stopped in their tracks, many howling with surprise. Some tried to get the liquid off of themselves, or rubbed their eyes.

However, the substance stayed, flowing down every Pokémon's body.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Why would the Mold Breaker shoot some stupid substance? It was only a minor inconvenience at worst, and completely useless at best!

Perhaps she really _did_ have a death wish!

Suddenly, the liquid melted away, vanishing as silently and mysteriously as it has come. There were no wounds, no screams of pain, and no signs of discomfort from Kristine's Pokémon.

Holly let out a sigh of relief.

Whatever the Mold Breaker had tried to do had been futile!

Kristine and Holly could just proceed with destroying her!

Rage was evident Kristine's voice as she snarled. "Don't let that clumsy attack slow you down! Go after her!"

Holly nodded.

Surely Kristine's Pokémon knew that!

Perhaps they just needed reminding.

Yet not one of them started towards the Mold Breaker.

Instead, they stood eerily still.

Holly blinked.

Had whatever the Mold Breaker shot frozen the Pokémon somehow?

Had she made it so they couldn't see?

But if that was the case…

It would wear off eventually, and Kristine had ways around it…

Surely the Mold Breaker knew this.

Wouldn't she use this as a chance to run away?

Yet the Mold Breaker didn't take a single step.

Instead, she just stood, waiting almost expectantly.

Holly cocked her head.

What was the Mold Breaker doing? There was nothing to wait for…

 _And then…_

Some of the Pokémon turned to face each other. Others turned to face Kristine.

Either way, Holly's blood ran cold.

The Pokémons' eyes were narrowed and sharp, yet there seemed to be no reason why.

Regardless, Holly gulped.

This obviously meant something, but what?

Seeing as the Pokémon were no longer obeying Kristine's commands, it must've been nothing good.

But before Holly could ask Kristine what was going on, the Pokémon all leapt.

They seemed to all combine into one as they became a tangled mass of bodies. It was impossible to pick out one Pokémon from another, as whatever spell the Mold Breaker cast consumed them. The area darkened again, and Holly realized it was because of the enormous horde.

Yet despite this, Holly could still see.

But she wished she couldn't.

There were deafening, ripping sounds as flesh was constantly torn. Loud cracking filled the area, and though Holly could guess what it was, she desperately hoped the guess wasn't right. Holly didn't have time to think about that as screams of pain pierced her ears. The high-pitched screams made Holly shiver, and the shivering only grew worse as she heard bodies slamming on the ground.

Blood flowed from some so many places Holly wasn't sure where it all started. Almost everything ran red as the fluid flooded the city. The pools of blood from the furious Pokémon had now turned into an ocean. Luckily, Holly was in an area where there was no blood, but she wasn't sure how long that would continue.

Holly was suddenly alerted to more screaming nearby.

Her eyes were wide as she realized that the screaming was her own.

She felt her face blanch and nausea seize hold.

Holly tried not to fall as she violently doubled over. In another minute, she was vomiting onto the ground. No matter how much she tried to stop himself from vomiting, it was hopeless. Holly was aware of a loud gagging sound as bile forced its way up her throat. She tried her best to keep it down, but her body was wracked by horrible shaking. The gagging sound came even louder and Holly's mouth seemed to open on its own. Holly registered the bile from before leaving her, but it seemed to take all her effort to get rid of it. It took even more effort to stand up straight, and Holly still was aware of her own trembling and pale face.

Yet no matter what she did, it didn't stop.

Despite her shaking, Holly had never felt more aware of what was going on.

Kristine's Pokémon had turned against their Trainer and each other…

Whatever the Mold Breaker had done had bewitched them…

And now there were annihilating each other…

Holly and Kristine had looked forward to seeing the Mold Breaker torn apart...

Yet now _they_ were the ones getting destroyed…

 _They_ were the ones getting ripped apart…

Who could do this?

Who would _want_ this?

Holly desperately racked her brain.

There must have been a move that resembled what the Mold Breaker had used… Kristine had stated no trainer had the Mold Breaker's power, yet she had recognized Ultra Wormhole energy…

So there was some familiarity…

There had to be _something,_ _anything_ that resembled with the Mold Breaker had done…

Suddenly, Holly's exhausted mind whisked her back into the past.

The memory pierced her brain, and she let it wash over her.

" _You should know that Nihilego's poisons cause their target to have wild, violent, behaviors. And, on top of that, it lowers their inhibition, while focusing all their strength on protecting the Pokémon that possessed them."_

That conversation was when Anabel first found out Kristine was fused with Tulip!

And the wild, violent, behaviors Anabel mentioned…

They sounded exactly like what was happening now!

And it didn't seem like the Pokémon were doing much protecting…

But then, protecting could mean simply not getting attacked, and destroying anyone in someone's way…

So it still fit the definition!

But then…

Did that mean the Mold Breaker had the powers of Nihilego too?

But where did she get them?

And how?

If it was true that the Mold Breaker could harness Nihilego's abilities…

It still didn't change the fact that Holly had never seen Tulip do anything the Mold Breaker had done…

So was the creature that the Mold Breaker commanded _really_ a Nihilego?

Or was it something else wearing its face?

Holly rapidly glanced at Kristine, noticing that Google had somehow avoided the deadly attack.

The Delphox stared straight ahead, a grave expression on its face as it surveyed the battlefield.

Holly shuddered.

Surely, the Pokémon fighting out there had to have been Google's comrades…

Maybe they were close friends…

Or even its family…

How did Google feel now, watching its companions tear each other to pieces?

Holly suspected she wouldn't know, as the Delphox held no expression.

But she still wanted answers to her other question.

Why wasn't Google hit?

It was probably because it wasn't in combat.

Or maybe the Mold Breaker knew that Google helped Kristine walk, and didn't want to cripple her.

But how would the Mold Breaker know that? Up until now, she and Kristine had never met…

Then again, the Mold Breaker had apparently been traveling with a group of Trainers that knew Kristine. And she had teamed up with Molly Hale, Delia Ketchum, and Caitlin before that.

So one of them could've told her…

But still…

The Mold Breaker hadn't been seen using any Pokémon at all other than her Silvally…

And she clearly didn't need the Pokémon to support her because she got off of it easily…

So how did the Mold Breaker walk?

Was she even disabled at all?

Holly shook her head.

She couldn't think about the Mold Breaker now!

Kristine was more important!

Yes, Kristine would know how to stop this!

The disabled Trainer _always_ had a plan!

She would see herself and Holly to victory, and triumph over the wretched Mold Breaker!

Holly glanced toward Kristine, a desperately plea written in her eyes.

Kristine could do something to turn this around!

Surely she would!

But the disabled Trainer did nothing.

She didn't even seem to acknowledge Holly's presence. Instead she stood still and pale as she stared straight ahead.

Holly's eyes were wide.

What was Kristine thinking as she watched her Pokémon destroy themselves?

Holly remembered how devastated Kristine had been over her dead Pokémon at Lavender Town…

Would she see that same grief today?

And to think that this Mold Breaker was so strong that she could confound even Kristine…

If Kristine didn't know what to do, did they even stand a chance?

Holly shook her head.

She couldn't be so negative!

She had to believe they could win, or everything would be for nothing!

And they **had** to win!

For all the Trainers suffering under the League's tyranny!

So Holly faced Kristine again.

Holly understood the disabled Trainer's grief and distress, but now was not the time for either.

She had to snap her out of it.

So Holly quietly stated, through thought.

" _Kristine…"_

Kristine responded rapidly, although Holly could tell her voice was subdued.

" _Oh, Holly… Sorry if I'm worrying you."_

Holly shook her head as she replied. _"No, it's fine. That Mold Breaker… She must somehow have the powers of Nihilego… That must be what has done this…"_

Kristine shook her head defiantly.

" _No, Nihilego didn't do this. Tulip has never done anything like this in all the years I've been with her. And there's no record of any Nihilego even coming close to launching an attack of this magnitude."_

Holly eyes went wide.

"Then, what did this?"

A grave tone entered Kristine's voice, and Holly trembled as she detected the fury burning within.

" _What did this is a monster that has no regard for others' lives."_

Despite her trembling, Holly shakily nodded.

Kristine was right, as usual!

She just described the Mold Breaker perfectly.

Slowly, Holly asked.

" _Can you stop it, then? Can you stop her?"_

Kristine sadly shook her head.

" _I've lost the means to fight."_

Holly clenched her fist.

The Mold Breaker had easily taken advantage of Kristine being unable to fight on her own! The rogue Trainer had shut down almost every one of Kristine's Pokémon while doing barely anything! Kristine still had Google left, but it was clear she wasn't going to risk losing the Delphox and crippling herself.

Except…

How did the Mold Breaker know about Kristine's weakness?

Holly supposed it wouldn't be out of the place for someone to tell her, but who would, and when?

Suddenly, Kristine shouted through thought.

" _Holly, look!"_

Holly glanced at the battlefield, and resisted the urge to gasp.

The Mold Breaker had rapidly disappeared into the crowd, expertly weaving through the warring Pokémon as she sped towards the front of the Gym.

At the same time, Holly heard the woman Nia shout. "Now's our chance!"

Blue rapidly replied. "Let's go!"

With that, the group sped off into different directions, as fast as the Mold Breaker had been before.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

She couldn't let the wretched Mold Breaker get away!

But…

How would she stop her?

No matter who or what she was, it was clear the Mold Breaker could fight on her own.

She'd run into a crowd of raging Pokémon without any issues or hesitation, and the others had let her go.

So she didn't have an obvious weakness like Kristine…

But then, how was that possible, and how could she fight? The Mold Breaker had never given any indication of doing so before…

Whatever the case, it was clear the Mold Breaker was a formidable opponent. Just looking straight at the battlefield wouldn't solve anything.

So instead she glanced at the side.

That's when she noticed Lusamine and Gisele. The blond haired woman stared straight at the other, and Giselle shot her a reassuring glance. The brown haired woman mouthed something, and more shadows formed.

Holly narrowed her eyes as the shadows revealed a creature.

A Pokémon, Hoopa.

It looked just like Kristine's Hoopa, Mickey, and floated calmly in between Lusamine and Giselle.

Yet, Holly noticed one key difference.

There was no vest or insignia on this Hoopa, but it did have a scarf. Holly wasn't sure what type of scarf it was, and she didn't know why a Pokémon would wear a scarf now. After all, it wasn't cold.

But clearly, it meant something, as the Hoopa didn't take it off.

But what did it mean, and why was a scarf so important?

Holly had heard of Pokémon wearing scarves before, but it was mostly decoration.

Yet clearly this wasn't.

So why would a Pokémon wear a scarf or something other than decoration?

Holly shook her head.

She had more important things to worry about than a scarf.

Yet, Holly soon noticed something else.

Kristine's Hoopa's had just been mischievous, almost playful. The worst it had done was a sneer.

But this Hoopa was clearly not like that.

It was neither mischievous nor playful, as it flashed an intimidating glare.

Anger and seriousness blazed in its eyes, and Holly felt almost like this was some kind of warning.

Giselle was now staring at her, and Lusamine had followed suit.

Holly was aware of the question in the women's eyes, and simply glared straight back.

They should the answer well by now!

Holly glanced back at the Hoopa, the creature still eyeing her intensely.

She shook her head.

A dirty look meant nothing!

She wouldn't be scared off by someone simply trying to look tough!

Holly knew that Hoopa was one of the gods, but she had never seen Kristine's fight.

All it did was perform tasks for her with its glowing rings and goofy grin!

Service Pokémon hardly ever went into battle, and if this was any indication, it was far too risky to put them into battle anyway!

So she doubted Mickey even could fight!

And if this Mold Breaker had so many similarities to Kristine…

Then her Hoopa must be a weak service Pokémon, too!

It would be easy to stop it!

With that, Holly ran towards Giselle, Lusamine, and the Hoopa.

Yet she had taken no more than a few steps when she saw psychic power radiating from the Pokémon.

Holly screeched as she was frozen in her tracks.

She winced as she slammed down hard on her knees against her will.

Yet none of the watchers had any sympathy, and there was no getting up.

For in another minute, the Hoopa threw Holly's hands behind her back, and Holly winced again at the violent motion.

However, she was still able to look up and meet the gazes of Lusamine and Gisele.

Giselle had now turned to the Hoopa, speaking evenly.

"Thank you, Mickey. Can you still help us while restraining Holly?"

The Hoopa gave a brisk nod.

Holly's eyes went wide.

That Hoopa was named Mickey, too!

It had the same name as Kristine's Hoopa!

But how was that possible?

They clearly weren't the same Pokémon!

And Holly doubted anyone would name two Pokémon something as odd as Mickey!

Holly soon realized she could speak, and shouted at Gisele.

"Who is that Hoopa? Why is it named Mickey?"

Giselle's eyes became stern and narrowed, and her voice was as cold as ice as she responded.

"I don't have to answer that."

Holly snarled. "Then at least tell me why you're here!"

Giselle's eyes grew even harder, and her voice even colder.

"As a former Champion and a current Pokémon Master, I cannot allow this madness to continue."

Holly gasped out.

"Former Champion!? Pokémon Master!?"

Giselle nodded. "Kanto's current Champion had to beat me before she could claim the title. I stepped down after that, but Kanto's Champion is young and restless. So, I promised to retake my position if anything happened. I was still head of the Pokémon Tech as well, because being Champion wasn't enough to survive financially. As for being a Pokémon Master, I need a lot of knowledge to do the job that I do. Combined with that and my position is Champion, becoming a Pokémon Master was a logical step."

Holly's throat went dry, and she found herself unable to speak.

Someone like Giselle _couldn't_ be a former Champion or Pokémon Master!

She was just a teacher at an unimportant Pokémon school!

Giselle _couldn't_ be that strong!

Before Holly could think of a reply, Giselle spoke again.

"You know, someone had to take care of the Riolu you've dropped off at the Sable Pokémon Center. Luckily, I was in the city, so I took it in. After a while, it didn't want to leave. So I bonded with it, trained it, and evolved it. And then when it became strong enough, the new Lucario decided to travel to further its training. So I sent it on its way, and gave it my blessings."

Giselle shook her head.

"That seems like forever ago, now. And I can't say I predicted what happened here. I had no idea I was sending Lucario on the path of corruption… I still can't believe that the Pokémon I raised so diligently would betray me now. And all because of you, Holly."

Holly screamed. "How did you know I even have that Lucario?"

Giselle spoke gravely. "Erika told us, Holly. We know everything that happened in that Gym."

Holly continued screeching. "The one that pretended to be my mother! She's only a weak coward now! Besides, that Pokémon was mine all along! I was only taking it back!"

Giselle shook her head again.

"It's not worth talking to you."

She turned to the Hoopa a second time.

"Now then, Mickey."

The Hoopa nodded and a ghostly aura surrounded it. More shadows surrounded Lusamine's chains. The chains weakened and drooped, starting to fall towards the ground. Giselle quickly rushed in, gently helping to pull the chains off of Lusamine. Within minutes, the blonde haired woman shakily stood up, each of the chains laying uselessly on the ground.

Lusamine then shot Mickey a relieved look, and the shadows around the Hoopa disappeared. Holly felt her psychic prison leaving as well. She stood up just in time to see Giselle leading Lusamine away, and then the two disappeared in another flash of psychic power.

Holly narrowed her eyes and nodded.

Despite the situation, she didn't even start to scramble to safety.

It was clear now that the Mold Breaker was not only their enemy, but was here to exploit every one of Kristine's weaknesses.

Holly couldn't let the Mold Breaker tarnish Kristine's name any longer!

There was only one choice now.

Holly had to fight the Mold Breaker on her own.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Kristine mentioning that having more than six Pokémon being against League rules comes from all media. The player can only have six Pokémon with them, and the rest are transferred to a PC. Even then, the player's is limited to however many Pokémon their PC boxes can hold. PC boxes cannot be typically cannot be increased once they've reached the maximum amount (which is reached by the player putting in more Pokémon, if the maximum amount of boxes is not already available). The one exception is Pokémon GO, where the amount of space to store Pokémon can be increased for an in game currency fee. A few hacks have also implemented the ability to expand regular boxes for a fee, but that fee is much steeper than Pokémon GO, and not available initially. Pokémon GO still enforces the Pokémon party limit by allowing the player to only battle with three Pokémon. In the Let's Go games, the player was given a huge amount of space and allowed to take all of their Pokémon around them no matter what. However, they were still limited to a party of six in battle, so the feature functioned like a mobile PC. The space also cannot be increased in any way.**

 **-In the Traveler series, there are no box space limits. However, whether Trainers start out with a set amount of boxes and have to pay a fee, or just have unlimited space from the beginning is unknown at this time. However, the Mold Breaker is confirmed to be the latter. The reason for this is because both Molly Hale in her dream world and the game the Mold Breaker's powers are based on did not have fees or limits. That, and given the plot elements that will be explained later, fees and limits don't make much sense.**

 **-Nihilego shooting poison to incapacitate its foes and driving them crazy with that comes from my interpretation of both the games and its powers. Throughout the plot of Pokémon Sun and Moon, Lusamine becomes obsessed with chasing after Nihilego. Eventually, she becomes possessed by it, and has to be fought and freed in the climax. Concept art showed that Nihilego possesses its foes host by attaching itself to the host's heads and taking control of their brains. Later concept art also showed that this is what happened to Lusamine. However, many fans were not satisfied with the explanation, stating that Lusamine showed signs resembling being poisoned by Nihilego long before she formally became possessed. This theory holds even more credence in Ultra Sun and Moon, where she does not display the above behaviors at all, or even become possessed. It's not known how Lusamine obtained Nihilego's venom if she was indeed poisoned before her possessed form is fought. Things get even more confusing because when Nihilego first appears, Lusamine does not recognize it.**

 **Regardless, I decide to go with the fan theory, and have Nihilego also be able to poison foes without attaching to their heads. Since several of Nihilego's regular attacks involve shooting poison anyway, it being able to do that with its own venom was not that far-fetched. As for why the poison does what it does here, it all has to do with twisting the definition of what it does in the game. The poison normally works just as Holly and the others describe in the chapter, but I decide to expand on that description and the powers themselves. One of the results was the scene, and Holly's later thoughts were exactly what I was thinking when I wrote it and came up with the expanded description.**

 **It's worth noting in the games, upon her possession, Nihilego forces Lusamine to fight the group player and defeat them at all costs. Her Pokémon also have enhanced stats, and her already well-balanced team on top of the raised stats make the fight one of the most difficult in the series. However, it is never seen doing anything else, or possessing anyone else. The anime has it affect directly nearby areas by turning them into poisoned ground. However, Nihilego does not use the poison over a large area or from a distance. Therefore, it still unknown if it even can. All of this leads to Kristine's surprise and suspicion that she and Holly are not fighting a Nihilego when the Mold Breaker's poison attack is launched.**

 **-Giselle's history and being a former Champion is my own creation, but it was inspired by some of the setting of the original RP. I knew there needed to be a Kanto Champion, because the RP would go up to the League. However, I was unsure who it would be. It couldn't be Red or Blue since they canonically forfeited their Champion positions, and the RP appeared to take place sometime after that. I also knew it couldn't be Lance (Champion of the combined Johto and Kanto Leagues three years after the original Kanto games) because he was stated to retake his position in the Kanto League Elite Four. The Let's Go games throw a new character named Trace into the mix, and he takes the title of Champion there. However, at the time the decision was made, the Let's Go games would not be released until years later. Furthermore, with the way Traveler's lore was going, Trace would not be able to become Champion no matter what. The reason is that Trace is pretty young, and I felt it important that the Champion was an adult.**

 **So I started trying to think of adults that could take the Champion position, and Giselle was one of candidates. However, before I inserted her or anyone else into the Champion position, I decided to ask who was in charge already. I found out that the person was not an adult, nor was any of the characters I had in mind. I didn't want to change something so important to the RP's setting, but at the same time I'd built up lore for Giselle and the Champion position in general. Therefore, I decided that I would instead expand on the lore of what the other person would need to do to get to the Champion position, and who she would need to defeat. As a result, Giselle became a former Champion, and the most recent one before the character in the RP took over. The Champion being restless from her youth gave the chance for Giselle to take over later on without altering the lore from the RP itself too much. Furthermore, being restless made sense because I could not see a young person enjoying being tied down to a single place, a lot of politics, and a single position most of the time. Considering who that person is, the restlessness also made sense for her character, but I will elaborate more on that later.**

 **-As for Giselle being a Pokémon Master, as she mentions in-story, it was a logical step. My reason for making her Pokémon Master was the same as the one she explains to Holly in this story. Her not being able to survive financially on being the Champion alone comes from my interpretation of canon Pokémon lore. Most Trainers don't even know how to get to the Pokémon League, let alone getting to the point of facing the Champion. Therefore, the money won from battles would not be anywhere near enough for Giselle to sustain herself. This is even evident in some other media (such as the anime), where it is stated that the Pokémon League only comes once a year no matter who is in power. Furthermore, it's also possible for Trainers to miss challenging the League entirely regardless of their credentials. Missing the League also means missing the chance to fight the Champion, with no choice but to wait until next year.**

 **-Lucario's back story is simply a retelling of what was explained in the Radio Tower from Giselle's point of view. However, it is worth noting that Lucario supposed to rejoin in Saffron at the Fighting Dojo. Holly and Kristine would do their fight, head over to the Fighting Dojo for some training, see Lucario there and recruit it, and then go on to fight the Gym. When Lucario joining the party was moved up, there wasn't really any reason to have the Fighting Dojo be visited anymore. I did write out a simple set of chapter notes where Holly and Kristine would have some battles there. However, I realized while I was writing the rest of the chapter that it wouldn't make any sense. So the Fighting Dojo just got a reference in the city prompt instead.**


	87. The One Unequaled

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

87\. The One Unequaled

Holly's lips moved on their own as she spoke a single word.

"Morgana!"

At the mention of her name, Kristine's Ageislash appeared from the shadows. She seemed as quick as lightning as she attached herself to Holly's arms and hands.

Perhaps Morgana understood the urgency of the situation.

Or perhaps Holly didn't notice Morgana readying herself, her mind focused on the single track of crushing the Mold Breaker.

Whatever the case, it wasn't long before Holly was glancing at the battlefield again, armed and dangerous.

Her Pokémon rushed to her side, and Holly grinned.

They hadn't gone towards the Mold Breaker, so of course they avoided her deadly assault.

Kristine's Pokémon may have been out of commission, but Holly's were unharmed.

And she was just about to show the Mold Breaker how powerful they were!

Holly pointed Morgana at the battlefield, letting her voice ring the air.

"Everyone, the Mold Breaker has taken down Kristine's Pokémon! We have to fight her! But the Mold Breaker is a powerful Trainer, more powerful than anything anyone has ever faced before! Thankfully, she brought some other people with her, and they're all weaker! If you don't feel like you stand a chance against the Mold Breaker, go after the others!"

Holly's Pokémon let out a collective roar, and all charged onto the battlefield. Holly rapidly followed them, clutching Morgana tightly in her hand.

Though Holly tried her best to keep up with her Pokémon, they soon disappeared into the battle.

With that, she headed off to the side, relieved that Lusamine and Giselle's departure had given her room to maneuver.

A shudder ran down Holly's spine as she wondered if Kristine's warring Pokémon would attack her.

Just Morgana wouldn't be enough to fend the fierce Pokémon off, especially if the poison was from a Nihilego…

Thankfully, the bewitched Pokémon didn't even start towards Holly, apparently too preoccupied with fighting each other.

The Mold Breaker's followers seemed to be concentrating on freeing the traitors, as not one of them blocked Holly's path.

Or perhaps they just didn't want to be cut down.

After all, they all knew Kristine.

So they all knew Morgana's power.

And they understood it was not to be trifled with.

Either way, Holly continued towards where the Mold Breaker's followers had entered.

The cries of the crazed Pokémon grew distant, replaced by the pounding of Holly's own steps as she pursued her goal.

Eventually, she could see Erika holding a lifeless Anabel.

Erika had a grave look on her face, but did not speak.

Clearly, there was no need for words.

Despite this, Holly grinned and picked up speed.

Erika couldn't _possibly_ defend herself _and_ protect Anabel!

And neither of them stood a chance against Morgana!

So either way, one of them would be destroyed!

Or both!

Holly rapidly halted as she heard a howl.

She turned her head to see that Mightyena had broken through the chaos completely uninjured.

Holly grinned as her Pokémon sprinted towards Erika and Anabel, moving so fast it looked like it was flying.

Mightyena made no effort to slow its speed, effortlessly covering the ground Holly had in mere minutes.

More minutes passed, and there was a fair distance between Mightyena and Holly as Pokémon outpaced Trainer.

Holly glanced at Erika, but she did nothing but stare in shock.

Perhaps all her Pokémon were still wounded from the Gym battle. It would make sense, considering how quickly this battle took place after it.

Or maybe she knew she wouldn't be able to get up quickly enough to retaliate since she was holding Anabel.

Or perhaps even Erika didn't want Anabel to be exposed to danger.

Whatever the case, they had no chance!

Erika's and Anabel's fate was sealed!

Now, all Holly had to do was watch everything unfold!

Mightyena bared its fangs and lunged at Erika and Anabel.

It angled its head as its mouth opened even wider, aiming for the two traitors' throats.

Holly smirked as her eyes met Erika's horrified gaze.

If the treacherous Celadon Gym Leader wouldn't say any last words, then she would speak for her!

Holly's voice took on a mocking tone as she sneered. "Goodbye."

And then a noise filled Holly's ears.

Holly wasn't sure what the noise belonged to, but it sounded like fireworks.

But why would someone be shooting off fireworks? This was no celebration!

Holly heard that some Pokémon fought with fireworks, so maybe it was one of those…

Pokémon…

Where was her Pokémon…?

Before, it has been ready to slay Erika and Anabel, charging in for an attack.

But now…

She hadn't heard anything from it, not even footsteps…

And she hadn't seen it move…

But it must've been around here somewhere, because it had never left the battlefield…

The battlefield…

Something must've changed there…

And that change had something to do with Mightyena…

But what had changed…?

Holly had to find out!

Holly had to find her Pokémon…

So she stared straight ahead, at the place where she last saw Mightyena…

It wasn't long before she it saw again.

Yet something _had_ changed.

Instead of running full speed for an attack, Mightyena was motionless. Its fur was streaked red with blood, and there was even more coming from the pool it lay in. There seemed to be a hole in Mightyena's body, and Holly could see something that gleamed like metal.

Yet Holly still stared in confusion.

What could create holes that had metal, and why wasn't Mightyena moving?

Holly took a step closer and noticed her Pokémon's eyes.

Its glassy, sightless, eyes.

Glassy and sightless...

Just like those dead Poochyena pups near Vermillion…

But that would mean Mightyena was…

Holly was snapped out of her thoughts as she noticed Erika look to the left.

She spoke again in a graver tone, but Holly noticed it was mixed with relief.

"Your judicious marksmanship is appreciated."

Holly blinked.

Who was Erika talking to, and what did she mean by judicious marksmanship?

Holly turned her head to where Erika was looking, and her eyes went wide.

For there was the Mold Breaker, nodding in thanks at Erika.

And the rogue Trainer held a handgun in her right hand.

Rage filled Holly's entire body, to the point where she thought it would burn her up.

Was _this_ the weapon that the Mold Breaker used to defend herself?

Was _this_ why she didn't seem to have any Pokémon to support her?

But…

Only villains used guns!

Like poachers and criminals!

Surely the Mold Breaker knew this!

But then, perhaps she _truly was_ a villain and didn't care what other people thought!

It would make sense, considering all that she had done!

And no matter what type of villain she was, Holly would take the Mold Breaker down!

Holly narrowed her eyes and scowled as she faced the Mold Breaker.

The Mold Breaker placed her gun in a hidden holster on her right side, and glanced straight back at Holly.

Holly's eyes went wide as she realized something else was there.

Blood dripped on the ground, and it flowed so much it resembled a fountain.

Holly understood it was coming from Mold Breaker, but she wasn't sure exactly where.

Instead, questions rattled in her head.

Why would the Mold Breaker bleed?

She didn't appear to be injured…

And she didn't even _react_ to it…

Almost as though she was _used to it…_

Why would the Mold Breaker go into battle if she was bleeding?

Holly narrowed her eyes again.

It didn't matter now.

The wretch deserved to bleed!

Suddenly, psychic power surrounded the Mold Breaker, and Holly once again wasn't sure from where.

The same question from before rattled in the Holly's head.

How could the Mold Breaker use psychic power? No one ever had indicated that she could before, and she didn't gain them just now!

So how was it appearing?

What other cruel tricks did she have?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as the psychic power intensified. As it did so, the bleeding halted so rapidly it was as though it had never begun. The psychic power calmed and briefly radiated around the Mold Breaker before disappearing.

The mysterious Trainer once again glanced at Holly, and Holly met her gaze.

Holly took a step forward, trembling with rage as she screeched.

"How dare you kill my Mightyena!"

The Mold Breaker shook her head.

Carefully, she wrote.

" _I didn't kill it. You did."_

Holly's gaze grew harder.

What did the Mold Breaker mean?

She was just as insane as the other traitors!

Holly simply glared back at her opponent.

She wouldn't let the Mold Breaker's insanity intimidate her!

Yet the Mold Breaker didn't even flinch at Holly's gesture.

Instead, she rapidly wrote.

" _Your actions and your choices led to Pokémon's death. You didn't have to follow someone as shady as Kristine. You didn't have to harm those who tried to help you. You didn't have to constantly go against authority even when shown the consequences of doing so."_

Holly clenched her fist.

The Mold Breaker couldn't call Kristine shady when she knew almost nothing about her!

And how could she use Kristine's full name? She hadn't earned the right!

 _How dare_ she pretend she had that honor!

And of course Holly had to go against authority!

They were all corrupt!

Couldn't anyone realize that?

Holly found herself barely able to speak coherently in her fury.

"Why, you…!"

Yet the Mold Breaker didn't give her a chance to finish her sentence, holding up a hand.

Holly has no choice but to comply as her opponent wrote. _"But you chose to rebel against the world. And you chose to go against everything that makes an honest Trainer, while pretending you were one. That resulted in battles like this, which in turn led to your Pokémon's death."_

Holly screamed. "Don't you _dare_ lecture me about making all the wrong choices when _you're_ the one who has! Siding with a corrupt League, manipulating others, having weapons only villains would carry, and killing others' Pokémon without reason! You call _that_ honesty?"

Holly gave the Mold Breaker no time to reply as her rage continued building.

"How _dare_ you dismiss my Pokémon's death like it's nothing and you're not at fault! You've probably never lost a Pokémon in your life!"

Yet the Mold Breaker was not fazed.

Instead, she writing again.

" _I've lost many Pokémon. One of those Pokémon was a Mightyena named Cheyenne. She died in a training accident when I was younger."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

That was the same name as Kristine's Mightyena, and the same way it died, too!

How is that possible?

Could they be the same Pokémon?

Holly narrowed her eyes.

She wouldn't fall for the Mold Breaker's lies!

Holly snarled. "That can't be true! Besides, it's not important now! You may have taken down Kristine's Pokémon, but you didn't hit mine! That was a mistake, because now they'll destroy you!"

The Mold Breaker was quick to respond.

" _After I just put one of them out of their misery? I doubt it. Besides, the rest of your Pokémon aren't even with you now. They probably got held up by the other quarreling ones. And don't tell me that sword is with you now. I know she's not even yours."_

Holly fixed the Mold Breaker with the fiercest glare she could muster.

How _dare_ the Mold Breaker talk about her Pokémon that way! And how did she know about Morgana? Perhaps this was just another lie!

Yet before Holly could retaliate, the Mold Breaker spoke again.

" _And not hitting your Pokémon was no mistake. They were all so terribly weak. It wasn't worth turning them against each other."_

Were it not for the shield in her hands, Holly would've clenched her fist.

The Mold Breaker would regret her words!

Holly's face twisted in rage as she screamed.

"I'll show you weak!"

Holly pointed Morgana at the Mold Breaker.

"Morgana, attack!"

Holly then ran full speed at the Mold Breaker, Morgana thrust front of her.

The Mold Breaker did not move, not even drawing her own weapon or summoning a Pokémon.

Holly smirked.

This would be easy! Her opponent wasn't even attacking back! Now, everything the Mold Breaker and her followers did would be for nothing!

Yet all of a sudden, two dark blue tentacles appeared from the Mold Breaker's body. Holly could see the tentacles had five spiked fingers and patterns that resembled eyes.

On an unspoken command, the tentacles flew towards Holly and Morgana.

Holly didn't have time to gasp, let alone stop, as the strange tentacles seized hold of Morgana's sword and shield. They yanked the sword and shield so forcefully out of Holly's hands that she couldn't keep her balance.

Holly screamed as she slammed to the ground, pain shooting through her body.

It must've been nothing compared to the pain Morgana was feeling as the Pokémon's mournful cries filled the Holly's ears.

Holly glanced up and saw Morgana struggling to slash the opponent and break free.

However, the efforts were futile, as the tentacles held the sword and shield tight.

Holly's eyes continued to go wide.

What would the Mold Breaker do to Morgana?

The rogue Trainer had already killed one Pokémon!

Would she cause another's death right now?

Holly could only stare helplessly as the tentacles brought Morgana closer to the Mold Breaker. Morgana screamed and howled as she was forcefully brought nearer and nearer to the opponent.

However, the Mold Breaker didn't seem to care about the Pokémon's suffering.

She only waited patiently, as Morgana continued approaching.

Holly's eyes went wide, as she realized that the tentacles were dragging Morgana up to the Mold Breaker's concealed face.

Holly's eyes went even wider.

What was the Mold Breaker doing?

Was she trying to get stabbed?

Did you just want to watch Morgana suffer?

It didn't seem to be either, because when Morgana was right in front of the Mold Breaker's face, the tentacles stopped moving.

And then…

Holly heard a sound coming from the Mold Breaker, and realized that the rouge Trainer was taking a deep breath.

On her unspoken command, flames erupted from the Mold Breaker.

Morgana's screech pierced Holly's ears as she was engulfed by the furious fire.

Holly cringed as she listened the pained wailing.

Yet that was not the only sound filling Holly's ears.

There was also the crackling, the popping, the roaring, the burning…

All of which would more beautiful than the finest music as flames devoured everything in their path…

Yet mixed with Morgana's desperate screeches, it was the most grating tune in the world…

And the only thing Holly wanted now was to shut out the sound…

There must've been _something_ that would block out the noise.

 _Something_ that would reverse this hopelessness…

 _Something_ that would make all of the pain disappear, like waking up from a bad dream…

 _Something…_

 _Anything…_

But there was nothing…

Nothing as Holly's only weapon was being scorched by a mysterious beast…

Nothing as Holly trembled on the ground…

Nothing as Holly was completely at the Mold Breaker's mercy…

Holly couldn't stop herself from cringing, and was now trying to blink back tears.

How could the plan fall apart because of some unknown Trainer?

How could everything have gone so wrong?

Holly was ripped from her thoughts as the flames cleared. Morgana now lay lifeless, eyes closed. Burns covered her entire body, and although Morgana didn't really have a face, Holly was sure it must've been contorted in pain.

The blue tentacles finally released their prisoner, sword and shield falling to the ground with a clang. Despite the violent motion, Morgana didn't even stir.

Holly let her gaze follow the sword and shield, feeling her blood running cold.

Did Morgana just lose her life tonight?

Was the Mold Breaker so powerful she could murder both her and Kristine's Pokémon without any effort?

Holly was rapidly ripped from her thoughts as the tentacles retreated back inside the Mold Breaker's body. Holly then focused her gaze as she noticed the Mold Breaker writing again.

" _The Ageislash is still alive. I'm not one to kill unnecessarily."_

Holly stomped her foot and screamed.

"After you slaughtered my Mightyena and countless other Pokémon? How dare you talk like that!"

The Mold Breaker wrote quickly.

" _Fool. You thought you had a weapon, but the reality is it is just another Pokémon. It has the same weaknesses as every other."_

Holly screeched.

"Don't call me a fool! And what do you know about Pokémon, with the way you treat them?"

The Mold Breaker simply shook her head as more words appeared.

" _You really aren't worth talking to."_

Holly snarled.

"Now you've done it!"

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her and charged after the Mold Breaker.

The mold breaker might've been armed, but even she wouldn't shoot a child Trainer!

Unless she wanted to prove she was a villain!

Besides, no matter how strong she was, she wouldn't stand a chance against a direct frontal assault!

The Mold Breaker had already proven that with her cowardly tactics!

If Holly couldn't use a weapon, that she would just use whatever all she had!

For the good of all, the Mold Breaker must be defeated!

Yet the rogue Trainer didn't even move.

Instead, shadows shot out of the Mold Breaker and soared towards Holly.

Holly gasped as the shadows seized hold of her arms and threw her onto her knees again. Holly screeched as her body hit the ground, and her hands were bound behind her back.

Holly tried to struggle defiantly, but found her entire body had frozen like ice.

However, she realized she still had her voice, and spat.

"What are you going to do?"

The Mold Breaker did not answer as more shadows shot out from her.

Holly gasped as the shadows wrapped around her. Before she could say anything more, they lifted her up into the air.

Holly let out a scream as she realized the shadows were carrying her to the center of the battlefield, above everyone else.

Tears welled up in her eyes again, and this time, Holly wondered if she could stop them.

Only one thought occupied her mind.

Why did everything go wrong?

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So remember when I talked about finding out where guns fit into the Pokémon world way back with Kaiser in chapter 59? This chapter was why. As soon as I wrote down some more notes about the Mold Breaker's backstory and how guns and other weapons would fit into the Pokémon world, I knew the Mold Breaker had to have one of the former. The reason why she wields a gun and guns' place in the Pokémon world will be explained in later chapters.**

 **-Nevertheless, as soon as I made the decision to give the Mold Breaker a gun, I wanted to show her using it and establish what type of power guns had. And what better way to do that than to have for use in a giant battle where everyone was fighting for their lives? So with the location established, there were a few scenarios I came up with. One of them was that she would non-fatally shoot Holly and stop her in her tracks. However, guns can be extremely powerful, and are likely to cripple an opponent at best and killed them at worst. Unfortunately, Holly being the main character meant that her getting killed or crippled would also destroy the plot.**

 **Then I thought of Morgana getting hit instead and either crippled or killed. However, this idea was tossed for a few reasons. One of which is that I had no idea if a gun would even do damage against several hundred pounds of ghostly metal (although I came up with an idea much later on). The second was that Morgana had the same issues as Holly on a lesser scale. Put simply, getting Morgana crippled or killed would make her less important to the plot, and there were still things I wanted to do with her. Furthermore, having that happen to Morgana would leave Holly without a weapon, rendering the entire plot of her receiving and using one almost useless.**

 **So I realized the most likely event that would occur with the Mold Breaker using her gun was her killing someone with it. Then, I had to figure out who she could kill without messing up the plot too much.**

 **Mightyena was the unfortunate choice.**

 **-There were several reasons for that choice. One of them was Holly's team composition. As soon as she got Honchkrow, I knew she wouldn't use Mightyena anymore. Honchkrow filled Holly's need for a flyer, and was overall a stronger Pokémon. So it was clear Mightyena would drop out of the story sooner rather than later. I was originally going to just let it inexplicably fade out of the story. However, I decided things would be more impactful and better explained if Mightyena had one more desperate, final fight which resulted in its death. It would have the same overall effect as it quietly dropping out of the story, but there would be a lot more happening without disrupting the overall plot. Mightyena's death would also give Holly a more personal reason to fight against the Mold Breaker, as well as expanding a bit on the latter's history.**

 **-Holly's comment about how only villains, poachers and criminals carry guns has to do with how guns are depicted in Pokémon media. They are almost always depicted negatively, and in the hands of lawbreakers. The one heroic gun user, Kaiser, is still depicted negatively because the controversy that his gun caused was so bad that the only episode where he even appeared was not released outside of Japan. Even then, Kaiser is never seen using his gun in self-defense, or in any serious situation. Even police officers are not depicted as having guns, despite going up against those who have them. This further cements the depiction of guns as something negative in the Pokémon world, and only in the hands of those who break the law.**


	88. Edge of Adversity

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

88\. Edge of Adversity

Holly could do nothing but watch as the shadows forced her closer to whatever destination they had in mind.

Amazingly, tears did not come.

Holly wondered if she was strong enough to hold them back after all. Or perhaps the shadows had dried them.

Maybe they had some sympathy, or perhaps thought that tears were inappropriate.

But maybe they just wanted Holly to see whatever they were taking her to.

Knowing the Mold Breaker, that was most likely.

But what did the shadows want her to see?

Holly's eyes were wide as she stared ahead.

The Pokémon had gone silent, apparently having finished their fight.

Yet now they lay on the ground, their pools of blood resembling an ocean. Some were unmoving, while others twitched feebly. But it was clear all their faces were contorted in unimaginable pain.

Holly felt bile rise in her throat and nausea seized hold of her.

Luckily, the shadows somehow kept both at bay.

But Holly still couldn't help shaking.

Who would do this?

Who would _want_ this?

Why was it important for see her to this?

As she stood shaking, Holly realized the answer to the last question.

Brought to the center…

Forced to look at all the damage she caused…

This was exactly the same as what Holly had done to the others…

So now she was suffering their punishment, and it was clear that was what the Mold Breaker wanted…

But Holly still had no true answer as to why.

Was it because the Mold Breaker wanted some sort of revenge?

Did the mysterious Trainer just want power?

Did she just want to exercise her cruelty?

Holly narrowed her eyes.

The Mold Breaker was a monster! Who cared what she thought?

Yet Holly was rapidly brought back to reality as the shadows came to a stop.

Holly glanced forward again, trying to get a closer look.

What she saw made her jaw drop.

Sabrina was gone, and so were her chains.

Perhaps the Mold Breaker's lackeys had freed the Saffron Gym Leader, deciding it wasn't worth provoking Kristine.

Or perhaps the Mold Breaker herself had done the deed, before she decided to backtrack.

Whatever the case, it didn't matter now.

Because there was something else there.

Holly recognized two people standing across from each other.

One was Kristine, and the disabled Trainer glared menacingly at her opponent.

The other only had a shadowy aura, but Holly knew the person was the Mold Breaker.

Although they at first looked to be around the same height, Holly swore that the Mold Breaker stood taller than Kristine.

But how could that be? The Mold Breaker wasn't standing on her toes, and a person couldn't magically get taller…

Perhaps the Mold Breaker was just trying to be intimidating…

But then, Holly noticed something else odd.

Both of the Mold Breaker's feet were flat on the ground, and her legs were almost completely straight.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

How was that possible?

The Mold Breaker hadn't been doing that a few minutes ago!

This was more proof that she was faking her disability!

How dare a faker like her confront a real disabled person!

Kristine must've had as much ire as Holly did, because the disabled Trainer's voice was as cold as ice as she spoke.

"So you've made it here, Mold Breaker." Kristine paused briefly, as if waiting for a response.

However, the Mold Breaker did not answer, instead staring straight ahead.

So Kristine continued in her same chilling tone. "Nothing to say for yourself, then? How can you call yourself a Trainer? Using the officials of the League for your own ends. Treating gods like slaves… Being so cowardly that you fight only in the shadows without even showing your face… And so underhanded that you would attempt to hurt a child…"

Holly nodded, eyes becoming narrowed.

Of course, Kristine saw what the Mold Breaker had done.

The mysterious Trainer could not deny her crimes!

Yet the Mold Breaker didn't hesitate as she wrote.

" _Odd that you should say that, when you're the one that's done all those things. I know because I've seen every heartless act you've committed."_

Holly gritted her teeth. If she could've, she would've clenched her fists.

The Mold Breaker had no idea what she was talking about! _She_ was the one that had been heartless!

And how could the rogue Trainer have seen everything Kristine had done when they had only just met today?

She was simply insane!

Kristine must've thought so too, because her face twisted into a snarl.

Her voice rose in pitch, almost like she was yelling.

"Then, who are you?"

The Mold Breaker wrote slowly, but Holly could detect her calmness as she elegantly wove her words.

" _I am everything you could have been, and everything you believe yourself to be."_

Holly's countenance hardened even more.

That didn't even make sense!

What did Mold Breaker mean?

The rogue Trainer probably didn't even mean anything!

After all, she truly was insane!

Kristine must've thought the same as she screeched.

"Don't play dumb with me! I been around longer than you have!"

The Mold Breaker shook her head.

Her slow but confident writing returned.

" _No, you haven't."_

Kristine opened her mouth to object, but the Mold Breaker expertly stepped up the pace as she continued to write.

" _You died when you're 10 years old, so at that point, you stopped aging. But you used Yveltal's power to make it look like you were still aging normally. And of course, everyone fell for the lie. Only a few knew what your true identity was, and even fewer understood what it meant."_

Holly wished she could throw up her hands.

Of course Kristine was aging normally! She had just had her birthday!

If the Mold Breaker knew so much about her, surely she must've known that!

And what was all this about Yveltal's power make it look like she didn't age?

Kristine never mentioned any legendary Pokémon having any power like that, and even those who knew about Yveltal didn't say anything!

This must've been something else the Mold Breaker made up!

Kristine must've thought so too, as she snarled.

"What is your proof of this?"

The Mold Breaker wrote rapidly.

" _Anabel's Kristine."_

Holly's eyes went wide, and she's somehow stifled a gasp.

What did Anabel's Kristine had to do with what was currently going on?

And how did the Mold Breaker know anything about all of that?

The rogue Trainer must have been just spouting nonsense again!

Yet the Mold Breaker clearly didn't believe it was nonsense, as she wasted no time continuing.

" _Anabel's Kristine was at least 18 when Anabel knew her. The two met when that Kristine was already a traveling Trainer, and she became such when she was 18. This all happened before Holly was born, or when she was very young. It would have had to, when comparing that Kristine's age when she met Anabel to Holly's age now."_

Kristine adopted a harsh glare, fiercer than Holly had ever seen. Yet the Mold Breaker didn't even flinch, simply glancing back.

Holly's eyes blazed with their own glare, and she stared straight at the Mold Breaker.

Ages didn't matter now! They hardly mattered for anything!

The Mold Breaker truly was insane!

Now, the mysterious Trainer wrote slowly, as if carefully choosing her words.

" _But you…"_

The Mold Breaker paused briefly, continuing to focus on Kristine.

Before the disabled Trainer could react, the Mold Breaker started writing again.

" _If you are the age you say you are, then you should have been 12 or 13 when Holly was born."_

The Mold Breaker took another pause, silently considering what she was about to say next.

Holly still glared, wondering if the Mold Breaker could see her.

Perhaps the rogue Trainer was finally getting cold feet.

Or maybe she was cautiously plotting her next attack.

Surely Kristine would have something planned in retaliation!

Yet the Mold Breaker did not strike.

Instead, she wrote again.

" _I suppose you could chalk the discrepancy up to differences between timelines, but everything else appears consistent…"_

Kristine finally responded, snarling.

"What does this have to do with me being dead?"

The Mold Breaker suddenly picked up speed again, writing.

" _Spirits can take whatever form they desire, even if that form doesn't yet exist in the mortal world. So, in order to avoid arousing suspicion, you took the form of someone the age you thought you'd need to be. However, you didn't realize that in order to be the same age as Anabel's Kristine, you would have to be much older. You unknowingly exposed your own lie."_

Holly glared so fiercely she thought she could burn the entire world up.

What was the Mold Breaker saying?

Who cared if Kristine wasn't like the one Anabel knew?

It wasn't like Anabel's Kristine mattered anyway!

And why was it relevant that spirits could take any form they wanted?

Kristine most certainly wasn't doing that, because she always acted normally!

And besides, Incinaroar never took another form when it appeared!

This must've been another falsehood perpetuated by the Mold Breaker!

So _she_ was the one lying, not Kristine!

Holly gritted her teeth, wanting nothing more than to take the Mold Breaker down.

Kristine must've thought the same, as she clenched her fist and scowled.

Yet both Kristine Holly could do nothing but watch as the Mold Breaker wrote so rapidly it seemed like the words were flying.

" _There are no records, no true stories, nothing… Because you died so young… People are convinced you are honest because almost all of your dishonest acts took place after you died. And despite all these acts, the majority of those you met believed you had the same identity as when you were alive. So almost everyone was fooled by your deceit. That's why you're able to project a kind persona."_

Holly wished she could clench her fists.

Kristine hadn't deceived anyone, and she _was_ kind!

She wanted to protect Trainers and Pokémon from corruption!

Couldn't people see that?

And there were stories everywhere, provided one took the time to look.

So this is just another falsehood perpetuated by the Mold Breaker!

Holly continued to glare at the deceitful rogue Trainer as she rapidly wrote again.

"In reality, you are nothing but a corpse that has strayed from its grave."

Holly scowled at the words.

Was the Mold Breaker trying to sound poetic?

Or enigmatic?

Whatever the case, it wasn't working!

Kristine must've felt the same way, as the disabled Trainer's countenance hardened even more.

The disabled Trainer raised her clenched fists up in front of her, and she looked like she was about to punch the Mold Breaker.

Holly gulped.

Kristine must've known that trying to attack the Mold Breaker wasn't a good idea!

From earlier displays of power, the Mold Breaker could do anything!

How would the mysterious Trainer react?

Would she destroy Kristine right then and there?

Yet the Mold Breaker only shook her head.

Kristine gritted her teeth and her arm felt to her side.

Apparently, she'd thought the better of attacking.

The Mold Breaker only nodded, and continued writing unhindered.

" _You don't exist. Perhaps, with everything about you being built on a false identity, you never existed."_

Holly felt her blood run cold, yet at the same time, rage burned through her body like fire.

What did the Mold Breaker mean when stated Kristine did not exist?

It was all just a bunch of nonsense! Kristine was standing right there!

And what was this about Kristine having a false identity?

It was the Mold Breaker who was false, hiding her face behind shadows and not even revealing her name!

How dare the Mold Breaker portray herself as honest, yet act so hypocritical!

And yet…

Holly couldn't help wondering…

How could the Mold Breaker say just the right things to make Kristine enraged?

Hardly anyone else did!

What did the Mold Breaker know?

Yet Holly couldn't focus on the rogue Trainer as Kristine's face twisted in fury.

The disabled Trainer's voice rose to a shrill yell.

"I will show you that I exist!"

Kristine turned to her Delphox, and screamed.

"Google, burn this building down!"

Kristine's Pokémon nodded, and the fire on its stick intensified. In another instance, flames shot out in all directions. Google's flames leapt onto Saffron's Gym, setting it ablaze with a mighty roar. Crackling noises filled the air as the flames hungrily devoured everything in their path. The area behind Kristine took on a reddish hue as the rapid flames greedily climbed up the building.

Holly's scowl turned into a grin.

The crackling…

The popping…

The scorching…

The hissing…

The burning…

All sweeter than the most pleasant music…

As if it ought to be there…

And it was a spectacular sight…

The orange, yellow, and red blazes conquering without restraint…

Those same blazes lighting up everything in their image…

The flames dancing endlessly as they rushed toward their target…

But most of all, this was a sign of victory!

Because no matter how strong the Mold Breaker was, she couldn't take on the remaining enemies _and_ the fire!

Holly glanced at the rogue Trainer, noticing she still didn't move.

Kristine simply smirked, confident taunting entering her voice as she spoke.

"I'm doing this because I exist. My power exists. The damage exists. This building exists, and the city exists. As long as those things exist, you cannot ignore this, Mold Breaker. What will you do?"

Before the Mold Breaker could answer, Kristine spoke again.

"You could destroy my Pokémon, but you know I have plenty more. You could put out the fire, but that would do nothing, because I can simply start another one. No matter what, you're useless. It's time you learned to accept that."

As it moving in unspoken agreement, the fire on Google's stick intensified again. Countless more flames shot out, continuing to cover Saffron's Gym.

Yet the Mold Breaker still didn't move.

Holly's grin only grew wider.

The Mold Breaker was sure proving Kristine's point!

The Gym was burning down in front of her, yet the rogue Trainer wasn't even doing anything!

She probably _couldn't_ even do anything except stand motionless!

But then…

Black tendrils shot out of the Mold Breaker, rapidly engulfing Kristine. They lifted her up into the air, but quickly switched their position. Within minutes, the disabled Trainer was forced to lie down as she floated freely off the ground. The black tendrils still swarmed below Kristine, keeping her suspended above the ground.

Holly frowned.

Another fruitless act by the Mold Breaker!

Throwing Kristine up in the air wouldn't do anything!

The Mold Breaker was better off just running away at this point!

Yet suddenly, Kristine slowly closed her eyes. The disabled Trainer's body went limp, and she lay eerily still. Her neck stiffened, and her head slumped onto her right shoulder. Kristine's skin was pale, almost gray.

Holly's eyes went wide as her mind took her back into the past.

A limp body…

Eerie stillness…

A stiff neck…

Head drooping onto her shoulders…

Pale, almost gray skin…

This was just like what happened at Fuschia's Pokémon Center…

But that time, it was just the side effects of Kristine's friend healing her…

Perhaps that friend was going to save her now?

But no one had mentioned him…

And Holly hadn't heard the cry…

So if this wasn't Kristine's friend doing this…

Then what was going on?

Holly's thoughts were interrupted as a high-pitched shriek pierced the air.

Google had stopped firing, and was rushing over to its trainer.

The Mold Breaker did not stop the Pokémon, as the tendrils began their retreat.

The rapidly dropped Kristine, and the disabled Trainer crashed to the ground.

Kristine hadn't been that high in the air, so Holly figured she wasn't hurt.

Still, the impact had jostled Kristine, so Holly guessed the force would wake her up.

Except it didn't.

Kristine didn't even stir.

There was no noise…

No attempts to escape…

Nothing…

Instead, Kristine simply continued to lay motionless.

Holly blinked, rage and triumph from before obscured in confusion.

What was wrong with Kristine?

Why wasn't she responding?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she heard someone yelling.

She recognized the voice as Will's, as the psychic Elite Four member screeched.

"My God, she's dead!"

Gasps erupted from the crowd, and Holly felt her blood run cold.

Dead…

Dead like those Poochyena and their misty, sightless, eyes…

Dead like Anabel's Espeon, torn to shreds…

Dead like Lusamine's Silvally, choking on ice…

Dead like Iniciaroar, without even a goodbye…

Dead like Mightyena, fate told by bullet holes…

Kristine wasn't like them!

Kristine _couldn't_ be like them!

She would retaliate!

She _had_ to!

Yet the disabled Trainer just lay lifeless, Google bending over her.

The Mold Breaker still stood across from her, tendrils disappearing back into her body.

Holly tried her hardest to blink back tears.

This couldn't be happening!

This was all a horrible dream, and eventually, she would just wake up!

Then, everything would be fine!

Holly squeezed her eyes shut.

Maybe if she opened them again, things would return to normal…

Yet nothing had changed.

The freed traitors were still there.

The furious flames were still there.

Kristine's distraught Delphox was still there.

All the bodies were still there.

Kristine's own lifeless form was still there.

The rescuers were still there.

And the Mold Breaker herself was still there.

Holly shook her head.

This was no dream!

All of this was real!

No matter how much she wished it wasn't!

Yet through the restrained tears, the formerly burning rage, and the disbelief, a question made its way to Holly's mind.

Yet before she could speak, she heard another voice, and she realized that it belonged to Karen.

The Elite Four member had a gentle tone, yet Holly could detect fear laced within.

Nevertheless, Karen posed the same question that Holly was asking.

"Mold Breaker, what did you do?"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So the name of this chapter is actually a reference to a specific soundtrack piece. It's used in the game Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, and is originally called Conspiracy. This song plays when the main character in the first half and his army unexpectedly walk into a trap. This results in said character being killed alongside most of his army. What makes this so shocking is that the player has almost no warning this is going to happen, and this is the only time in the history of the series to date where a main character has died permanently in their own game.**

 **The song, and the situation it represents, became so popular that it was remixed for the game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This remix was longer, faster, and used different instruments to convey increased intensity. This is most likely because the song is used for combat, rather than a single cutscene like in its original game. The remix was then renamed Edge of Adversity. I thought the reference to the song would be appropriate, because even though Holly and Kristine don't really walk into a trap, the chapter does feature a swift and unexpected death of a main character, possibly alongside several underlings.**

 **-So anyone remember Kristine having an age discrepancy? Because I didn't at first, having put it entirely by accident. So way back when I introduced Kristine as a permanent character, she mentioned that she started her journey at 18. Anabel also mentions that her Kristine started her journey at 18. and she met her when the latter was a Trainer. At the time the story starts, the Kristine seen in the story is 25. From Anabel's observations, almost everything matches up with her Kristine.**

 **Except when it doesn't.**

 **This is because Holly is snatched from the Frontier when she was a baby.**

 **And at that time, Kristine is still a Trainer.**

 **This is brought up when Anabel recognizes her in Mt. Moon as having won many battles in the Frontier and having been near it at the time of its fall, at least until the identity mixup is clarified.**

 **But one fact still remains.**

 **That fact being that Kristine has to be at least 18 when Holly is born.**

 **Which means that in order for Holly to be 13, Kristine would have to be in her** _ **early 30s at the youngest.**_

 **That's obviously quite a large difference from starting off at age 25 in this story.**

 **I eventually realized the issues with the age discrepancy, but I'd already written several chapters, and I wasn't sure what to do about it. At first, I figured I just wouldn't do anything. It was very minor detail, and unless someone put all the specific pieces together, one that was likely to be missed. Even if that discrepancy was caught, it had almost no bearing on the plot. I then decided I wasn't too comfortable without an explanation, and just wrote a flimsy one of timeline differences.**

 **But then I came up with the plot point of Kristine being dead, and the idea that spirits could take whatever form that they wished upon dying. After that, I realized I could finally have a proper reason for the age discrepancy, and work it into the plot. So it comes up this chapter.**


	89. Final Say

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

89\. Final Say

Holly continued glaring at the Mold Breaker as Karen's voice rang through the air.

Surely the rogue Trainer would answer a question that an Elite Four member had asked!

Yet the Mold Breaker ignored Karen's inquiry, choosing to stare straight at the fire.

She took another deep breath, but no more flames were summoned.

Instead, water shot from the Mold Breaker and sped faster than Holly could track.

However, Holly could tell from the steam rising up and the slightly reddish tint that the water must've been boiling hot.

There was a powerful Pokémon move involving boiling water. Scald, Holly remembered.

But why would the Mold Breaker use steaming hot water now?

Did she just want more things to burn?

Yet soon, Holly got her answer.

The water blasted in all directions, becoming more and more intense.

It wasn't long until the water completely covered all of the flames, and Holly wondered if the Mold Breaker's true intent was to flood everything.

Yet suddenly, Google's shrieking pierced Holly's ears.

Holly's eyes went wide as she realized the water had surrounded Google as well. The Delphox had stepped away from Kristine before the water came, but it only seemed to walk right into the Mold Breaker's assault. Now Google's deafening, high-pitched, screams rang through the air. However, the screams were soon silenced as the water crashed into the Pokémon with a mighty roar.

Google rapidly disappeared from view, swallowed up by the treacherous torrent the Mold Breaker had brought forth.

It seemed like an eternity before the water finally cleared.

Google still stood, coughing and sputtering. Holly could see that the Delphox's entire body was soaked as water constantly dripped from it. Google's form drooped as it shivered, and it looked like it was struggling to stand.

Holly resisted the urge to tremble herself in rage.

Why did the Mold Breaker finally strike Google?

There was no reason to, as the rogue Trainer had already done plenty of damage!

And Kristine was completely incapacitated from the shadows!

There was no advantage to crippling her like that!

Now she wouldn't even be able to walk!

Assuming she even survived that last attack!

Holly shook at last, not even bothering to stop it.

She knew why the Mold Breaker unnecessarily attacked Google!

It was because the Mold Breaker was a monster, only wanting to flaunt her power!

Yet Holly's thoughts were torn away from the Mold Breaker as Kristine began to float in the air.

Holly's eyes went wide as the disabled Trainer was gently placed in a standing position. Instead of the wrathful countenance from before, her expression was serene.

Almost like she was smiling.

Holly shivered.

Floating in the air…

Standing on nothing…

A peaceful expression despite former injury…

This was all so familiar…

Did this mean…?

Holly rapidly received her answer as a low, guttural cry filled the area.

Gasps came from the crowd, and Holly could hear Lorelei snarl.

"How dare she!"

Holly glared, even though she knew she couldn't face Lorelei.

Kristine wasn't the one anyone should be angry about!

Everything was the fault of the Mold Breaker and the traitors!

If one for them, none of this would be happening!

Yet the same time, Holly's trembling resembled an earthquake.

Even though this was yet another victory, she knew what this meant.

A dark aura surrounded Kristine, easily more visible than anything else in the area. At once, color rushed to Kristine's face. Before long, her skin was back to its natural color. It started drooping like she had before, the disabled Trainer now stood straight and tall.

Holly understood there was absolutely no trace of whatever invisible injuries the Mold Breaker inflicted.

Holly glanced at the rogue Trainer, certain that she would be surprised by the turn of events.

After all, there was no way she could have predicted this!

Yet the Mold Breaker still stood calmly, gaze fixed on Kristine.

Holly almost cocked her head in confusion.

Was the Mold Breaker expecting this to happen, or was she just putting on a brave face?

Maybe the rogue Trainer truly was insane!

Yet suddenly, Holly heard more gasps, and focused on Kristine.

The disabled Trainer's eyes were twitching, despite being closed.

In another instant, they slowly opened.

Only to have pupils as black as endless darkness.

The pupils seemed to be trying to absorb light, and were larger than Holly had ever seen. Yet even as the sun shone right in Kristine's eyes, the disabled Trainer did not react.

Neither her eyes nor her body moved.

Instead, Kristine only stared straight ahead, looking at something only she could see.

Holly's own eyes went wide.

Black, enlarged, pupils…

Trying to react to light, but being unable to…

Glancing at nothing, despite being awake…

This was exactly the same as when Kristine's friend healed her in Fuchsia!

Obviously, he was trying to heal her now…

But it seemed to be a rather slow process, and Holly didn't even know if it was working…

Of course, Kristine had mentioned side effects, because her friend was not as good at healing…

But those side effects had taken place hours later…

And they were very different from what was occurring at this moment…

So if these were side effects from the healing process, then why were they like this?

And why were they happening now?

Holly shook her head.

No, these weren't side effects from the healing.

They couldn't be.

But if the magical things weren't side effects…

What were they?

What was really going on?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as Kristine's eyes rapidly resumed their sharpened and focused gaze. A smile spread over her face, as if the disabled Trainer felt assured she had achieved victory.

Yet the others did not share Kristine's confidence and smile.

Instead, there were several deafening gasps. Holly could also hear the sound of someone throwing up, but wasn't sure who.

Somewhere, Holly heard Courtney Hiroko hiss.

"So you really are a walking corpse."

Holly's face twisted into a scowl.

How dare the others insult Kristine that way!

She was no corpse! She was standing right there! She just happened to have someone help her with extra healing powers!

When would everyone else realize that?

Suddenly, a shrill voice pierced the air, and Holly recognized the voice as Erika's.

The Celadon Gym Leader didn't even attempt to conceal her fury as she shouted.

"So it's you, Kris! You're the one that belongs in that nameless, empty, grave! The one I made in Route 7 years ago!"

Holly's eyes went wide.

 _Erika_ had dug the grave with the giant cross?

Even though there was no body to place in it…

No coffin, no formalities…

Not even a name to attach…

Nothing, but a lonely, painful, death lost to history…

But still…

If what Erika said was true…

Then that would mean that she had seen Kristine's body…

So why didn't she make the connection before?

At first, Kristine and Erika had not been in contact much…

Up to the point of Celadon Gym, the two had only spoken once…

But when Kristine had entered Celadon…

Erika should have recognized her then…

And that wasn't counting all the other times they had probably met during Kristine's journeys…

So what had really happened on the day Kristine supposedly died?

Perhaps Erika was lying?

Given what was going on now, Holly wouldn't put it past the Celadon Gym Leader…

But still…

If Erika was telling the truth…

Then was _that_ why Kristine refused to go on the journey in Holly's place?

Out of fear that Erika would eventually recognize and expose her?

Was that why Kristine didn't want to control Holly?

Because she thought Holly might find out about her?

Of course, Erika was the _last_ person Holly would tell secrets to…

But Kristine couldn't have known that…

And Holly probably wouldn't have mentioned it anyway…

But despite all of that, Erika still couldn't be trusted.

Not after what happened here.

Holly quickly found her voice, snapping at the Celadon Gym Leader.

"I don't believe anything you have to say, Erika! Not after what you did to me! I had every right to participate in that study, and every right to leave years ago! Yet you refused to let me go, for no reason other than your own selfishness!"

Even as though she knew Erika couldn't see the gesture, Holly couldn't resist smirking.

There was no denying Erika's treacherous acts now, with all of the others knowing about her crimes!

Yet Erika was quick to fire back.

" _No reason? My own selfishness?_ You gave me reason just now, Holly, with all the things you've done! And what about _your own_ selfishness? Harming countless others, and only caring about yourself! You had no right to participate in that study, and no right to leave! Not when you stole some of my strongest Pokémon, and ran away from home!"

More gasps erupted from the crowd, and Holly's scowl only grew.

The incident was months ago, yet Holly could remember the Pokémon's names like her own.

Venusaur, Shiftry, Cradily, Ludicolo, Tropius, and Exeggcute…

Some of the strongest and most loyal Pokémon Erika had… So of course, they would be loyal to Holly too… After all, Erika had tried to instill that trait into all of her Pokémon…

Holly wasn't ready for a Pokémon of her own, Erika had claimed. But there might've been times when she needed to defend herself. In those times, she could use Erika's Pokémon. The Grass Type Gym Leader had many, and she could spare a few.

And that meant that probably no one noticed with Holly had done.

So of course, Holly had stated she had to go on a journey, and needed protection to get to where it started, the Pokémon had no objections.

Before long, she had left Celadon behind her, and Viridian was her new home.

Holly wished she could see Erika's face.

How did the Celadon Gym Leader feel now that her methods were used against her?

Was she full of regret, sorrow, or rage?

Perhaps even all of them together.

Holly frowned.

Erika should have known that Holly would use her tactics against her!

The fact that she didn't consider it showed just how stupid she was!

Instead of keeping Holly safe, Erika's idea had exposed her to a world full of danger!

The Celadon Gym Leader was even more stupid than Holly had originally thought!

Erika might have been stupid, but Holly knew others weren't.

So she made sure not to use any of the Pokémon in battle, or even have them on her belt.

Instead she kept them in a separate bag, hidden so well even Anabel couldn't find them.

Sometimes, others who wanted to hide Pokémon did that, or so Holly heard.

Holly wasn't sure who these of the people were, but whatever the case, it had worked.

No one even suspected she carried six powerful extra Pokémon on her person during the entire journey.

Well, perhaps Kristine knew.

After all, nothing escaped the disabled Trainer's watchful eye.

And with how close friends they were, it wouldn't be unreasonable that Kristine had figured out Holly's secret.

Yet if she had, Kristine didn't talk about it now.

Instead, the disabled Trainer jerked her head towards the others.

Kristine's voice was so cold Holly thought it could freeze the world over.

"Erika, your Pokémon deserve to be stolen, with you being such a cruel Trainer and person."

Erika's eyes went wide and threw up her hands.

" _I'm_ cruel, and _I_ deserve to be stolen from? What did _I_ do?"

Kristine shook her head. "If you truly don't know by this point, then you're even less intelligent than I thought."

Holly smirked.

Even Kristine was acknowledging Erika's stupidity!

There was no way the Celadon Gym Leader could cover up her actions now!

Yet Erika still snarled.

"How dare you say that? How are you still moving anyway, with your Delphox injured?"

Holly frowned.

Erika had no right to defend herself, after what she'd done!

Yet the question Erika had asked plagued Holly's mind.

How _was_ Kristine still moving?

Her walker obviously wasn't here, and otherwise she used her psychic Pokémon to walk.

However, most of her Pokémon had probably been destroyed by the Mold Breaker's wicked attack.

Google was clearly out of commission, and Holly didn't see any Pokémon come to take its place.

So Kristine shouldn't be able to walk or stand, or even move!

Yet here she was, as though nothing had happened…

So how was that possible?

No one seemed to have any answers, and Kristine obviously wasn't going to spill her secrets to the enemy.

The Mold Breaker didn't seem shocked, though, instead staring straight ahead.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Kristine had her secrets, but what info did the Mold Breaker guard?

Holly rapidly shook her head.

That wasn't important, and the Mold Breaker wouldn't tell anyone anything!

Besides, Kristine would surely explain everything after they got out of this mess!

So Holly focused on the disabled Trainer again.

Kristine's eyes were narrowed and she glared at Erika.

"How I'm moving doesn't matter now. What matters is that even though Holly did run away, there's nothing you can do about it now. Since she recognized by the League as an official Pokémon Trainer, she's not obliged to return to you. Laws protect her, and disregarding those laws is kidnapping. And then _you_ will be the ones punished. As a Gym Leader, Erika, I trust you know all this already."

Holly heard Erika snarl again, but the Gym Leader did not say anything.

Holly smirked.

Every Trainer knew about the laws protecting them! Shame on Erika to forget!

Those laws meant that Holly was an adult, even if people said that she was a child! And they made sure she could stay on her journey, unless she chose to come home!

Of course, the League could still force her away, but that was unlikely to happen!

Those laws would allow her to do whatever she wanted, because laws were made to protect child Trainers!

And an oppressive adult like Erika couldn't take advantage of any of that!

Well, that meant that Kristine couldn't either, because she was also an adult.

But she had her own form of protection.

So there was nothing to worry about!

And the Mold Breaker probably didn't have any!

After all, who would side with a rouge Trainer?

She had probably fed all the others a pack of lies!

But Holly knew who didn't lie, and the person was standing across from the Mold Breaker.

Kristine swept her gaze over everyone as she continued in her chilling tone.

"Furthermore, Holly is under my protection, and I say that she continues the journey with me."

Kristine's gaze suddenly became fiercer than Holly had ever seen it.

Her voice rang through the air, confidence and hostility filling every word.

"Any resistance will be met with death, or worse."

Gasp and screams sounded from the crowd, and Holly thought she heard one or two people swearing.

Yet she only smiled and nodded approvingly.

It was fitting that the traitors should be constantly faced with death after all they had done!

The only punishment worthy of their crimes was the ultimate one!

Yet Holly heard another voice pierce the air.

Although she hadn't known it long, she recognized it as belonging to Nia.

"And how will you do that? The Mold Breaker decimated almost all of your defenses!"

Kristine shook her head, but there was no reply. Instead, the low, guttural cry rumbled through the area. There were more gasps and screams, and Holly could see something that faintly looked like pitch black wings. However, the wings didn't seem to do anything, and quickly disappeared.

They must not have disappeared rapidly enough, though, because the Mold Breaker rapidly cast a sharp glance at where the wings had been.

Holly frowned.

What was the rouge Trainer thinking?

Holly and Kristine couldn't allow her to continue interfering with their plans!

Yet Holly could no longer focus on the Mold Breaker as she noticed Kristine was now smiling at her opponent.

Her voice carried a chilling confidence as her gaze bore into the rouge trainer.

"No matter how strong you are, you cannot break the hold I have on Yveltal."

Kristine paused, glaring menacingly.

"Isn't that right, Mold Breaker?"

Another pause.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Would the Mold Breaker attack again?

Perhaps she would shout out furious insults?

Or maybe she would tell more lies?

Yet none of that occurred.

Instead, the Mold Breaker slowly, silently, nodded.

Another smirk crossed Holly's face.

Everything the Mold Breaker had done was for nothing, and she may as well just surrender now!

And she _did_ have a weakness, one that she could not circumvent no matter what!

Kristine was still guaranteed to win!

The disabled Trainer continued glaring at the Mold Breaker as she spoke icily.

"You may have revealed that I have Yveltal, but it doesn't change anything."

An ominous silence hung in the air as Kristine paused.

Without interruption, she spoke again.

"Since I can only assume that my secret will become public, I have no more reason to hold the power back anymore."

Holly smirk grew even wider.

The Mold Breaker had only made Kristine stronger!

Now she could simply use Yveltal as much as she wanted!

The Mold Breaker had spelled her own doom!

Yet the rogue Trainer remained silent, even as many more gasps echoed through the air.

Holly heard Janine scream. "Curse you!"

Yes Kristine only shook her head.

"If you have someone to curse, curse yourselves, because it was your misdeeds that forced me to take such drastic measures. Or perhaps, curse your Mold Breaker, because she gave you a false hope that you could win."

A smile spread on to Holly's face.

False hope described the Mold Breaker perfectly!

She acted like she was big and tough, employing underhanded tactics!

But she was nothing more than ordinary Trainer built up on visions of grandeur!

No, she didn't even deserve to be called an ordinary Trainer!

She was just the lowest of the low, only worthy of the harshest punishments!

And now the traitors were finally realizing that!

No matter what happened today, victory would belong to Kristine and Holly!

And the disabled Trainer was sure of that as she spoke with her deadly confidence.

"The only thing you are is useless, Mold Breaker. You're just a mortal, a powerful mortal, but a mortal nonetheless. That's why you can't stand up against me, and why you cannot free Yveltal."

Holly tried to keep her eyes from going wide.

She never thought of being alive as a weakness, but she supposed it could be.

After all, the Mold Breaker hadn't even tried to strike back when Yveltal was revealed.

So the Pokémon must have had some means of killing others, and the Mold Breaker obviously knew that.

Which meant that the rogue Trainer only had one life to lose.

Holly frowned.

Why would the Mold Breaker come here if she was risking everything she had on a hopeless battle?

Perhaps she was just a crazy idiot!

Holly did not focus on the rogue Trainer as Kristine spoke again.

"You've lost, Mold Breaker. You may have saved the city and some of the figures of the League, but there's nothing you can do against me. In the end, you are nothing, and if you keep resisting you will die as nothing."

Holly beamed.

Kristine was right as always!

The Mold Breaker truly _was_ nothing!

Her moniker and powers meant nothing!

And she was foolish enough to enter a battle she could not win, with obvious results!

Holly wished she could get a good look at the Mold Breaker's face.

The rogue Trainer must have been devastated by her loss, and rightfully so!

However, the Mold Breaker simply stared straight ahead, not even flinching at Kristine's words.

Holly frowned.

Was the Mold Breaker going to make another move?

How could she, when she was effectively rendered powerless?

Yet regardless of what the rogue Trainer was thinking, she didn't take one step.

Instead, Kristine's voice rang through the air, her tone more ominous than anything Holly had ever heard.

And her message was unmistakable.

"Mold Breaker, you will now do exactly as I say, unless you want to see the end of your own existence."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So Kristine's connection to Erika is revealed! Interestingly, I wasn't going to have Kristine's grave all in the story initially, but thought I wanted a less subtle hint of her being dead. Plus, it explains many aspects of Kristie's character that were not explained before or didn't have much of an explanation prior. These things are what Holly thinks about after she hears what Erika did with the grave. My initial reasoning was I wanted to use the grave to explain something that comes up much later in the series, but it works just as well for clarifying some things at this point.**

 **-So Holly running away and stealing Pokémon is finally publicly revealed! More details will be revealed in the coming chapters, and even more details will be present in companion stories. I will say that once I knew Holly's relationship with Erika was going to be bad, yet the former still had to go on the journey anyway, I knew running away would be perfect for her character. After that, the rest of the details fell into place.**

 **-Holly knowing about people hiding Pokémon and putting them in separate bags and succeeding at that is a reference to the Alola games. In these games, Lille steals a Pokémon named Nebby from the Aether Foundation and runs away with it. She keeps the small Pokémon in a very large bag separate from everything else she carries, and is fairly good at concealing it from the general public. She eventually gets rid of this bag, although she still carries her Pokémon around the smaller one, and still keeps it more or less completely hidden. Even though the situation the Alola games may not occur due to Lille's different role in Traveler, it's not too far-fetched to think that someone else would hide a Pokémon in a bag and get away with it.**

 **-The laws that protect Holly and effectively allow her to do whatever she wants are based on my interpretation of the Pokémon world versus real life. In the Pokémon world, Trainers can start their journeys age 10, and depending on the interpretation and media, even younger. At that point, they are effectively treated like legal adults. They can travel wherever they want without adult supervision, or even help. Activities that children are usually required to do, such as school or eventually gaining job skills, are never forced on them or even brought up the majority of the time. It usually only comes into play when someone chooses to attend classes or attempts to pick up a job skill voluntarily. Even then, the person can choose to stop attending classes or learning the job skill at any time without repercussions.**

 **In real life, this would have** _ **serious problems.**_

 **The first of which is the potentially massive legal repercussions of children not going where they are required to (namely, school and truancy). Children without supervision also raise legal repercussions, and these legal repercussions can also extend the people supposed to take care of them (or the government itself if there isn't any). Also, a child deciding one day to wander off away from wherever they live and go traveling would result in them being likely classified as a runaway. That brings with it a host of legal issues, punishments, and emotional trauma for everyone involved. Furthermore, forcing a child to go on a journey (as is shown with some reluctant Trainers) can result in the one doing so being punished. Children** _ **are**_ **treated differently from adults legally in that sentences for wrong doings are usually lighter. On the flipside, there is a host of restrictions until one becomes an adult. Some these restrictions directly affect areas relevant to traveling, such who manages matters related to money or health. As a result, children may not know how or find difficult to access the needed things for traveling alone, even if they realize they need these things and/or plan to use them responsibly.**

 **But this isn't even getting into all the** _ **other**_ **issues with young children being allowed to travel on their own. Children often lack the cognitive abilities to make mature and well thought out decisions, given their brains are typically not completely developed in those areas. As a result, letting them travel without adult supervision results in them being exposed to a myriad of dangers they have no way of handling or avoiding. Furthermore, most children do not have the necessary skills to survive, or the physical strength to utilize them properly (e.g. carrying heavy supplies). And the cognitive immaturity would still be an issue with survival skills, such as how to handle difficult situations emotionally. Not being required to go to school (or pursue proper alternatives) would also mean that many children would end up without a basic education, either by choosing not to or being unable to attend. Lacking a basic education would make it nearly impossible to go on to higher education and specialize in a career field in order to get a job. Even in the case where a child didn't choose higher education, it would still be difficult to get a job because most jobs require basic education and/or other skills first. And without a job, the children would not be able to reliably support themselves financially. Which means they would be unable to get almost anything for their journey or whatever else they decide to do.**

 **All this means that most journeys would realistically be tragic and short.**

 **And that the Pokémon world is a** _ **mess.**_

 **With everything explained above in mind, I created the Trainer laws.**

 **-The Trainer laws are an attempt to solve some of the problems that I mentioned earlier. Effectively, legal authorities in the Pokémon world recognize that as soon as Trainers are recognized as such, they are treated like adults. As a result, child Trainers are granted many of the freedoms adults enjoy. These freedoms include the ability to make their own decisions without an adult's consent, not being forced to go to school, running away no longer being considered an issue, and not being required to live under an adult's supervision. However, the Pokémon legal system also realizes that these children still held at the cognition of adults no matter what, and thus protects them as is appropriate to their actual age. Most of the adult also feel compelled, or even have a duty, to protect child Trainers should said protection be permitted (or in the case of emergencies and other dire situations, warranted).**

 **-The system then works exactly the way Holly describes. As she mentions, the system is meant to protect those who become Trainers to flee from horrible situations, and would otherwise be oppressed or abused by adults around them. The laws also prevent young Trainers from having the lives ruined by mistakes they've made from a combination of being unable to react to situations as well as adults and traveling alone. Since Pokémon is a lighthearted series most of the time, such situations are rare in canon. The fact that these situations** _ **do**_ **happen was one of the main inspirations for the laws in Traveler. However, the system is far from perfect, and Traveler series will also examine the flaws in it.**


	90. Unhindered

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

90\. Unhindered

A high-pitched voice pierced the air, almost sounded like someone was desperately crying. Holly recognized the voice as Lusamine's.

"No, Mold Breaker, don't listen to her!"

Kahili sharply snarled. _"You wouldn't,_ Kris!"

Holly wished she could slap her forehead at the others' stupidity.

They should have known the Mold Breaker was powerless, and had no choice but to listen!

And of course Kristine would do anything to stop the Mold Breaker! The rogue Trainer was now her greatest enemy!

The Mold Breaker continued to face Kristine, and Holly wondered if she would dare launch another attack.

Yet the only thing the Mold Breaker did was give a slow, shaky, nod.

Holly noticed the rogue Trainer's head drooped a bit, although she still stood tall.

This time, Holly smirked.

The Mold Breaker _deserved_ to be upset, after all she had done!

She was probably devastated over her loss, and entering a battle she clearly couldn't win!

However, Holly's thoughts were redirected from the Mold Breaker as Kristine spoke again.

She faced the rogue Trainer, a sinister smile on her lips.

"Good. It seems you're not as idiotic as I thought."

Kristine gazed upward, momentarily locking eyes with Holly and her prison.

In another minute, her gaze whipped back to the Mold Breaker.

Kristine spoke in a confident, yet grave tone.

"Now then, Mold Breaker, free Holly from her prison, and bring her to me."

At Kristine's words, Holly found herself floating through the air. She grinned as the shadows carried her closer and closer to Kristine. When Holly was right across from the disabled Trainer, the shadows turned her around. Holly's grin only grew wider as the shadows gently placed her on the ground. The frozen feeling disappeared, and Holly wasted no time walking right next to Kristine.

Now she swept her gaze over all the traitors.

There was no forgetting the expressions etched on their faces.

Fear…

Sadness…

Anger…

Confusion…

Shock…

Horror…

Grief…

Each of the traitors displayed different emotions.

Yet they all had one thing in common.

That was that the traitors' feelings didn't matter now.

They deserved all the suffering in the world!

What mattered now was truly giving the traitors their punishment, and establishing who had truly won the fight!

And Kristine was more than willing to handle that!

Holly glanced towards the disabled Trainer, beaming.

Kristine nodded, smiling as well.

The smile quickly faded as she turned to the others. Kristine's piercing gaze missed nothing, and her grave tone hung in the air.

"Traitors to all Trainers. Threats to all innocence. It is time for you to be rewarded as a traitor deserves. You will keep your lives, but only under our conditions."

Holly glared as defiantly as she could muster.

She was met by Malva clenching her fists. However, the resistance leader immediately doubled over, face pale. Holly could still see the blood from her wounds dripping down her back, and it splashed silently onto the ground.

Molly Hale didn't look any better, twitching as she tried to keep an enraged look on her face. However, she was unsuccessful, as her countenance turned into a wince. Within minutes, she was enveloped the same ghastly pallor. Holly didn't see the blood dripping from Molly Hale, as the psychic immediately stepped back. Holly guessed she was too prideful to let anyone know how injured she was.

Holly's glare only intensified.

Hiding away like a coward made sense, considering how arrogant, hurtful, and judgmental Molly Hale was!

Holly shot a glance Erika's direction, but the Celadon Gym Leader only averted her eyes.

Holly put her hands on her hips.

Of course Erika would refuse to face the truth!

That was just the type of heartless person she was!

Holly couldn't wait to have Erika face justice!

Holly was alerted to the sound of quiet crying, and noticed it was coming from Delia.

The woman was rubbing her eyes, trying to shield her sorrow.

But her efforts were fruitless, as she couldn't hide her puffy eyes and tearstained face. Blue said something and threw his arm around her, but it didn't seem to bring any comfort.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

How could someone who battled so ferociously at the Safari Zone be such a wimp now?

Delia must have been all talk!

But no matter what Delia and the others were, Holly knew she couldn't focus on them now.

It was time to enact the final phases of the plan.

Holly nodded confidently.

She had been waiting for this part, and now it was finally here!

This would show the traitors who really was in charge!

It didn't matter how any of them felt; their emotions would not change anything!

Holly's intimidating expression never left her face as Kristine spoke again.

"From this point on, both Holly and I have will have complete freedom. No monitors, no tethers, nothing. Any supernatural power users that try to force me to train my powers will pay the ultimate price. Should any of them antagonize me again, they will suffer for all eternity."

As if on cue, Yueveltal's low cry came again, and there was the faint outline of its wings.

Everyone flinched back, and Holly thought she could hear even more vomiting.

Only the Mold Breaker remain unfazed, not even moving.

Her head snapped up, and she stared straight at Kristine and Holly.

Holly glared back at her.

What was the rogue Trainer thinking?

Why was she so confident now, when she had been hanging her head low only moments before?

And confidence did not change the fact that the Mold Breaker could not win this fight!

It didn't matter! The Mold Breaker was nothing now!

And Kristine was sure of that as she sharply continued.

"Now, one of you, remove my monitor immediately."

For a minute, none of the others moved.

Holly continued glaring, holding a deep frown.

Would the traitors follow Kristine's orders, or would she have to force them to?

Several more tense moments, and Blue stepped forward.

The others gasped, and it didn't take long for Holly to realize why.

Blue's fists were clenched, and Holly could see he was trembling.

A pained expression could be seen on his pallid face, and his eyes showed even more pain.

Holly scoffed.

Blue was said to be one of the most powerful Trainers in existence, with power surpassing the regional Champions!

He should have been able to match Kristine blow for blow, especially with all the help he had now!

Yet here Blue was, pathetic and terrified.

Holly scoffed again.

Blue wasn't worthy of being stronger than the Champions!

He wasn't worthy of anything positive, if he became so spooked by a simple wandering Trainer!

No, the only thing he was worthy of was being mocked!

But before Holly could manifest her thoughts, Blue plucked a Poké Ball from his belt. He tossed it into the air, and an Alakazam appeared. The Pokémon looked around curiously as Blue whispered something to it. In another minute, the Pokémon was surrounded by psychic power.

Holly tensed.

Would Blue _dare_ attack Kristine, after what she had promised to do?

After he had shown his fear?

Holly suddenly remembered the battle with Azure.

Back then, Kristine had been the fearful one.

Yet now, she only met Blue's eyes with a taunting smirk.

Obviously, Kristine had the advantage now, but Blue wasn't even around before…

So what had changed?

Or was the fear from Azure's battle all just an act?

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she noticed Kristine was surrounded by the same psychic power that was coming from Blue's Pokémon.

Holly wondered if the disabled Trainer would retaliate, but she just responded with an approving nod.

Holly resisted the urge to let her eyes go wide.

What was Blue doing, and why wasn't Kristine fighting against him?

Suddenly, Holly heard something that sounded like glass breaking.

She glanced around wildly, but she could see no shards of any broken objects.

Before Holly could ask what had just happened, the psychic power around Kristine and Blue's Alakazam disappeared.

Blue rapidly recalled his Pokémon, stating softly. "Your psychic monitor has been removed."

Kristine didn't even thank him, instead continuing to fix the others with her chilling gaze.

Holly nodded approvingly, letting a small smile cross her face.

Despite the Mold Breaker's interference, everything was still going to plan!

Now Kristine wouldn't be treated like a criminal for something she could not control!

Especially since _she_ was the one protecting all honest Trainers!

Holly's small smile remained as she continued focusing on Kristine.

The disabled Trainer spoke again, her voice portraying a deadly tranquility.

"As for Holly, you will do nothing to her. No watchlist, no prisons, no restraints... Do as I say, or else you all will suffer my wrath."

There were more gasps, cringing, and flinching as Yveltal's cry rang through the air.

Holly couldn't resist smirking.

Even without Yveltal, every one of the traitors knew of Kristine's anger.

And they knew it was a terrible thing to behold.

One that could get them all destroyed within a single second.

No one dared to go against her when there was the risk of provoking that anger.

No one, except the Mold Breaker.

The rogue Trainer still stood unmoving, not even flinching at Kristine's display.

Instead, she stared forward almost expectantly, although Holly couldn't tell what she was waiting for.

She frowned.

What was the Mold Breaker expectant about?

She couldn't have been expecting Yveltal, based on her reaction when she fought against it…

And she could not have been expecting Kristine's anger; the two had only just met!

So what was going on inside the rogue Trainer's mind?

Holly didn't have time to ponder those thoughts, however.

Instead, she heard Janine howl.

"You rendered us all powerless, and your forces have been destroyed. We're doing whatever you want, so get out of the city!"

Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Janine should know they wouldn't leave that easily!

Indeed, Kristine shook her head.

"No, there's still one last thing we need to do here."

Before anyone could respond, Yveltal let out another cry. A dark aura surrounded Kristine, similar to the one that had revived her.

However, Holly noticed that the aura was stronger now, and Kristine seemed to be directing it towards something.

This must have been the same as when Kristine got rid of Holly's powers.

But what was she directing the aura towards now?

The others couldn't do anything, and Holly's powers were already gone!

As the crowd screamed and gasped, Holly got her answer.

The dark aura enveloped Anabel's lifeless form, lurching the betrayer away from Erika.

Erika's eyes went wide, and the Celadon Gym Leader lunged as she frantically tried to grab onto Anabel.

Yet Anabel was effortlessly ripped away from her, and the betrayer began floating in the air. Erika slammed onto the hard ground, wincing.

Yet Kristine showed no sympathy as the aura around her intensified.

With that, Anabel floated towards Holly and Kristine, not even screaming as she drew closer and closer to her enemies.

The glare returned to Holly's face, and her eyes became narrowed.

She nodded coldly.

Of course this would happen.

It was all part of the plan.

Leave it to Kristine to have a backup!

Of course, it went a little differently now that Google was out of commission.

But it didn't matter now since everything was working.

Holly stepped back into focus as Anabel floated right in front of them. The dark aura then threw the betrayer onto the ground, a loud slam echoing through the area as it did so.

Holly broke into a smile.

This was what she had been waiting for!

This was her favorite part of the plan!

Anabel had been tormenting her and Kristine for so long!

Now the betrayer would finally truly and permanently be punished!

And there was nothing anyone could do to stop it!

Holly quickly turned to Kristine, unable to stop the excitement flooding her voice.

"Should we end Anabel's life now, Kristine?"

Holly was now grinning ear to ear.

Anabel would not be able to hurt any more people or Pokémon ever again!

And that was because she would be tortured to death today!

Yet surprisingly, Kristine shook her head.

"No, a quick death is too good for her."

Holly nodded.

It made sense.

The whole idea was to make Anabel suffer!

And a wretched betrayer like her deserved to suffer as much as possible!

Yet now the aura around Kristine was intensifying even more, and Holly was sure it could cover the entire area.

Screams and crying pierced the air, but Holly couldn't tell where they were coming from as they all merged into one.

Holly did recognize a flicker of movement, rapidly realizing it was coming from the Mold Breaker.

She couldn't help glaring at the adversary.

What was the Mold Breaker going to do?

She should know by now that she was useless!

Yet Holly couldn't pay attention to the Mold Breaker as the wing-like forms appeared on Kristine again.

However, this time, Holly could see their color. They were red as blood with patterns as black as night. They stretched out so long Holly wondered how Kristine didn't bang into anything.

Holly suppressed a shudder as she imagined how terrifying Yveltal would be in person.

However, Holly didn't have time to think about that for long as the wings closed in on Anabel.

Just as they were about to reach the betrayer, a black void appeared below her. It swallowed up the entire area where Anabel was, making it look as though the betrayer was lying down on nothing. However, that clearly wasn't the case, because Anabel was still remaining on the ground full of nothing.

Right above a black abyss.

Holly resisted the urge to shiver as her mind whisked her back to the past.

Black abyss…

Ground full of nothing…

No one else around…

Floating, then standing regardless…

This was just like where the ominous place Kristine had been healed the first time!

Was Yveltal now using this place of healing for destruction?

And was that where Anabel was going to go?

What did that mean, and what would happen there?

Holly was snapped from her thoughts as she noticed the Mold Breaker step up. The rogue Trainer bent her legs, as though she was about to jump into the abyss.

Yet Kristine stopped her with a wave of her hand.

A mocking tone once again entered her voice.

"Sure, you can jump in there, as long as you would like to suffer with her and have no means of escape."

At this, the Mold Breaker looked back, still staring fiercely at Kristine.

Holly nodded.

As stupid as the Mold Breaker was, at least she had enough sense to know when she had lost!

Holly's attention was drawn to Kristine as the disabled Trainer's voice rang through the air.

"Yveltal, carrier of souls, able to ferry anyone anywhere beyond the mortal plane! And now it shall ferry you, Anabel, to a place where will suffer eternal damnation! The last thing you will see in this world is your beloved daughter rejecting you!"

The area was full of a chorus of howls and screams, yet they blended too much for Holly to tell who did what.

She was aware of the Mold Breaker shifting again, yet the rogue Trainer made no move to go after Anabel.

Even if the Mold Breaker had, it wouldn't have mattered.

For the dark abyss rapidly enveloped Anabel. In an instant, both it and the betrayer were gone.

The area once again erupted into cries and screams of rage and grief.

Yet Holly didn't hear any of it.

Instead, the only thing Holly heard was Kristine's voice inside her head.

" _Let's retreat to my secret base. I have means of healing my Pokémon there, and we can rest as we plan our next move. Yveltal knows the place, so it can take us there."_

Holly nodded, and in another minute, she felt the dark aura surrounding her.

The cries and the screams soon faded, as Holly and Kristine left the chaos behind.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Blue having an Alakazam is based on the games. He has one and several of his appearances there, and it's usually one of the strongest Pokémon. Therefore, I found it fitting for him to also have one here.**

 **-So Anabel finally gets her punishment! I thought it quite a few ideas before I decided to go with this one, and these ideas were all quite a bit different from what was in the final draft. However, how the punishment works and why I chose the one I did will be explained a little bit later.**


	91. Regroup and Revisit

**Welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

91\. Regroup and Revisit

Holly couldn't stop the sigh of relief that escaped her when her feet hit the floor.

She opened her eyes to see the familiar main room of Kristine's secret base.

Almost every Pokémon was there, including the waterlogged Google.

Kristine carefully led the way, dark aura still surrounding her.

The Pokémon obediently followed, and some carried their injured comrades.

Yveltal's low cry rang through the air, and the wings materialized again.

Slowly, the dark aura enveloped some of the Pokémon, wings nearly touching them.

At the same time, Holly could hear the humming of healing machines.

Several Pokémon scurried towards them, although for many, each step was pained.

Holly cocked her head.

What was Kristine using Yveltal for now?

He wasn't good at healing, and there were already healing machines in use.

Suddenly, Holly heard Kristine's voice in her head.

" _Yveltal heals by destroying injuries. I already have machines to patch up Pokémon here, but with so many wounded, those machines are not enough. So Yveltal is helping out. Things have gotten so bleak I'm not even using Google to talk to you. Yveltal has the ability to use telepathy as well, so it's doing the communicating."_

Kristine paused, but before Holly could reply, the disabled Trainer spoke again.

" _If worse comes to worse, the Pokémon Centers affiliated with the League will be forced to take care of our Pokémon. But judging by our sorry state, I'd rather not take that risk. With so many people out for our blood and our alliances not solidified yet, more conflicts could break out at any time. And that's something neither of us are prepared for."_

Holly simply nodded.

Kristine was right!

They couldn't afford to get into any unnecessary battles now! If they were defeated here, it all would be for nothing!

And they _couldn't_ be defeated, not when they had been so close…

If not for the meddling Mold Breaker, victory would have been Holly's and Kristine's!

But, thankfully they had destroyed Anabel the betrayer!

There was no way she would bother them now!

There was no way she would bother _anyone_ now!

At this, Holly couldn't help giving a smile.

" _At least Anabel is dead, right, Kristine?"_

Kristine's expression hardened, and she shook her head.

" _No, she isn't."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

" _Huh? What do you mean?"_

Kristine had mentioned before that Yveltal was going to make Anabel suffer eternal damnation…

And he could clearly destroy things…

So didn't that mean Anabel had passed away?

Kristine seemed to sense how this confusion as she answered.

" _Anabel is simply imprisoned to suffer in a personal hell. She is trapped in another realm, similar to the different worlds seen in Ultra Wormholes. In that place, she will suffer eternally, with almost no hope of rescue. The betrayer is experiencing a hell on earth, so to speak."_

Yet Holly's eyes still remained wide as another question left her.

" _Almost no hope of rescue? Does that mean someone will eventually find out where she is, undoing everything we've done?"_

Kristine kept calm as she replied.

" _They can try, but I doubt they will succeed. There are some that have the power to match Yveltal, but those people are few. Yveltal can sense these enemies and alert me to them. With all the strength it wields, any adversary that catches my attention will face a gruesome demise. Of course, those who have the prowess to oppose Yveltal understand this, so they are aware that provoking me is not in their best interest. Anabel may as well have no one to rescue her."_

Holly let out a sigh of relief.

Anabel was just as good as dead!

Now the betrayer was facing a fate even worse than death!

Yet still…

Some of Anabel's Pokémon had passed away in that last conflict…

And as far as Holly knew, dead Pokémon became loyal spirits…

Holly's Incinaroar had warned her and Kristine about Professor Pine's betrayal…

So what would Anabel's powerful Pokémon do?

Yet another question rapidly tumbled out.

" _Anabel's Pokémon... The ones who died… Couldn't they rescue her?"_

Kristine shook her head again.

" _Yveltal has connections to both the realms of the living and the dead. So he can sense creatures from the two lands and alert me. Even spirits will quickly be caught and done away with."_

Holly let out another sigh of relief.

Kristine had called Yveltal the one who could ferry souls beyond the mortal plane, and the mysterious Pokémon could clearly interact with the living.

So of course it would lord over both realms, and be aware of the goings-on in them!

But another question lingered on Holly's lips.

Without hesitation, she voiced it.

" _Why didn't you just attack the Mold Breaker with Yveltal?"_

Kristine's countenance became hard, and her eyes narrowed.

The disabled Trainer's voice took on a low, chilling, tone.

" _It's suicide in our weakened state. The Mold Breaker was at peak strength and could match us all blow for blow."_

Holly nodded, yet resisted the urge to blush with shame.

Kristine was right, but Holly had been so focused on attacking she hadn't considered what might happen to them…

If they were destroyed here, everything they did would be for nothing!

That was something that had to be avoided, above all else!

Yet Holly shoved her embarrassment aside, listening intently as Kristine spoke again.

" _Furthermore, the Mold Breaker did not react much when I pointed out she was a mortal. She seemed all too eager to throw away her life when Yveltal summoned the void. It's not far-fetched to believe that she has a way around her mortality somehow. Or at least, she knows someone who does."_

Holly clenched her fist.

To think that the Mold Breaker could go beyond the boundaries of life itself!

What kind of cruel creature could do that?

Holly and Kristine _had_ to stop her!

The question was, _how?_

Kristine seemed to know something about what had happened…

So maybe she would understand more…

A question escaped from Holly before she could stop it.

" _Do you know… what was going on with the Mold Breaker? Not with the shadows covering her face, but with the wings and the other powers? Why did she look like that, and why was she so strong?"_

Kristine closed her eyes, deep in thought.

After what seemed like an eternity, she opened them again.

" _I don't know, but I can guess."_

Holly made a valiant effort not tremble, but her voice betrayed her. _"What is your guess, then?"_

" _My guess... is that the Mold Breaker is one of Arceus's Angels."_

At this, Holly's eyes went wide.

She might not have known much about the gods, or worshiped them directly. However, she knew about Arceus. The tales were passed down from Trainer to Trainer, throughout all regions. Holly heard everyone, always spoken with reverence…

That She was the creator of all Pokémon, and the strongest in existence…

That She could become any Type, and use any attack she wished…

That She would welcome the souls of the righteous upon their deaths, and lead them into Her kingdom of eternal glory…

That She was the one all Vessels and legendary Pokémon respected and took commands from…

That She would rain her judgment down upon the malevolent without a second thought, and that Her power was absolute…

That perhaps She had created the entire world, and constantly watched over Her creations…

And that very few were worthy of Her power, and those that were transcended what normally was possible for humanity…

Holly heard the tales time and time again, but had never believed them…

Because they all were words without merit, it seemed. After all, despite being affiliated with a Gym Leader, Holly hadn't seen Arceus, or even knew of anyone who had…

But now Kristine was mentioning the creature's name, and the disabled Trainer had met many people on her travels…

So if Kristine talked of the tales…

Then they must have been true!

But what did she mean when she spoke about angels?

Holly was sure the only ones that she was aware of were in made-up stories!

But if Kristine was talking about them, then they must have been real!

But if that was the case, then what was Kristine talking about?

As if sensing Holly's confusion, Kristine replied.

" _Arceus's Angels guard Her and Her heavenly kingdom. They walk a difficult path, but possess unparalleled power. Most people don't receive this honor until after they die, and it only goes to the strongest Trainers. But there are rare cases of Arceus's Angels walking among the living, having received their powers yet still knowing they are subject to their own mortality. It's not that far-fetched to say that the Mold Breaker is one of those cases."_

Holly threw up her hands.

" _But that doesn't make sense!"_

Before she could continue, Kristine interjected.

" _Yes, it does make sense. Think about it."_

Holly cocked her head as Kristine continued.

" _The Mold Breaker used several techniques that were beyond the likes of anything anyone had ever seen. And she seemed to be skillful and used to everyone else's reactions. Furthermore, she didn't even seem to care that her life was in danger that entire time, or that she had only one life to lose. She is not vain enough to throw away her life, because she stopped herself from jumping into Yveltal's void. But as an Angel of Arceus, she probably would have a plan in case she did die in that battle. And that's why she acted the way she did."_

Holly clenched her fist.

To think that their opponent could be one of the mythical angels and act so diabolically!

Kristine and Holly had to stop her!

But how could they, when the Mold Breaker's power eclipsed theirs so easily?

Holly's countenance hardened.

The least she could do was get as much information as possible.

So without hesitation, Holly asked her next question.

" _The power to kill instantly with those tendrils… Is that from being Arceus's Angel as well?"_

Kristine shook her head.

" _No, that ability comes from Giratina. It's something that only a select few can wield, a power only presented to have strength akin to the Vessels."_

Holly's eyes went wide, and she couldn't stop herself from shaking.

" _Does that mean the Mold Breaker is a Vessel?"_

Kristine shook her head again, but her eyes hardened.

" _She wasn't, or one of the others would've said something. There were Vessels among all of the traitors, and Vessels can sense each other."_

Kristine's eyes became piercing and cold as she continued to speak.

" _Besides, only able-bodied people can successfully become and harness the power of the Vessels. Those who aren't able-bodied are just too weak."_

Holly noticed a snarl in the disabled Trainer's voice, and chills ran down her spine.

There was the story of the failed Missingno Vessel, and Kristine's fear of the Pokémon…

The fact that only they able-bodied could utilize a Vessel's power, and being able-bodied was something Kristine could never achieve…

If the rumors were true…

Kristine had not only seen failure, but had a dream destroyed by something completely out of her control…

The same almost happened in the last fight…

And now…

What _else_ had Kristine seen?

Holly decided there was no harm in asking now.

Indirectly, of course.

Yet Holly couldn't stop her voice from trembling as she choked out the words.

" _That thing that killed Mightyena... The gun... I know that trainers with weapons exist, but I've never seen anything like that… Except with criminals… But we don't even know what the Mold Breaker is… Kristine, have you…"_

Kristine nodded, although slowly.

A grave look crossed the disabled Trainer's face.

" _However, it is rare for someone who is powerful with Pokémon to also have a weapon. Said weapon is almost always not a gun, because they are associated with criminals. Several Pokémon also don't react well to them, unless they are used to the noise. At first, there were many laws against weapons, especially guns. However, once Pokémon of all species became commonplace, those who chose not to train them realized they needed the other ways to defend themselves. So now, weapons like guns and swords can be used anywhere provided someone is an adult. Sometimes, the person only needs to be associated with one, like you are with me. And since the Mold Breaker was acting alone, I am assuming she was of adult age."_

Kristine took a deep breath before continuing.

" _The ability to allow almost everyone to use guns is true even in my home region of Tierra, although it took a long time to get there. Many people there still don't use them because of the stigma they once held. Currently, the only gun user I know that is also a powerful Trainer is Kaiser, the head of the Safari Zone we met in Fuchsia. He doesn't use them much nowadays because visitors were intimidated. Instead, he trained his dragon Pokémon as a means of self-defense. Usually, it suffices. Usually."_

Holly clenched her fist.

Kristine had mentioned Tierra as her home region.

At least the traitors were right about something!

But that didn't mean they were right about anything else!

Holly rapidly remembered how the rebels had swatted Kaiser and his Dragonite aside like they were flies.

A powerful Trainer and his Pokémon, going down unconscious, maybe even _dead…_

And the rebels didn't even bat an eye, adding the two to their list of victims…

Holly clenched her fist even tighter, and she swore she could feel her knuckles turning white.

A gun would not have helped in that situation!

 _Nothing_ would've helped!

So why did the Mold Breaker have a gun?

Holly let the question tumble out of her mouth.

" _Why does the Mold Breaker have one, then? She's so strong, there's no reason for her to!"_

Kristine replied without hesitation. _"Probably because if she's in a situation where she's constantly fighting, she needs multiple options for attack."_

Holly snarled. _"Why not another weapon, then?"_

Kristine's voice became eerily calm as she responded.

" _I can think of a few reasons. The gun is one of the easiest and deadliest weapons to use, providing both distance and close range protection without much effort. A lot of places teach people about using them, particularly in Tierra. In that region, there are probably more gun lessons than there are with any other weapon. Guns are also simple to carry. Get a small gun like the Mold Breaker has, and it's barely visible. I bet she can hardly feel the weight. They're probably easy to manage, too. Of course, it might just be that the Mold Breaker is used to a gun. Guns can be used for many things other than battle, including target shooting, shows, and hunting. So if the Mold Breaker has done or even seen some of these things, then a gun would carry no stigma and be the most logical choice."_

Holly still kept her fists clenched.

No matter the reasons, the Mold Breaker had no right to do what she did!

Kristine must have sensed Holly's thoughts, because the disabled Trainer's eyes softened.

Her voice quickly followed suit. _"Don't worry Holly, I will punish any evil gun user."_

Kristine's eyes hardened, and her voice took on a deadly fury.

" _And I will completely destroy someone that would murder a Pokémon, especially a Mightyena, so underhandedly."_

Holly resisted the urge to shudder as she detected Kristine's sudden shift in tone, but the disabled Trainer only continued.

" _Rest assured, the Mold Breaker will get what's coming to her."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

To think that Kristine was capable of harboring rage so deadly, she could resolve to end someone's life!

Was it possibly because she was thinking about her dead Mightyena, Cheyenne?

Was she reliving that death from so many years ago?

Even though she had never seen what happened to Holly's?

Holly had remembered how Kristine had acted when she thought she had overworked Mightyena in that training exercise near Cerulean…

What was she thinking now?

It was impossible to know, but Holly understood her own emotions.

She clenched her fist, and her eyes narrowed.

The battle had been so chaotic that there was no time to recover Mightyena's body…

There would be no funeral, no recognition, no burial, no grave…

Just another cold, nameless, empty, place…

Another void in Holly's heart that could never be filled…

And all because of the treacherous Mold Breaker!

Holly found herself yelling at the top of her lungs.

" _No matter what, I don't believe anything the Mold Breaker says! Just because you have Yveltal's power doesn't mean you're dead!"_

Kristine nodded, and Holly thought she could see a hint of a smile on the disabled Trainer's face.

" _A true thing."_

Suddenly, the disabled Trainer's smile rapidly disappeared, and Holly flinched.

The next words make her blood run cold.

"The question is, did you really run away?"

Holly shuddered as chills ran down her spine.

What could she say?

She hadn't told Kristine anything!

How would the disabled Trainer react?

With all her power, she could do anything!

Suddenly, a new confidence surged through Holly.

She couldn't keep thinking this way!

Kristine was her closest friend, and had trusted her!

Now it was Holly's turn to show she could trust Kristine!

Holly narrowed her eyes again.

" _I did. I received a letter to participate in Prof. Pine's study, and showed it to Erika. However, she refused to let me participate and go on the journey. I'm already 13, so I'm well within the age to go on a Pokémon journey. In fact, I should have been gone years before that. Plus, I traveled by myself before, and I came back safe. So Erika had no reason to refuse to let me go!"_

Emotions unreadable, Kristine interjected with another question.

" _How did you run away? Erika may be cruel, but she is vigilant."_

There was no hesitation as Holly rapidly replied.

" _I convinced her to let me go shopping. It was simple, really. All I had to do was whatever chores she asked me, and follow every rule there was. Erika thought I was behaving, and let me buy whenever I wanted. So I bought a bunch of items for Trainers and hid them away. When the time was right, I took six of her Pokémon, and escaped in the night. Erika had told all the Pokémon to defend me if necessary, because I didn't have any of my own. So traveling with them was easy. I used the Pokémon and the items to get to Viridian, and the rest is history."_

Holly continued to try and voice a demeanor of confidence, yet her body betrayed her and she couldn't help shaking.

Now that Kristine knew the truth, what would she do?

Would she condemn Holly?

Leave her behind?

Turn her in?

Make all their plans useless?

Yet the disabled Trainer did none of those.

Instead, her face broke into a smile.

Holly cocked her head.

Why was Kristine smiling?

Surely there was nothing to be happy about now!

Yet the disabled Trainer's grain only grew as she spoke.

" _Good work, Holly! Erika is a vile and spiteful woman. You had every right to run away."_

Holly beamed back and nodded.

Of course Kristine would understand, having issues with her own family!

Holly knew she shouldn't have doubted her!

She couldn't help responding.

" _That's right! You had problems with your family, too! It was your father, wasn't it?"_

Kristine nodded. "Yes."

The disabled Trainer's face suddenly became serious, and her voice was quick to match.

" _I suppose you could say I ran away too."_

Holly's eyes went wide.

Kristine ran from her home? But she lived somewhere even further than Celadon, in an entirely different region!

Escaping didn't seem possible!

Not only that, but Holly had the advantage of being adopted by a Gym Leader.

Kristine didn't have anything other than brute force, and according to what the others had said, strong Trainers in Tierra weren't unheard of…

Of course, she could've had Tulip, but that would depend on when she ran away…

And Kristine might've had her fame, but, surely that would work against her…

So she may as well have had no advantages at all!

How did manage to run away?

As if sensing Holly's confusion, Kristine wasted no time responding. _"Shortly before I began my journey, my parents divorced. It was very messy, because it was discovered that my father was having an affair with another woman before the divorce was finalized. As a result, he ran off and married her, leaving my mother almost destitute."_

Kristine sighed and shook her head.

" _My father also cared little for the rest of the family, and tried to turn them against my mother. Partially, he was successful, because he created a rift that could never heal. And with it, almost a decade worth of anger."_

Holly shivered.

Anabel had mentioned early on about how her Kristine had an almost decade-long grudge against her family…

Kristine never she confirmed felt the same way, other than her behavior at Lavender hinting at something being wrong…

But now…

The grudge that Anabel mentioned, and the grudge that Kristine spoke of…

Were they the same thing?

They were directed at the same people, and lasted for the same amount of time.

So it had to be!

Holly shuddered again as Kristine continued speaking.

" _My father achieved his goal with my older sister. Thanks to him, she shut out the rest of the family, spreading a web of lies. Unfortunately, many others believed her, and my mother lost contact with her. In turn, my mother became overprotective of me, and I couldn't wait to leave. As soon as I got the chance, I fled on my journey. I was an adult and skilled with Pokémon, so no one dared stop me. That is how I ended up the way I am now, wandering about, powerful, but mostly alone."_

Holly continued staring, eyes still wide.

Her mouth was dry, and her breath caught in her throat.

She and Kristine were even more similar than she thought.

Holly, running from the stern Erika to claim what was rightfully hers…

Kristine, running from the turmoil of her family and the anger they created…

They were so similar, and yet there were no words…

Yet Holly found words to describe something else.

As soon as the words reached the tip of her tongue, she narrowed her eyes and a scowl crossed her face.

" _That's awful, what your father did!"_

Kristine's gaze hardened even more, and her voice was so cold it could rival ice.

" _In the eyes of Tierra, my father was just a normal person. He wasn't worth attracting the attention of the law. There was no prosecution, no truth revealed, no punishment, no justice…"_

Rage burned in Holly's eyes, and her words came out in a snarl.

" _All that is terrible, and Tierra's government sounds just as corrupt as the League! When we are done with the other regions, we should attack Tierra too!"_

Kristine nodded, and a small smile played on her face.

" _Tierra has many people and advanced technology, so attacking it will be difficult. But by then, we will have gained much power, so fighting against the other Trainers there might be feasible. At the very least, we could make sure no one else suffers."_

Holly nodded, her own grin spreading on her face.

No matter what, their enemies would fall!

Holly and Kristine would expose the corruption of the League, and everywhere!

And then no one would have to be a victim of the corruption ever again!

Kristine must've guessed would Holly was thinking, because she continued to smile as she spoke again.

" _I will make sure what happened to my father does not happen here. Erika will get the punishment she deserves, and then nobody else will suffer like you did, Holly."_

Holly could barely keep her excitement from overflowing as she replied with glee.

" _What type of punishment are you thinking of?"_

Kristine rapidly replied. _"She will be disgraced, like the Gym Leader Clair."_

Holly cocked her head, as another question was written in her eyes.

Kristine nodded and replied.

" _The Gym Leader of Blackthorn, a city in Johto. Or I should say, former Gym Leader. Clair was the one that made me fail the Dragon user challenge, refusing to give me a Badge even after a fair fight. She said I was too violent, but surely she must have been jealous that she lost. As the final Gym Leader in Johto, she doesn't lose often. Oh well, Clair went on about some rule that allows Gym Leaders to refuse challengers Badges if there's a reason even if the challenger has won the match. But I knew Clair was only using the rule as an excuse, so I exposed her wrongdoings. Needless to say, she was punished. She's no longer the Gym Leader now. She's no longer anything now. Some woman named Liza holds the position now, but when I have my way with the League, no one will."_

Holly's grin grew wider.

It would be so satisfying to have horrible people like Clair and Erika face justice!

Yet abruptly, her face turned into a frown.

Before Kristine could ask what was wrong, Holly voiced her thoughts.

" _If only there was a surefire way to get out of the trap we're in… Then we could do whatever we wanted…"_

Kristine flashed a smile. _"I can think of a foolproof way."_

Holly's face lit up, eagerness glowing in her eyes. _"Really? Then tell me!"_

Kristine nodded, sparing no details like she explained everything.

Before this, Holly could only concentrate on being terrified, angry and confused.

But after, she could only think of one word.

Confident.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So as promised, a bit about Anabel's punishment. As stated before, there were a lot of different ideas about how to execute it. One of them was she wouldn't be punished at all, and simply lead Kristine and Holly into the trap without either knowing. When the story changed to them knowing, this idea no longer worked. Furthermore, I figured it wouldn't take that too long to actually figure out what was really going on, since they had been with Anabel for so long before. Furthermore, even if they never figured it out, Kristine and Holly would be so used to Anabel's attacks and habits that they would be able to retaliate anyway.**

 **So I thought of Anabel switching sides, and fighting against Kristine and Holly for a while. This idea was quickly scrapped, because it would've been difficult to coordinate where should appear and what she would do in the fights. There was also the possibility of Kristine and Holly winning these fights, and what they would do after. Furthermore, it was fairly late in the game material at this time (since saffron represents the sixth out of eight gyms before the fairly streamlined finale). So would be difficult to add in recurring fights at this point.**

 **A third option was to have Anabel treated like the group's prisoner. She would be unable to do anything on her own, be forced to do whatever the others told her, and also be forced to go wherever the others took her. In addition, she would be stripped of her Pokémon (unless she actually had to defend herself, in which case she would be strictly punished if she retaliated against the others). In effect, Anabel would suffer the same punishment that she inflicted upon Holly, and to a lesser extent, Kristine. This idea was quickly dropped, however. Even if Anabel was effectively imprisoned, she would still have the strength and knowledge to escape somehow. Even if Anabel couldn't escape, with the notoriety Holly and Kristine were gaining, it was unlikely that someone would eventually come and rescue her.**

 **So I knew that if I wanted Holly and Kristine to travel together without issue, I had to get rid of Anabel.**

 **Which is why she was planted to die during Yveltal's merciless attack.**

 **But I quickly realized that wouldn't work.**

 **The reason was that killing Anabel interfered with a lot of future plot points I had planned, even passively. Like Kristine in an earlier chapter, I also hadn't figured out the mechanics of resurrection, and couldn't put it in without it seeming jarring. Therefore, Anabel was left alive, but in a personal hell. I thought that was also more fitting for Kristine and Holly's characters, because they both would want Anabel to suffer slowly and as much as possible, rather than have the mercy of a swift and mostly painless death.**

 **-Yveltal being the ones to various souls to the realms beyond the living world is based on a combination of fan interpretations and my own. Fans interpreted Yveltal as a god of death and the Grim Reaper of the Pokémon world. Given its penchant for destruction and the sheer power it has, official Pokémon material also hints at this. However, in Traveler, Giratina instead has this role. So Yveltal was instead relegated to ferrying souls to the afterlife, similar to valkyries in Norse mythology, or some depictions of angels.**

 **-So, Arceus. Some of what is said about Her here is from canon media, but a lot of it is not. As stated before, Arceus is considered the God of all Pokémon, similar to God in Christianity. Because of this, fans typically capitalize Arceus's name even one using pronouns (since God in Christianity is depicted the same way). However, official materials never do this. In official Pokémon media, Arceus's gender is never stated. In the games itself, it's officially considered genderless. However, that hasn't stopped fans from assigning a gender to it anyway. Both male and female genders have been used. In Traveler, Arceus is female, but due to Her powers, can change Her gender to whatever she wants. It is unknown at this point is if the latter ability will play any role in Traveler, or if it will just receive a passing reference.**

 **-Arceus's other powers have been tweaked a bit as well. In the games, it had the highest base stats of any Pokémon that did not have a form transformation. What this meant that once Arceus was sent out into battle, it usually had a stat advantage over opponents almost automatically. Once more form transformations were introduced (e.g. certain Mega Evolutions), Arceus's base stat total was finally surpassed. I found it odd that the God of Pokémon would eventually be surpassed by its creations. Therefore, in Traveler, Arceus's is even higher, now surpassing all form transformations. It is unknown what that number is at this point, and any new Pokémon that are introduced will also be surpassed by Arceus.**

 **-The second change has to do with Arceus being able to learn every single move. In the games, Arceus can change into any Type, provided it's holding an item called a Plate, and the Plate matches that Type. Z-Crystals, introduced later, could do the same thing. If Arceus was not holding a Plate or Z-Crystal. This ability was retained in Traveler. However, Arceus being able to learn every single move is an ability not in the games and based on my own interpretation.**

 **Arceus canonically has a wide variety of moves, being able to learn many ones via level up or via man-made methods like Technical Machines. However, being the creator of all Pokémon, I found odd that Arceus cannot learn the moves from all Technical Machines, at least. This is particularly jarring because, as of this writing, Arceus can transform into the Fairy Type. However, it cannot learn any moves of that Type to fully utilize it, and it was able to learn all man-made moves, it would be able to learn at least one Fairy Type technique.**

 **The lore of the games tried to explain this inconsistency by saying Arceus gave some of its power to Mew, granting the latter the ability to learn all man-made moves. However, it still didn't seem believable, since it was never stated exactly what Arceus lost when they gave its power (if it even lost anything). This gets even odder when one realizes there two species of Pokémon other than Mew with that can potentially learn all the moves in the games, and neither have any connection to Arceus. They are Ditto (can temporarily learn any move using Transform), and Smeargle (can permanently learn almost any move using Sketch to copy the last move it saw, including Transform). With all of these oddities, I doubt would make sense if the creator of Pokémon could learn every move, no matter how it was typically learned.**

 **-Arceus's Angels are completely my own creation, and is based off of God in Christianity. With Arceus effectively being the Pokémon equivalent of God, I thought it odd how there weren't any angels defending it, or even referenced. The canonical Pokémon world has several species that resemble angels, but none are associated with Arceus, or even seen alongside it. It gets even stranger when Arceus can actually be fought in an area that resembles Heaven, known as the Hall of Origin. While the concept is there, the Hall of Origin is only really seen as an extension of a previously visited area called Spear Pillar. Therefore, it's unknown if Arceus actually resides in the Pokémon equivalent of Heaven.**

 **Regardless, I thought that a creature meant to resemble the Pokémon equivalent of the Christian God was odd without any angels defending it. So I created Arceus's Angels based off of the some of the stories of angels in Christianity. In these stories, angels are God's most powerful and fateful. They are His divine soldiers, servants, and messengers, residing in Heaven with Him. Sometimes they will appear in the mortal world, but usually only to specific people. Furthermore, they don't always take a form that's instantly recognizable.**

 **Angels in Christianity are commonly depicted with a halo, wings, and light. Other depictions also show them being good with making music, such as using harps or singing. They are also typically dressed in white, but not always. Furthermore, not all angels appear as the form that's commonly seen. Depending on what stories one reads, there are many ranks, each having a vastly different appearance from the next. It is sometimes believed that people who are virtuous in life become angels upon death, or that an angel will come to escort them to Heaven. Heaven is also sometimes known as God's kingdom, as a result of Him presiding over everyone there.**

 **-The requirement of only the strongest and the most virtuous being worthy of Arceus's power actually comes from Norse mythology. In this mythology, only the strongest and virtuous could reach Valhalla, becoming powerful warriors known as Einherjar. There, they would protect the god Odin until the end of time itself. There was no higher honor, and it was a difficult one to achieve. In some interpretations, Valhalla has streets and other areas normal spirits may roam, if they have lived honest lives but were not particularly good at fighting. In a society that values battling, I thought it would make sense of the Pokémon world that something like this.**

 **However, with also wanting the idea of angels to be present and Arceus resembling Christian stories rather than Norse ones, I figured I would make a place for those who weren't good at battling but still lived honest lives could go after death. That way, they could be close to Arceus anyway, despite not being on the same level as those that were chosen as Her Angels. It is worth noting that the common interpretation about Heaven is that one only has to be a good person to get into it. However, some beliefs do state that there are other requirements to get there.**

 **-Giratina having the ability to kill someone instantly with its tendrils is based on my own interpretations. With Giratina being the god of death, I thought it would make sense for it to have an attack that would bring instant death to opponents. In the Pokémon games, instant defeat attacks exist, although they don't specifically cause death. These attacks are also extremely accurate, and are subject to a host of other restrictions. While they don't ever outright kill opponents, some Pokémon media hints that they can. So the attack that the Mold Breaker uses is effectively a more accurate and much deadlier version of these moves. However, just like the canon moves, said attack has many restrictions that prevent her from using it constantly. However, these restrictions will not be explained in this book.**

 **-What Kristine says about guns comes from real life perceptions and my interpretation of how these perceptions would fit into the Pokémon world. In real life, guns are often see as the most reliable weapon for self-defense, but are also extremely controversial. The reason is that, as discussed in the context of the story, many criminals and other similar individuals have taken to using them, sometimes with very tragic results. Consequently, laws about guns vary widely, including everything from allowing anyone to carry them openly, anywhere to banning them entirely. The idea of what to do about guns is currently a raging debate, with laws and opinions sometimes changing very quickly. Kristine's explanation about Tierra and its stance on guns is comes from the real-life gun debates.**

 **-The idea of guns being usable everywhere as it is Pokémon of all species became popular and widespread is based on what would be a logical response to the latter situation occurring. Canon Pokémon media makes it clear that the best way to defend oneself against Pokémon is with other Pokémon. However, realistically, not everyone would want to train them, be able to train them, or even be good enough to defend themselves with them. As a result, many people would need another means of defense. The gun is by far the deadliest and most effective weapon available to a regular person, so it would be a natural choice regardless of controversy.**

 **With Pokémon almost every species of Pokémon being around everywhere and also being able to do immense damage if the situation arises, it would not take the authorities long to realize that a gun could be an excellent and necessary response, and completely remove restrictions in all areas. However, removing barriers to gun use does not remove** _ **years,**_ **possibly even** _ **decades,**_ **of stigma before that. Hence why guns still are not used commonly here, and people typically pick other options. Furthermore, in real life, swords and other weapons usually are not utilized in self-defense, being outclassed by a gun. However, I thought it would be more interesting and make sense with what was known about guns in this series if swords and other weapons evolved to keep up with guns (especially since some Pokémon resemble or even use weapons like swords and spears). That way, people who still needed something else to defend themselves with but did not want or could not use a gun could find something else instead.**

 **-Kristine's backstory about her father is actually something that happened to my family in real life. However, there are two notable differences from the version told in this story, and what really happened. Since Pokémon don't exist in real life, no one ever ran away to become a Pokémon Trainer. The second is that although my mother did lose a lot of money when my father left, it was not enough to be considered destitute. I was struggling to find the right words to describe the situation at the time I wrote this, and figured with the severity of Kristine's grudge, she could very well see said situation as her mother becoming destitute (or nearly such). So it made sense for her to say that her mother was almost destitute, even if that wasn't quite the case.**

 **-What happens to Clair is based on the games, and my interpretation of events within them. In the games, Clair is notorious for being one of the few Gym Leaders in the entire series not to give out her Badge immediately after losing. Instead, she believes her loss was a mistake and believes the player to be lazy. She thinks they're not ready for the League and tells them to go take a quiz in area known as the Dragon's Den. It's worth noting in the original Gold and Silver games, Clair instead tells the player to go find an item called the Dragon Fang in the same place. The Dragon Fang can still be found in the Johto games since, even though it is not a requirement for getting the Badge.**

 **Regardless, once the player takes the quiz, Clair will show up when asked about their resolve. She expects the player to fail, but is almost overcome by disbelief when she finds out they passed. Clair states that even she has not passed the test, and is still hesitant to give the player her Badge. The elder who administered the test tells Clair to reflect on what happened, and threatens to tell Lance about what Clair is doing if she doesn't give up the Badge. Fearing some sort of punishment, Clair immediately relents and hands her Badge over. After the player leaves, Clair apologizes, tells them how to get to the League, and admits that the entire thing was because she couldn't handle losing to a child.**

 **-Traveler does things a bit differently.**

 **-Most notably, it shows how things might** _ **really**_ **go in that situation. Not to mention, it attempts to show how someone might actually act if they didn't receive something that they had rightfully earned, for a reason that was considered petty. Clair's reason is much less petty in this story, but that doesn't Kristine from believing it is. This is what leads her to getting the League to punish Clair, and her disgrace from her Gym position. It's unknown what punishment Clair would've received in the games, but considering her Gym position is very important to her there, disgrace and losing said position seemed like an appropriate one.**

 **-Just like Misty and Erika earlier on in the story, other regions' Gym Leaders in Traveler have the ability to refuse to give a Trainer a Badge even if they win. The rule is mainly there to prevent Gym Leaders from being forced to hand out Badges to criminals and other unlawful figures. In canon Pokémon media, the above situation never comes up, so neither does the issue. However, being darker than the canon series, there are plenty of instances for it to go up in Traveler. Considering Clair's history in the canon games, I thought it was fitting for that to happen to her.**

 **-Liza is a character exclusive to the anime, and is a powerful user of dragon Pokémon. She's childhood friends with Clair and Lance, and often trains together with them. With her power and closeness to Clair, I thought Liza would be an ideal person to take over the Blackthorn Gym position upon Clair being disgraced.**


	92. Moving Forward

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

92\. Moving Forward

Holly wasn't sure how long they stayed at Kristine's secret base.

The disabled Trainer had said it had been only a few days since the attack.

Yet to Holly it felt like weeks, maybe months.

Time passed so slowly in the base Holly wasn't even sure how to categorize it.

She and Kristine didn't dare leave the base, in case there was still some resistance about.

Luckily, the place had full facilities, which Kristine explained were for long holdouts like this. Kristine also mentioned something about things being left over from the previous owners and her polishing them up, but Holly didn't pay attention.

Instead, she glanced at Mickey.

Kristine's faithful Hoopa had been the only one going in and out of the base, slipping silently through the walls.

Holly guessed it was going to get supplies, or scout for enemies, but Mickey always returned empty-handed.

At one point, the Pokémon shook its head, eyes full of sorrow.

Holly could barely listen as Kristine stated the bodies of the dead had already been taken away, and they could not recover them.

Holly felt her legs grow weak as she could no longer support her body.

The ground hurtled towards her, and Holly would have hit it had Kristine's Hoopa not taken action.

Just as Holly prepared for a harsh landing, psychic energy caught her and stopped her in her tracks.

Holly nearly let out a sigh of relief as the psychic energy orbited around her.

It gently lifted her up, cradling her as it carried her through the air.

The psychic power placed her on a nearby bed, carefully making sure Holly could keep her balance it disappeared.

Holly did not miss Mickey's look of sympathy as it glanced back at her.

Holly could only return the gaze with eyes that threatened to spill tears.

Mightyena was gone…

Truly gone…

No burial, with the enemy doing who knows what to its body…

Not even a proper chance to say farewell…

Holly shook, though whether it was from rage or sadness she did not know.

The only thing she did know was that she would never see her courageous Pokémon again…

Yet Holly was snapped out of her thoughts as she noticed Kristine walking towards her. She dried her eyes as she realized Google stood by the disabled Trainer's side, loyal like always.

The Delphox showed no aftereffects of the torment had been forced to endure in the battle against the Mold Breaker. Instead, the Pokémon stood proudly as it guided its Trainer towards Holly.

Holly nodded, relief rushing through her body.

Google was still here, just as it had always been.

Things were finally starting to return to normal, as though the horrific assault from the battle before had never taken place.

The surviving Pokémon had now recovered completely, despite everything that had happened.

Holly was sure they would be ready to strike the enemy again soon.

So was Kristine here to give that order?

But why didn't she just stand in the center and shout the order to everyone if that was the case?

Holly would be able to hear her if she did that.

So why was Kristine choosing to talk to Holly directly?

Before Holly could ask any questions, Kristine spoke soothingly.

"I am sorry for your loss. Though I cannot take the loss away, I can make it so that there are no more."

Holly cocked her head in confusion, but rapidly received another answer as Kristine held out an outstretched hand.

In the disabled Trainer's right palm was a light purple box. The box also had some dark purple on the top, and what looked like a white disc inside.

Holly blinked and stared.

What was this? And how was it supposed to make up for what she'd lost?

Kristine continued speaking softly.

"This is the Dubious Disc. It's that the item used to evolve Porygon 2 to Porygon Z, provided you also have someone to trade with."

Holly's eyes went wide.

Porygon-Z was the same species Levi had been!

Surely Kristine didn't want to constantly be reminded of her dead starter!

Holly found herself fumbling for words, stammering rather pathetically.

"But Kristine… You can't do this… Not after what happened to Levi… I… I can't hurt you like that…"

A resolute gaze entered Kristine's eyes, and her voice became firm.

"What happened to Levi is the exact reason why I _must_ do this. It's the exact reason why _we_ must do this. We must ensure that what happened to Levi does not happen again. If evolving your Pokémon now prevents any more senseless deaths, then this will not hurt me."

Holly nodded.

This wasn't the time for worthless feelings!

Now was the time to act!

She tossed Porygon 2's Poké Ball into the air. Holly's Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, looking around curiously.

Kristine nodded, wasting no time tossing Holly the Dubious Disc. Holly caught it effortlessly, resolutely nodding back.

She held it out to her Pokémon, and Porygon 2 gently took the item within its beak.

Holly rapidly recalled Porygon 2, throwing the Poké Ball into the air at Kristine.

Kristine grabbed the Poké Ball with ease, and tossed it back into the air.

Porygon 2 emerged again, still holding the disc.

Yet minutes later, it began to change.

Another bright white light surrounded it, and Holly grinned despite looking away.

For once, something was working as intended.

The light vanished as quickly as it came, and Holly glanced back at Porygon 2.

Except she was no longer looking at Porygon 2.

Instead, she was looking at an entirely different Pokémon.

The creature had Porygon's original coloring, but the familiarity ended there. Its pink head was nothing like Porygon's, rounded despite containing an odd point on the top. The creature's beak was the same color as its previous forms had been, although it was shorter than both. Holly stifled a gasp as she realized the head didn't seem to be attached anything. Instead, it just floated in the air like the rest of the creature.

Holly blinked.

How could this creature function if its head wasn't attached to its body?

But it seemed to have control somehow, as it moved its head around.

That gave Holly time to focus on the creature's body.

Most of the body was pink too, but with large blue stripe in the middle. The creature also had blue rounded limbs where most Pokémon would have arms. Holly wasn't quite sure she could call them that, though. At the same time, she wasn't entirely sure what to call the limbs. The creature did appear to have something that resembled a rounded tail, and it was the same color as the limbs above.

But something Holly knew how to classify was the creature's eyes.

They reminded Holly of a target with a bull's-eye, as they had two yellow rings with a black dot in the center.

Holly didn't even know eyes like that could exist.

How could this bizarre creature see?

Clearly it could, as it stared at her before floating closer.

Yet before Holly could say anything, Kristine spoke.

"That is Porygon-Z, the evolved form of Porygon-2. Porygon-Z is quite a bit stronger than previous forms, so it should serve you well."

Holly immediately noticed the disabled Trainer's subdued tone, and did not miss the flicker of pain in Kristine's eyes.

No matter what Kristine said, it was clear that losing Levi still stung.

Perhaps the disabled Trainer was just putting on a brave face, in hopes she and Holly's mission succeeded.

Maybe after that, Kristine would finally grieve.

Or perhaps she would at long last be at peace, knowing that Levi's death had not been in vain.

It was impossible to tell, and Holly didn't dare ask.

She flashed Kristine a sympathetic look, but she wasn't sure if the disabled Trainer caught the gesture.

So instead, Holly spoke softly.

"Levi… How did you meet him?"

The disabled Trainer's eyes closed, and she did not suppress a shudder.

When she opened them again, Holly could see that they were full of sorrow.

Holly gulped.

Had she asked the wrong question?

Would Kristine even talk?

Would the disabled Trainer break down right now?

Yet Kristine defied Holly's expectations, speaking softly.

"Levi was a gift from my parents. They noticed early on that I enjoyed Pokémon, and had an interest in shapes. So they got me a Pokémon Egg, and I raised the Porygon within. Even though I was too young to be an official Trainer at the time, that Porygon, Levi, was recognized as my starter. He followed me everywhere, up until his death."

Kristine closed her eyes, lost in reminiscence.

"It's hard to believe… That we were together for almost 15 years."

At this, Holly's eyes were wide.

"Almost 15 years?"

Kristine opened her eyes, nodding firmly.

"Yes, I met Levi when I was four years old."

At this, Holly's eyes went wider than saucers.

Kristine had been with Levi for over a decade before he died!

 _No wonder_ she still grieved over him!

People like Malva should've known better than to tell her to simply get over his loss!

Holly bet that they had never lost a Pokémon the way Kristine had!

There was no way they could understand the disabled Trainer's pain!

They had no right to talk!

Holly cocked her head.

She didn't really understand Kristine's pain either.

Holly and Incinaroar may have been together the entire journey, but they hadn't really known each other that long.

How would Holly have reacted to Incinaroar's and death if she had been together with it as long as Kristine had been with Levi?

Would she have been terrified if another one of its species was standing before her?

Would she have been still mourning its death, years and years after it happened?

Would there be people telling her to get over it, even though she knew she never could?

Would she be able to live with that grief forever?

Holly shuddered.

She didn't know, and she didn't want to think about it.

She could only speak softly. "Kristine…"

But before Holly could finish her sentence, Kristine suddenly tensed up.

Holly's eyes went wide.

Had she said something wrong?

Yet suddenly, Holly got her answer.

A figure appeared, shimmering brightly as it floated in the air.

The figure might have looked a little different, but Holly's eyes brightened nonetheless.

"Mightyena! You are watching me too! Those traitors will never win!"

Holly glanced at Kristine, expecting the disabled trainer return her smile.

However, Kristine's eyes were hard and narrowed.

Holly cocked her head.

What was Kristine worried about?

Mightyena was here, their enemies were weakened, they were safe now, and their forces were healed!

Nothing could possibly be wrong!

Yet before Holly could ask the disabled Trainer what was going on, Kristine spoke in a grave tone.

"Mightyena seems distressed… I'm not sure as to why…"

As if on cue, Mightyena let out a deafening howl.

Holly clapped her hands over her ears as the earsplitting noise resounded through the entire base. She swore she couldn't hear anything else, but she thought she could see Mightyena barking.

Holly quickly removed her hands from her ringing ears, and glanced at Kristine.

The disabled Trainer's eyes were even harder, and a sharp, cold gaze never left her.

Holly opened her mouth to speak, but Kristine cut her off.

"Mightyena says that Team Rocket has attacked Silph, one of the main buildings in Saffron. There might be other enemies there too."

Holly's eyes went wide. "What? Why would they do that?"

Kristine grimly replied. "Saffron is the biggest city in Kanto, and Silph is a major economic hub. I've been told they supply all of Kanto, and maybe other regions as well. Silph is currently protected and run by the League. However, those against the Pokémon League have had their eyes on it for some time now. If one of these groups seized control of Silph, the League's main supply line would be cut off, and it would possibly affect all the regions. And anyone that overtakes Silph gains great power, because they have all those supplies for themselves."

Holly rapidly blurted out. "So what's the situation there?"

Kristine immediately replied.

"The city is still recovering from the fight against the traitors a few days ago. As such, only a few people are able to defend it. Furthermore, the employees of Silph are not powerful battlers, and many can't even fight. Without others to protect them, they are as good as dead. And since Silph is such a major part of the city, if it falls, Saffron falls with it."

Another question flew out of Holly's mouth. "What should we do?"

Resolute confidence entered Kristine's eyes and she spoke in a tone firmer than Holly had ever heard.

"Enact our next plan."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So finally, the Dubious Disc, and Porygon-Z, makes an appearance! The Dubious Disc works exactly like it does here, but cannot be found in any of the Kanto games. This is due to Porygon-Z either not existing (original games and their first remakes) or not being in the game at all (Let's Go games). So I picked near Silph as an appropriate place to obtain it. The reason is that in Pokémon media, it is shown that Porygon and the Up-Grade are both made by Silph. The Dubious Disc, on the other hand is found while storming the base of Sinnoh's Team Galactic. It's implied they're the ones that made it, and stole data from Silph somehow. So even though the Dubious Disc is not made by Silph, I felt like the association still remained to use it here.**

 **-Kristine's comment about Porygon-Z being stronger than its previous forms comes from the games. In the games, Porygon 2 is fairly defensive, and can increase its defenses by equipping certain items. However, Porygon-Z trades attack for defense, and cannot benefit from the same items as Porygon 2. As a result, some players use Porygon-Z for offensive strategies, and Porygon 2 for defensive ones. It's one of the few scenarios where a fully evolved Pokémon and a lesser evolved member of the line are both used for different strategies.**

 **-Kristine's story about Levi is based off of my own experiences. I had an interest in shape from a very young age (and still do), but I was particularly enamored with polygons. When I found out about Porygon being a Pokémon entirely made up of polygons, it quickly became my favorite. The Porygon line remained of my favorites for a long time, until another Pokémon was introduced that overtook them. However, they still remain one of my favorites, and Kristine having the Porygon line as her starting Pokémon is based off of that.**

 **My parents actually did notice that I had an interest in Pokémon in real life. However, since Pokémon don't exist in the real world, they instead got me a book. Said book contained all the information about all of the Pokémon available at the time. At that time, there was only the original 151. There was also a little bit of information about Togepi, who debuted as a supporting character in the main cast in the anime years before it made a proper appearance in the games. Regardless, I read that book from cover to cover and quickly fell in love with the Pokémon world and its concepts. Now, over 20 years later at this time of writing, I'm still a diehard Pokémon fan.**

 **Kristine meeting Levi when she was four years old is based off my own experiences with videogames in general. I played my first videogame when I was four years old, although that game is not Pokémon. Instead, the honor goes to the original arcade version of Pac-Man. I was traveling and wandered into a noisy arcade one day. My parents let me play some of the games, so I tried out Pac-Man. Despite being able to clearly read the instructions, I couldn't quite understand them and ended up getting myself killed repeatedly. Regardless, I found that I really enjoyed gaming, and it's been one of my hobbies ever since.**

 **My first Pokémon game came when I was around six years old. Someone got me Pokémon Gold, and eventually, a player's guide. I used the guide to beat the game in its entirety, and for many years, that was the only record of me doing so. The main reason is that in order to beat the Johto games completely, one had to face an optional but extremely difficult final boss battle. What may this bust also difficult was that the bosses Pokémon were extremely high levels, and there was not a lot of resources one could use to get their own Pokémon to that level. Furthermore, there was no warning that the boss was going to be that difficult, and no real reason to level up one's Pokémon that much otherwise. For that reason, I often lost horribly on subsequent playthroughs, or skipped the final battle entirely.**

 **However, what made my first time even more impressive was that I beat the entire game completely with only a single Pokémon. I did use other Pokémon to get around the overworld, but I only trained that single one. That one Pokémon was a Typhlosion, my fully evolved starter, and the same species Delia uses in this story. As a result of only using a single Pokémon, I ended up around the same level as the final boss, and was able to fight said boss on even ground. Interestingly, beating the game with only my starter wasn't because I wanted to challenge myself in any way, but because I had no idea how team composition worked when I started playing Pokémon. I figured that out later on, so I've used a full team in almost every Pokémon game ever since. Consequently, my first complete playthrough of Johto games remains the only time that I have ever beaten them entirely using only a single Pokémon. I plan to include that Typhlosion in the Traveler series of eventually, but at this point I am unsure when or how.**

 **-And Mightyena appears as a spirit. I needed something to set up the attack on Silph, and also transitioned the conversation to that subject. With Incinaroar's spirit appearing to warn Kristine and Holly about Professor's Pine trap, I figured it would only make sense for Mightyena to appear as well. Then, in order to move the plot along, it would tell them about Silph.**

 **-Speaking of Silph, it's exactly the same in Pokémon media as Kristine describes here. The attack on it comes from the games. Team Rocket does attack Silph, in order to try and force the president and the employees there to work for them. The player has to head into the building in order to oust team rocket and rescue the people within Silph. The employees of Silph not be able to battle very well or even that all comes from the games. In those games, the employee is mostly hide or are captured, although some will do small things to aid the player. Silph is also the only place one can get a Lapras in the Kanto games, and other Pokémon media shows Porygon being produced there. So Traveler also takes the interpretation that Pokémon Trainers are within Silph before the player enters, but none of them are strong enough to repel a full-scale attack on the building. This is further supported by some employees being trapped and captured behind bars, implying that they fought back but were unsuccessful.**


	93. Allies and Foes

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

93\. Allies and Foes

Holly expected there would be chaos.

What she didn't expect was to teleport right in the middle of it.

Before her feet could hit the ground, countless screams pierced Holly's ears.

She stared straight at pale faces coupled with terrified, widened, eyes.

People dashed every which way, frantically looking for exits.

But it seemed there was no escape, as the screams were mixed with the pounding footsteps as the ones whose plans were foiled ran back towards the center.

Mouths were open in deafening cries for help, but some never got the chance to close.

For as many people as there were moving, there were just as many that lay still on the ground. Pools of red formed beneath them, drenching the floor.

The pools only grew larger, and the stench of blood struck Holly's nose.

Yet her attention was drawn away as people dressed in black rushed forward.

They seemed to all move as one, yet eventually split in different directions. Holly wasn't sure exactly where they went, but quickly decided she didn't care. She did realize the more the people in black move, the more the ones screaming shrunk back.

And why wouldn't they, when there weren't any of the people in black on the ground?

Not only that, but there were also the menacing Pokémon towering over the civilians.

Menace was matched with persistence, as the Pokémon pursued those who dared tried to flee to safety.

Holly didn't know who owned which Pokémon, but she did recognize the creatures' species.

Arbok, an enormous purple venomous snake, with its fangs bared…

Raticate, the giant mouse, looking to chomp down on foes at any moment…

Golbat, the blue and purple creature deafening the area with its furious wingbeats…

Koffing, the floating ball spewing gas and toxins…

Grimer, its purple sludge filled body covering areas with slime…

Before, all of this was enough to make Holly recoil.

Before, she would've screamed as loudly as the victims.

Before she would've cried and howled.

Yet now, she didn't recoil.

No screams left her lips.

Not a single tear dripped down her face, and she stood in stoic silence.

Holly didn't react.

She _couldn't_ react.

Not when this was all for the sake of the plan.

For the sake of the region.

For the sake of all honest Trainers.

A resolute gaze formed in Holly's eyes as Kristine's firm voice sounded in her head.

" _You know what you must do, Holly."_

Holly nodded coldly.

This time, they would not fail.

Holly heard the pounding of more footsteps behind her, and rapidly turned around.

Holly registered Kristine doing the same, but did not pay attention to the disabled Trainer.

Instead, she focused on the source of the footsteps, and her eyes narrowed.

A group of men and women sprinted towards Holly and Kristine. Stoicism was present in their eyes, but the rapid pace betrayed anger and desperation.

The newcomers moved almost all as one, yet Holly could discern something.

The arriving people all had blue uniforms and shining badges.

Holly's eyes narrowed even more.

She didn't know _who_ these people were, but she knew _what_ they were.

Every Trainer did.

They were crime-fighters, protectors of the innocent, part of Saffron's elite.

Some Trainers spoke with their name fearfully, others with contempt.

And then there was the occasional idiot that spoke with reverence.

As if these newcomers were worthy of respect!

Because every Trainer knew Saffron's police force never did anything, allowing innocent Trainers to get injured and killed, and then blaming those Trainers for what happened.

The police force refused to help others even if asked, and as a result, countless Trainers suffered.

Holly had no idea why the police force was here now. They were useless in a fight, so coming here meant rushing to their deaths.

Maybe they came because they were the only defenders left, or perhaps because someone had forced them.

Regardless, there was something Holly did know.

Saffron's police force worked for the League.

Therefore, they were just as corrupt as the League was.

And all corruption had to be destroyed.

Holly silently grabbed a Poké Ball and tossed it into the air.

Porygon-Z appeared in a flash of white light, twitching erratically to glance at Holly.

Holly pointed at the approaching police officers, shouting.

"Porygon-Z, Tri Attack!"

At Holly's command, three orbs appeared in front of Porygon-Z's beak. Holly could see that the orbs were red, blue, and yellow. Holly tried not to grin as she could feel the slight heat of fire, the chill of ice, and the sparks of lightning all at once.

But Holly couldn't resist grinning as the police officers stopped dead in their tracks.

There was no way they could defend against this attack, and they knew it!

Holly glanced back at her Pokémon as its orbs formed a glowing red triangle. The glow was at first faint, but it got brighter and brighter. Some of the police's faces contorted in agony as they tried to cover their eyes with their hands. Soon, Holly was sure the red light would cover the entire building, and wondered if the light was the only threat.

Yet suddenly, Porygon Z launched the triangle at its opponents, orbs and all. A new chorus of screams mingled with those of the civilians as the attack struck Holly's foes. The screams were mixed with several more deafening noises, as the police officers slammed into the floor and wall.

Holly could see that some were still screaming as burns littered their bodies. Others gritted their teeth in pain but lay still as electricity crackled through the air. Still others were frozen in a silent scream, the glistening ice telling of their unfortunate fate.

Yet there were the bold, struggling to move. A few were trying to get to their feet, rage burning in their eyes.

Holly glared right back, whispering ominously.

"Do it again, Porygon-Z."

For a second time, the orbs and the triangle soared through the air.

For a second time, there was screaming and slamming.

And then, there was only an eerie silence.

No screaming.

No movement.

No resistance.

No life.

Holly's grin stretched from ear to ear, and she resisted the urge to laugh at the motionless forms of the fallen police officers.

Laughing would be inappropriate now, and it might attract the attention of other enemies.

Yet still…

It felt fantastic to strike back at the League, to truly begin to put an end to their corruption!

To destroy even their most elite allies, so that no one would dare come after her and Kristine!

To send a message, so that the League knew they would never win!

To make sure people understood that as long as they stood against Kristine and Holly, they would be reduced to nothing!

Authority or not, civilian or not, Trainer or not, no one who sided with League would be spared!

And the League represented corruption, so all those that sided with that were corrupt!

And the corrupt would be annihilated, as the League itself would be torn down!

For the sake of all honest trainers!

For the sake of every Pokémon!

And for the sake of every region!

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she heard Kristine's voice in her head _. "Good work, Holly. You've grown strong."_

Holly glanced at the disabled trainer, noticing she was nodding and smiling with approval.

Holly nodded and smiled back. _"Thank you! It's all thanks to your guidance!"_

Before Kristine could respond, another voice intercepted from behind her.

"Well well, I never thought that someone like _you_ would comply with something like _that_ , Kris."

Holly noted the tone of surprise as she turned around to meet the speaker.

However, Holly's eyes widened in her own surprise as she realized who it was.

The voice belonged to a woman who had dark red hair. She had matching eyes that held a gleam of power amongst her surprise. Simple yellow earrings glittered, and Holly noticed the light colors seemed to go well with a white outfit. The outfit still had some black underneath and a black belt with a diamond pattern. There were some black stripes around the outfit in the arms. Holly could also see the black and red emblem of Team Rocket on the chest, red R blazing ominously.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Dark red hair…

Part of Team Rocket…

This must have been the same person they encountered at the Safari Zone in Fuchsia!

Holly could not help snarling.

"You! You're the same person Delia fought in Fuchsia!"

The woman's face twisted into a smirk as she responded.

"Ah yes, Delia Ketchum has always been a thorn in our side. And she still battling for the sake of that that worthless Trainer, Ash… But I suppose a mother can't help but be protective of her son. Not after what we did to him…"

Holly's eyes nearly widened, but somehow she kept her composure.

 _Did to him?_

What did this woman mean?

What had happened when the Kristine had traveled with others?

Yet Holly soon pushed thoughts away.

Even if they were temporarily working together, she couldn't let her guard down around Team Rocket!

Yet before Holly could express her thoughts, the redhaired woman stared straight at Kristine.

There was no hiding the surprise in her voice as she spoke again.

"Why are you here, Kris? You and your lackey aren't going to attack us?"

Holly couldn't help scowling.

She wasn't Kristine's lackey! She was her friend!

Yeah Kristine was now shaking her head.

"The League wronged my friend Holly and I. Team Rocket can do as it pleases, Arianna."

Ariana smirked as she nodded. "You must be talking about that incident near the Gym a few days ago. I heard about that, and that's why I decided it was the perfect time to attack. What better to time to strike than when the foe is weakened?"

Holly narrowed her eyes.

If only Ariana knew!

Yet suddenly, the Team Rocket member's voice took on a tone of disappointment.

"Such a shame… You have so much power, and you obviously are not happy with the way things are being run right now… You could've joined Team Rocket and easily risen through the ranks…"

Kristine narrowed her eyes, voice is cold as ice.

"You know why I won't join."

Holly expected Ariana to recoil at Kristine's fierceness, but instead the woman's countenance hardened.

"Is that the same reason why you moved into our old base in Celadon?"

Holly's eyes went wide.

Were they talking about Kristine's secret base? That couldn't be!

No matter what, Team Rocket were just a group of filthy liars!

Kristine retorted sharply.

"Why should I tell you my reasons?"

Ariana's eyes burned with rage, and her voice was quick to match.

"Because that base was Team Rocket's territory, Kris, and you stole it from us for your own selfish reasons!"

Ariana's face contorted with rage, and she clenched her fist.

"Just like when you took my family away from me, without an ounce of regret! And that's not even counting the many more things you've taken from us! Just when will you stop?"

Holly blinked in confusion.

What did Ariana mean when she said Kristine had taken her family from her? And what other things did Kristine truly take? And how did all that happen?

Holly's eyes narrowed again.

It didn't matter.

Team Rocket deserved to have things taken from them, because all they did was take things from others!

When Holly and Kristine were done with their journey, Team Rocket would have everything taken from them!

Holly cleared her thoughts and focused on Kristine. The disabled Trainer ignored Ariana's question, firing an icy retort.

"Team Rocket wasn't strong enough to defend their territory, so they have no right keep it. That goes for you keeping him, too."

Holly fought to keep confusion from showing up on her face.

Kristine had never mentioned a specific person in all this.

So who was she talking about now?

Holly's eyes narrowed again.

It wasn't important now!

What mattered was Ariana, and the present.

Holly could see a bit of redness in the Team Rocket member's face.

Her voice rose to a shout. "You…"

But before Ariana could finish her sentence, a deafening cry rang though the air.

Holly wasn't sure what had uttered the cry, but Ariana did.

The Team Rocket member froze, anger turning to fear as her face went white. Instantly, Ariana sprinted away into the crowd, and quickly disappearing into the mass of people.

The glare never left Holly's face.

She had to chase Ariana!

She still had information to tell them!

Yet Holly started toward, only to feel Kristine's hand on her shoulder.

The disabled trainer was shaking her head furiously, and Holly heard Kristine's voice in her mind.

" _That cry comes from Lunala, a legendary Alolan Pokémon representing the moon. It's also the counterpart to Solgaleo, the silver lion we fought in Fuchsia."_

Holly eyes went wide. _"It's the counterpart to the silver lion, Solgaleo? And that's one of the Pokémon we fought in Fuchsia? But that would mean…"_

A grave tone entered Kristine's voice. _"Yes. Look behind you."_

Holly did as she was told, and let out a gasp.

There was another person, along with a Pokémon.

The person was still far away, but Holly could tell who it was.

The blue haired rider.

And she was on top of a Pokémon Holly had never seen before, but she guessed it was Lunala.

If it wasn't currently an enemy, Holly would've took the time to admire how majestic it was.

The Pokémon had big purple wings with white markings and together they formed some kind a circle. Holly imagined it resembled the moon, and noticed that there were several other yellow markings on the tips. These tips resembled a crescent, and Holly realized there were more things the same color on top and on the bottom of the strange Pokémon. Holly wasn't sure what those were for, because the moon resemblance was already there. However, Holly knew that the creature's bright red eyes gave it sight, as they fearlessly swept over the battlefield.

Holly gulped.

She wasn't sure why the blue haired rider was here, but it couldn't mean anything good.

Holly certainly didn't have anything to take down such a powerful Pokémon. And even if Lunala was defeated, Holly was certain it wasn't the blue haired rider's only Pokémon.

Could she and Kristine truly defeat such a formidable foe, in the midst of all this chaos, when they were weakened before?

Holly had no time to ponder the question further, as her eyes were drawn to something straight ahead.

The blue haired rider gave her Pokémon an unspoken command.

Lunala spread its enormous wings wide, preparing to charge.

Holly couldn't keep herself from shivering.

Was the plan doomed to fail here?

Suddenly, another sound pierced the air, cutting through every other noise.

Holly thought the sound seemed like countless bells ringing all at once, but she only cocked her head in confusion.

As far as she knew, there were no bells here.

And why would someone bring a bell in this place anyway?

But while Holly didn't know with the sound meant, it was clear others did.

Lunala let out another cry, although Holly could hear that it was filled with fright. It folded its wings back, remaining unmoving. Its rider did not issue any more commands. Rather, her mouth hung open and Holly could see her shaking. She looked as though she was about to fall off her Pokémon, but thankfully she remained stable.

More screams pierced the air, seemingly all blending as one. Pokémon cries also echoed through the building, and Holly could see that they have all frozen in place. Holly wasn't sure where Arianna had gotten to, but was soon the woman's face was even whiter.

What was going on?

Why had everything stopped?

Suddenly, Kristine's voice sounded in Holly's head.

" _That is the battle cry of the Lady Arceus. She is here, and She is displeased with what Her children have done."_

Holly's eyes went wide and her voice betrayed her as she stammered. _"Arceus? But how…"_

Before Holly could finish, the cry came again, so loud that Holly was sure everyone in the city heard it.

And then…

Another figure emerged.

The figure was involved in white light, and Holly could not see the person's face. However, she could see large white wings on the person's back, and that the person didn't even touch the ground. 18 objects surrounded the newcomer, and they shimmered with their own multicolored lights. Holly could see that the objects were rectangular, but each had a crystal in the center. As the person floated towards the scene, the objects floated alongside their owner, seemingly possessing a mind of their own.

Holly expected someone to get out of the way, or attack back, or even run.

Yet no one moved.

No one attacked.

No one even spoke.

All of the fight seemed to be forgotten as the newcomer floated closer and closer.

Holly couldn't help shaking.

What was going on?

She glanced toward Kristine, hoping to get some sort of explanation.

Yet the disabled Trainer was also shivering, so much so that Holly thought she might hit the ground.

Kristine spoke in Holly's mind again, and her voice shook as much as her body. _"This is the power of Arceus, Holly. She has sent one of Her Angels to end this conflict, and there's nothing anyone can do."_

Holly's words came out in a desperate howl. _"One of Her Angels? There's no ghosts here!"_

Kristine gravely replied. _"There doesn't need to be."_

Holly's eyes went wide as she realized the implication. _"You don't mean…"_

Kristine nodded, and Holly thought she could detect a tinge of fear in the disabled Trainer's voice. " _Yes, I do. It's just as I feared. The Mold Breaker is one of Arceus's Angels, and she will stop at nothing to fulfill her Lady's wishes."_

Holly felt her face blanch, and nausea seized her.

The Mold Breaker having the powers of Giratina on par with that of the Vessels was bad enough!

But to think she also had the strength of Arceus on her side…

How could Kristine and Holly defeat her?

How could _anyone_ defeat her?

Holly continued staring at the Mold Breaker as the Angel held up her right hand. A glowing ball of light appeared in it, and it only grew larger and brighter.

Yet no one made any move to stop it.

No one _could_ make any move stop it.

Holly gulped.

So this was how it ended.

The plan failed…

Everything for nothing…

Terrified and helpless…

Facing complete annihilation at the hands of Arceus Herself…

All because of a rouge Trainer that no one even knew the name of…

It couldn't be this way!

And yet it was.

Holly gritted her teeth.

It was time to meet death.

But that didn't mean she didn't have to be upset about it.

Yet suddenly, Kristine's voice sounded in her head.

"Yveltal, get us out of here! Before the Angel reduces us to nothing!"

Holly registered the sound of Yveltal's low cry, yet no one else reacted.

Perhaps she and Kristine were the only ones who heard.

But if that was the case, Holly didn't know.

Because Yveltal was the last thing she was aware of before the world faded to white.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The Pokémon Holly sees are ones that Team Rocket grunts typically use in the games. The grunts also use the unevolved forms of the Pokémon mentioned here. However, with an attack as large as Silph, I figured the Rockets would only bring their strongest. Story wise, it also cuts down on the amount of descriptions I have to do for Pokémon that probably will not be seen again.**

 **-Holly's comments about the police come from most Pokémon media. The police are usually not seen helping take down criminals or even keeping order, instead leaving that to the player and their allies. Unfortunately, it's not know why that is. The only hint is that the police force often has as much trouble with the criminals as the civilians to try to protect. Other than that, not much else is explained, or even seen. Furthermore, Holly's observation that they are not good at battling and don't even fight at all is in line with what usually seen in canon media. Most police officers never battle anyone, despite going up against criminals who do. There are cases where police officers aren't even seen with any Pokémon, and those that are seen are typically used for things other than battling (such as tracking). Some police officers do challenge the player to battles, but they aren't stronger than any other regular Trainer the player faces in the games.**

 **Holly attacking the police officers is based off of a scene in the anime. The police are shown to be more active in this medium, sometimes even getting hurt or even risking their lives help others. However, the main characters usually end up being the ones fighting off the criminals either way.**

 **The scene Holly's attack is based off of an exception, however.**

 **In the history of the anime, there's a particularly infamous and successful criminal called the Black Arachnid. The criminal also had a Meowth, which he used to help him in his endeavors. Police would often be seen running after and surrounding the duo. However, as soon as they did, Meowth would use Pay Day to injure the police and force them to retreat. Eventually, one officer trained a spider Pokémon called Spinarak. The Pokémon was able to attack by shooting silk from its mouth, staying safely out of Pay Day's range. As a result, the Black Arachnid and his Pokémon were completely immobilized and taken into custody. Holly's attack here is my take on how the situation with the Black Arachnid would go if the police force's opponent had Pokémon that were trained to battle, was much more ruthless, and the police didn't have anything to protect them. It's something that very well could happen (that I think Pokémon media has yet to show canonically), and as seen in this story, causes a lot more damage than simple injuries the officers can just walk away with.**

 **-So Arianna finally makes an appearance! Interestingly, in the very early drafts of Traveler, Arianna was planned** _ **not**_ **to be a part of Team Rocket. Instead, the invasion was going to be led by someone** _ **completely**_ **different. However, I realized that Arianna's cruelty and merciless made it so that not being part of the evil teams was impossible, at least not without changing her character until she was completely unrecognizable. The other character that I had planned to lead the attack on Silph will still appear in the series, however.**

 **The idea of Team Rocket harming Ash is a darker one based on what happens in the anime. In the anime, Ash and his companions battle Team Rocket constantly. Even though the battles happen almost all the time, there is usually no permanent damage or even consequences.**

 **Traveler takes a different interpretation, showing what might realistically happen if an ordinary person tries to go against an evil organization like Team Rocket as often as Ash does. Not to mention Traveler depicts Team Rocket is much more competent and ruthless than they are in the canon media. Consequently, Ash receives from permanent damage and consequences. It's what noting that the specific scene in the anime the entire idea and interpretation is based off doesn't involve fighting Team Rocket** _ **at all.**_ **However, it still involves someone risking their lives fighting evil teams, so it was a good inspiration. The details of this particular scene, as well as what actually happened to Ash will be explained in other books.**

 **-Arianna's disappointment about Kristine having so much power and not using it for Team Rocket is based off of something from the Johto games. In these games, Arianna is first annoyed when she battles the player. When she loses, she expresses disappointment that the player won't join Team Rocket. She states that with their power, the player can easily become an executive (the highest known rank in Team Rocket other than the leader). When she has encountered and defeated again in later on in the city of Goldenrod, she states that it's too bad she and the player not on the same side, as she's come to admire and respect their power. The remakes also add a line where she thinks the player is wasting their strength by not joining Team Rocket, but she doesn't try to convince them again.**

 **-So Kristine taking Team Rocket's Celadon base for herself and remodeling it was not present in the story originally. The reason was that I wasn't planning on having the Celadon base in the story at all at first. This is because the player finds the base in the basement of the Game Corner via a secret switch, and has to infiltrate it in order to drive out Team Rocket from the Celadon. However, given that the player characters from the Kanto games (the characters Red and Blue) have grown up and had their own children, I assumed that the original RP, and by extension, the Traveler series itself, took place** _ **after**_ **the events in the Celadon Team Rocket base. If this base still existed, it probably wouldn't be anything anyone could visit.**

 **When I saw the Team Rocket base appear here seemingly untouched, I was surprised, to say the least. I was also be confused, because I'd no idea what I wanted to do with it. Then I realized that Kristine didn't really have her own base of operations, and with the concept of secret bases, most Trainers did. Therefore, I figured with her grudge and ruthlessness against Team Rocket, it wouldn't be out of character for her to steal one of their bases and claim it as her own.**

 **-Enter the Mold Breaker again, this time officially as Arceus's Angel. Early on, I wrote down in my notes that the Mold Breaker would be associated with angels. However, I had originally planned to have that association show up much later on in the series, and much more subtle. I then quickly realized that it would make more sense for several elements of the series and the Mold Breaker's character if her association with angels was revealed earlier and more directly. Around the time, the concept of Arceus's Angels also got more fleshed out, and it became clearer what the Mold Breaker being a part of Arceus's Angels really meant. With all this new information, it wasn't that difficult to decide and write her utilizing those powers earlier. Add in a giant, important, fight that still hadn't received an ending, and the result was what happens in the end of the chapter.**

 **-The idea of Arceus's battle cry sounding like bells comes from the games and fan interpretations of them. In the games, Arceus's cry sounds similar to bells ringing. The popular competitive Pokémon battling website Smogon characterized it as tintinnabulation (a ringing sound often associated with bells). Therefore, I thought the comparison to bells in this story was appropriate.**

 **-The light and objects surrounding the Mold Breaker, as well as the ability to use light as an Angel comes from both the games and interpretations of them. In the games, Arceus is almost pure white, and its signature move, Judgment, involves dropping white light on opponents. Therefore, I thought it would be fitting to have one of Arceus's Angels be surrounded by white light, and capable of using it as a weapon. The white wings are because of common depictions of Angels, and to fit in with the white color scheme.**

 **-The plates and crystals represent the items that Arceus can use to change its Type. There is one slight change, however. In the games, there are 18 Z-Crystals, but only 17 Plates. The reason is that Arceus's default type is Normal, so there is no need to change its Type to that one with a Plate. Z-Crystals, on the other hand, are meant to be accessible to all Pokémon, and allow them to unleash special moves. So, Z-Crystals would still be useful to Arceus even if they didn't change its Type. However, story wise, I wanted to show Z Crystals and Plates together, but thought it look odd if there weren't the same number of each. Therefore, a Plate for the Normal Type is added, but it can only be used during Angel transformations and other ceremonies involving them.**


	94. Higher Powers

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

94\. Higher Powers

It seemed like an eternity before Holly finally felt solid ground beneath her.

The white light from before had long since vanished, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Within minutes, she knew she was at Kristine's secret base.

Or rather, Team Rocket's former base, if what Ariana said was to be believed.

But that didn't matter now.

What was important was that she and Kristine were healthy and safe.

Away from that horrible Mold Breaker…

 _The Mold Breaker…_

The last thing that happened was that the entirety of Silph had frozen in fear, and she had attacked…

 _And then…_

Holly's words turned into a shout as she registered what happened.

"Yveltal got us to safety! How did it do that?"

Kristine still answered gravely, but there was confidence mixed in her tone. "Although Yveltal doesn't stand much of a chance against one of Arceus's Angels, he is still one of the guardians of the heavens. He knows all of Arceus's tricks."

Holly's eyes went wide, and she swore her jaw would hit the floor.

"Guardians of the heavens? What do you mean?"

Kristine's voice dropped to a low, serious, tone. "When Pokémon or those who work with them pass away, four of the gods come to the new arrivals. One of them you already know, Yveltal. It is his duty to ferry the souls of the deceased up to the other three, and then to whatever afterlife is most suitable. That is, provided the other three don't take them to their life beyond."

Holly threw up her hands.

What did Kristine take her for, a priestess?

This seemed too crazy to be true!

Holly couldn't resist yelling.

"Where would they take them? And how?"

Kristine replied in the same serious tone. "It depends on the other three. Another one you're familiar with is Arceus, whose Angel fought us earlier today. Arceus is not only the omnipotent ruler of all life on earth, but also the ruler of Heaven itself. She welcomes the souls of the virtuous into Her eternal paradise, and the strongest become Her Angels. She has many other powers, so many that I doubt anyone knows about them all. However, one of Her most prominent powers is giving souls the final verdict."

Holly couldn't help letting out a gasp.

"Verdict? Like a jury, judge, and a court?"

Another phrase died on her lips.

 _Like Anabel?_

Holly could never forget how much the betrayer had tried to give her a guilty verdict, when _she_ _herself_ was the guilty one.

How judgmental Anabel had been of her and Kristine, when s _he_ was the one that needed to be judged!

All Anabel did was judge people!

Someone like her would never get into Arceus's paradise, no matter how hard she tried! She should have been destroyed by the Angel! It would have been beyond fitting!

Holly was torn from her thoughts as she noticed Kristine nodding.

"Yes, except with one person instead of many. The one responsible for deciding the fate of and passing down judgment upon souls is Giratina. If the soul is wholly good or wholly bad, the decision is easy enough. But if a soul is somewhere in between, I've heard that Giratina spirits them away somewhere for further observation and judgment. But I don't know the details of that. All I know is that Giratina is the god of death, and that the Mold Breaker has somehow formed a powerful bond with it."

Holly clenched her fist at the mention of the rogue Trainer.

How dare the Mold Breaker abuse a god's power like that!

The heartless rogue would be punished for her crimes!

And if Holly couldn't do it, then the guardians of the heavens would!

But…

Holly had already encountered three of the heaven-guarding gods already…

So who was the fourth?

She must have met it already too…

She couldn't hide her agitated enthusiasm as she exclaimed.

"Who is the fourth? I've seen so many gods on this journey, I must've seen that one too!"

Kristine's eyes hardened, and her voice became even more serious.

"You have not met the fourth directly, and I hope you never will. For the fourth of Heaven's guardians is Darkrai, the Lord of Nightmares. He drags the wicked to eternal damnation. A living nightmare, in a sense. If one could call death living. Though Darkrai himself is not evil, just one who delivers justice on those who are. Darkrai sometimes even tests the living by subjecting them to his nightmares. In those nightmares are the person's deepest fears, and if they conquer them, they will receive great power. But that is incredibly difficult and draining, so only the strongest and most determined are administered the test."

Holly clenched her fist.

Anabel would be punished in the mortal plane, and in Darkrai's!

Eternal damnation was the only thing the betrayer deserved!

After Kristine and Holly were done with their journey, all of the traitors would face justice!

And they would be dragged into Darkrai's realm to be tortured forever, as they should be!

The supporters of the corrupt League would finally pay for their crimes!

After Kristine and Holly were finished with them, Darkrai would make sure of that!

After all, a realm like his was the only place such awful people belonged!

Yet despite her newfound enthusiasm, one question rattled in Holly's head.

"You said I met Darkrai indirectly. What do you mean? I've never even seen it…"

Kristine's eyes remained hard as she spoke.

"You've met the Elite Four member Karen a few times now. Believe or not, she is Darkrai's Vessel."

Holly threw up her hands. "How could someone like her become a Vessel?"

Kristine shook her head.

"I don't know how, but she is. Karen often just lets Darkrai do what it wants, so it's not usually with her. Nevertheless, she still holds much power, and probably has the ability to send us to Darkrai's realm right away."

Holly could not help yelling, eyes blazing with rage.

"So why didn't she?"

As soon as that question left her lips, Holly's rage was immediately extinguished. Instead, she tried not to shudder as Kristine glanced at her with narrowed eyes.

The disabled Trainer held a gaze that was as cold as ice, and her voice followed suit.

"It would reflect poorly on Karen to sentence someone to that horrid fate if they hadn't committed crimes suiting the punishment. When the two of you first met, there was no proof that you'd committed any crime other than word-of-mouth. So Karen couldn't use Darkrai's power on you without suffering some sort of consequence herself."

Holly found her composure returning as she spoke.

"But why not after that? The League now thinks that both you and I are criminals, and has made their intentions clear. Karen's had plenty of opportunities to just get rid of us."

Kristine continued in her same grave tone.

"It's not that simple. Even after the League was convinced that we had committed crimes, there were still certain rules Karen had to follow. According to those rules, almost every criminal has the right to a fair trial. There are exceptions, such as cases of self-defense and those in war, but you and I are neither of those. So Karen couldn't attack even if she wanted to, because she had to follow the rules of the League. Failure to do the latter would be a huge blow to her reputation, and possibly result in her losing her position in Elite Four. It was something she couldn't afford."

Holly scowled.

The League rules sounded like something someone just made up!

After all, no one gave _her_ a fair trial when they treated _her_ like a criminal!

Even though Holly was no criminal, and it was the League who needed to be punished!

Well, Holly would see that the League and its traitors didn't get a fair trial!

After all, they didn't deserve it!

Holly's rage soon evaporated again as Kristine continued to speak.

"And now, attacking would do nothing for Karen, or any other supporter of the League."

Holly's rage continued evaporating, turning into shock as her eyes went wide.

"What do you mean?"

Kristine's voice continued to be as cold as ice as she spoke.

"You saw what happened outside Saffron's Gym. Even though you can lose your life, I can't. Karen knows I am a far greater threat, able to match her and power and then some. So killing you would be useless, because no matter what, I am still around. And I am an opponent of the League, able to fight on their level. I am the true threat to them, and going after you does nothing to me. It just becomes an exercise in futility."

Holly couldn't stop fear from creeping into her voice.

"Couldn't Karen just use me as bait for you?"

Kristine shook her head. "That would only make the situation worse for her, because I would stop at nothing to avenge your death or injuries. And attacking you would prove the point that the League is corrupt, causing even more people to turn against them. And since that battle in front of Saffron's Gym, Karen now has direct proof of my advantage. So all she can do is watch helplessly."

Holly's fear faded, replaced by a wide grin.

Despite all the setbacks, they now had even the League's most powerful members backed into a corner!

How good it felt that the corrupt and the traitors could do nothing!

It was only a matter of time before she and Kristine achieved their goals, and any resistance was futile!

Holly beamed as she exclaimed. "We won't fail, no matter what! Nobody can stop us now!"

Holly smiled right back at Kristine.

Surely the disabled Trainer would share her enthusiasm!

Yet Kristine kept her grave expression as she shook her head.

"What you said seems true, but there's one thing that concerns me…"

Holly's face fell as she replied.

"What's that?"

Kristine did not respond at first, slowly walking over to one of the beds. She sat down rapidly, her severe expression not changing. Holly followed suit, noticing Google standing stoically beside the disabled Trainer.

Kristine took a deep breath as she spoke.

"The Mold Breaker."

Holly clenched her fist.

How could she forget about the rogue Trainer that had foiled their plans again and again?

This time, she couldn't help shouting.

"That battle at Silph… Where did she even come from, and how did she get all that power?"

Kristine's voice was tinged with regret as replied.

"I have no idea, unfortunately. I'm aware of Arceus's Angels, but I don't know anything about their secrets."

Holly could hear her voice rising and becoming so loud it filled the entire room.

However, she did not care as she spoke her mind.

"Then who is the Mold Breaker?"

Kristine did not respond to Holly's outburst, instead continuing. "I may not know who she is, but there's no doubt that the Mold Breaker is allied with the League, and that she possesses power beyond any stretch of the imagination. If we do not deal with her somehow, our annihilation is assured."

Despite Kristine's grave tone, Holly continued shouting. "How do we know if the Mold Breaker's even coming back? If she's even still fighting against us?"

Kristine's gaze became harder than anything Holly had ever seen.

"We don't, and that's what makes the Mold Breaker such a dangerous foe. She can appear out of nowhere, and use techniques even the strongest Trainers have never seen. There's no telling what she might do."

Holly threw up her hands again.

"Then how do we defeat her? It's clear battling normally won't work!"

Kristine's voice became dangerously low, her eyes narrowed. "I can think of one way. It is risky, and you might be put in danger."

Holly thrust out her fists.

"I'm willing to take whatever risks needed! We've come too far to back down now!"

Kristine nodded.

"Very well."

This time, Holly couldn't help trembling as Kristine laid out the details of their next plan.

However, Holly knew she wasn't trembling because she was underconfident.

After all, who wouldn't be shaking at the prospect of deliberately being put in harm's way?

But Holly knew she couldn't let herself be like this for long.

If a plan like this destroyed the League and its corruption, then everything would be worth it!

After all, there was no way fear would hold her back now.

There was no way _anything_ would hold her back now.

No matter what happened.

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So onto the concepts of religion and the afterlife in Traveler! The Pokémon games don't really elaborate on either, so I decide to make my own ideas. Some of this is simply repeating what has been discussed or even seen before, but there's also some new material.**

 **-One of the new materials involves Giratina. The idea of it judging souls and bringing them to a different place if they are not wholly good or wholly bad is based on one the concepts in Christianity. In Christianity, if someone is judged to be virtuous enough to avoid entering Hell, but not enough to go to Heaven, they are instead sent to Purgatory. In Purgatory, there is an attempt to cleanse people of their remaining sins with the place's purifying flames. Purified souls are then sent to Heaven, but the purification process can be long, and even painful. It's worth noting that although what is described above is the most common interpretation, there are many different variants. Furthermore, unlike Heaven and Hell, it is disputed whether Purgatory even exists.**

 **More direct inspiration for Giratina's role actually comes from ancient Egyptian mythology. In this mythology, souls who went to the afterlife had to undertake a long journey with many trials. Near the end of this journey, the heart of the deceased was placed on the scale and weighted against a feather from the Egyptian goddess Maat. If the heart was equal or lighter than the feather, the person would be considered just, and worthy of entering Aaru (Egyptian equivalent of eternal paradise). However, if the heart was heavier than the feather, it would be eaten by the goddess Ammit, the person would die a second time, and their soul would be condemned to Duat (the Egyptian underworld) forever. This much more literal judgment of souls is what I thought of when I wrote Giratina's role in Traveler.**

 **-And here's the introduction of the final god of the afterlife, Darkrai. Out of the four, Darkrai's role is probably the one that changed the most from what it does in the canon material. Although it does take some inspiration from canon Pokémon media, what Darkrai ends up doing here is** _ **very**_ **different from how it is portrayed in canon.**

 **Because in canon, Darkrai is depicted as evil, maligned, or controlled by someone who is.**

 **-In the games, Darkrai is fairly shy around humans, and only causes nightmares to protect itself. However, because the nightmares often have disastrous effects upon those afflicted, Darkari is often viewed negatively. Other games in the series make this negative perception even worse, having Darkrai as an outright villain. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers (also known by its different versions, Time, Darkness, and Sky) has Darkrai as the main villain behind everything in the games. He wants to use his power to annihilate the world, and the player must defeat him as a secret final boss. In the game Poképark 2: Wonders Beyond, Darkari also serves as the main antagonist. He wants to merge his Wish Park with the other parks, and the player has to stop him. In Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, Darkrai is under the control of the villain Blake Hall. He tries to use Darkrai's power to brainwash every Pokémon in the region, and then use them as tools. The player must then battle Darkrai to free it from Blake's control, and it serves as the final boss of that game.**

 **-Unfortunately, the manga isn't much better. In Pokémon Special, Darkrai is captured and controlled by the villain Charon. As a result, the hero that to fight to free Darkrai from Charon's control.**

 **-The anime is a bit better than other Pokémon media about how Darkrai is treated, but not by much. In the main anime, Darkrai first appears around the city of Canalave, maliciously terrorizing people with its nightmares. Eventually, it did battle with its rival, Cresselia, and was forced to retreat into the shadows.**

 **-Darkrai appeared later on as an opponent in the Pokémon League. Although Darkrai itself was neutral, it was under the ownership of a Trainer named Tobias. Tobias was an** _ **extremely**_ **controversial character with a** _ **massive**_ **stigma. Unfortunately, that stigma was also applied to Darkari, so the encounter was negative.**

 **-The final time Darkrai was seen was in the 10th Pokémon movie The Rise of Darkrai. In this movie, Darkrai tried to keep the battling Dialga and Palkia at bay until Ash's group could calm the two Pokémon down. This is the only unquestionably positive depiction of Darkrai** _ **in the entire series.**_

 **-It's little wonder then, that most fan interpretations portray Darkrai as a villain.**

 **But I decided I wanted Traveler to go in a different direction.**

 **Mainly because I found Darkrai being malevolent to be rather cliché, and because I was sick of it being portrayed as a villain for rather unjust reasons.**

 **-So I went with a neutral, even heroic, portrayal. However, Darkrai still reigns over Hell in this story. The reason is that Hell can effectively be seen as an endless nightmare for the damned. Therefore, as the Pokémon who has control over and can cause nightmares, I thought it would be fitting for Darkrai to also have control over Hell. This effectively makes Darkrai Traveler's representation of Satan.**

 **The latter being another inspiration for Darkrai's neutrality here.**

 **While the most common interpretation of Satan is him being completely evil, it is** _ **far**_ **from the only one. Some interpretations having him (and/or his representations) portrayed as neutral, honest by bringing justice to the condemned, simply saddled with the duty of maintaining Hell and the accused within, and even on tolerable terms with God despite what happened. Some depictions portray Satan as still being close friends with God despite everything, or even have the two as family. In some of the most extreme depictions, Satan is actually a positive character, and not for the purpose of fulfilling malicious goals. All of these different depictions helped round out Darkrai's character, and move him away from the cliché of being evil just for the sake of it.**

 **-Darkrai being called the Lord of Nightmares is based on his abilities with them. Lord of the Nightmares is also a name some other fan interpretations have given him. Therefore, I decided to have Traveler follow suit because it makes sense. The idea of turning Darkrai's nightmares into a test for the worthy was to make said nightmares also have a more positive depiction, as unpleasant as nightmares are. Not to mention, with Darkrai being comfortable and skilled with nightmares, it would make sense for the worthy to meet him after a long nightmare and confronting their own fears.**

 **-Karen being the Vessel of Darkrai is based off of her status in the canon Pokémon media. In canon, she's one of four high-ranking Dark Type Pokémon users at the time of writing, the others being Nanu of Alola, Sidney of Hoenn, and Grimsely of Unova. However, Karen is canonically higher ranked than Nanu (being part of the Elite Four, while Nanu is the equivalent of a slightly tougher Gym Leader). Furthermore, although Nanu was chosen by a legendary Pokémon called Tapu Bulu in canon, he doesn't particularly enjoy the position. It's later explained that Nanu would have easily turned the position down, except that a Tapu's choice cannot be overturned. Thus, Nanu wouldn't be one to enjoy or willingly accept being chosen by Darkrai either, no matter how powerful it made him. It's worth noting that Nanu was asked to become a member of the Elite Four when the new Alola Pokémon League was formed. However, he refused, and the others respected his choice. This implies that he is at least as strong as Karen, but holds back when fighting Trainers in Alola's equivalent of Gym battles. Sidney and Grimsely are both Elite Four members, but are implied to be weaker than Karen. This is because the later in the order an Elite Four member is faced, traditionally, the tougher they are. Sidney and Grimsely are first and second in their regions, respectively. Karen, on the other hand, is fourth, making her the strongest Elite Four member in her region**.


	95. Fate at Hand

**Hello, and welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

95\. Fate At Hand

Holly let out a breath she hadn't realized she been holding.

Kristine had revealed their next plan, the fighting was over, and their enemies were gone.

But the world outside of the base was still hostile, and word of the battle at Silph must have spread…

Kristine and Holly would have to be more careful than ever.

But the same time, they needed to pursue their foes aggressively in order to have even the faintest hope of any future plan succeeding…

So what would happen now?

Kristine glanced straight Holly as the disabled Trainer rapidly gave an answer.

"Let us go."

"To where?" Holly blurted out.

Kristine did not waver as she stated.

"To the Saffron Gym, of course. In order for our final plan to succeed, you need all the Gym Badges. And because of the battle outside of the Gym a few days ago, Sabrina is obligated to give her Badge to you provided you beat her in battle."

A smile played on Kristine's face as she continued. "After all that's happened, I'd say Sabrina needs to be put in her place. Wouldn't you?"

Holly could not resist smiling back.

Sabrina had clearly sided with the League and its traitors! The Saffron Gym Leader had given Holly trouble even before her journey started!

Sabrina needed to be taught a lesson long ago!

Today was the day she would get what she deserved!

Holly nodded. "Absolutely! Let's not waste any time!"

With a final nod from Kristine, the two left the base.

Holly wondered why Kristine didn't have Google simply teleport them to the city, but guessed Sabrina might sense the Delphox's psychic power.

Even though she and Kristine had the advantage, Holly couldn't let her guard down.

After being incapacitated so easily in her own hometown, Sabrina would be more desperate than ever to defend it!

Holly and Kristine couldn't afford to be even the slightest bit reckless!

Otherwise, Sabrina would tear them apart, and all the plans would go down with them!

Thankfully, the walk from Celadon to Saffron was short, with no opposition.

Holly suspected the citizens were simply hiding.

Or perhaps they must've known what would happen to them if they put up any sort of resistance.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Either way, it didn't matter.

What mattered was destroying the Gym Leaders.

And then, the entire League.

Holly was so into her thinking that she didn't even notice she was at the Gym until Kristine stopped and pointed.

Holly only gave a nod in thanks before the two continued.

After all, there was no time to lose.

In another minute, the duo entered the large Gym's gaping doors.

Holly expected to see the dark blue floors and walls, and to forcefully navigate through the glowing green teleporters that always made her dizzy.

Instead, she only saw Sabrina.

The Saffron Gym Leader stood at her full height, stoicism written in her face and eyes.

Holly knew this glare would be enough to unnerve anyone, but she only glared right back.

However, she fought to keep her eyes from going wide.

Sabrina had been quite literally brought to her knees just days earlier, held hostage with no hope of recovering…

But now…

There were no injuries…

No twisted grimaces of pain…

No fear or even hints of weakness…

It was as if the battle had never taken place…

But how was that possible?

Sabrina may have known how to use supernatural powers, but surely she had nothing that could heal herself that quickly or without any sign of what had happened before…

Of course, other skilled supernatural power users like Molly Hale and Caitlin had been present at the battle.

But they had been injured too…

So Sabrina shouldn't have been standing before them, much less ready and able to take challengers…

What had happened in the days after the battle?

There was only one way to find out.

Holly snarled. "Sabrina!"

Sabrina did not answer, instead of continuing to stare stoically.

Kristine shook her head. "Surprised a coward like you isn't hiding behind your teleporters."

Sabrina did not react to the remark, instead deadpanning.

"You two didn't hide who you really were. So why should I?"

Holly howled back. "Brave words for a traitor!"

Once again, Sabrina did not flinch, only speaking emotionlessly.

"Traitors? The only traitors here are you and Kristine, Holly. You've betrayed me, Erika, and every Trainer that stands by the League."

Before Holly could respond, Kristine stepped up. The disabled Trainer had the same stoicism as Sabrina, and her voice was quick to match.

"Fitting a traitor would believe their own lies."

Sabrina still didn't recoil at Kristine's accusation.

Instead, the Saffron's Gym Leader's voice took on an icy calmness.

"Say what you like. If you'd had your way in that battle a few days ago, you wouldn't be challenging me at all."

Holly clenched her fist.

 _Of course_ that would have been what happened! The entire idea of the battle was to destroy the League!

Was Sabrina so stupid that she didn't understand that?

Rage burned in Holly's eyes as she shouted.

"You're an idiot if you didn't realize that that was the point, Sabrina!"

Sabrina ignored Holly's outburst, instead continuing in a chilling monotone.

"And that point doesn't matter now. If things had continued as they were, you wouldn't have a chance to earn your Badge."

Holly clenched her fist so tight she could see her knuckles turn white.

Why was Sabrina simply repeating herself?

And there was only one person responsible for the battle going awry.

Holly's voice rose to a scream so loud that she was sure the entire city could hear.

"The reason things didn't continue as they were is because of that wretched Mold Breaker!"

Sabrina's voice became dangerously low, and Holly thought she could finally detect the tiniest bit of Sabrina's hidden fury.

"Just be grateful she stopped you. The Mold Breaker healed me and everyone else you hurt, as if no injuries had ever occurred. She is the reason I'm standing before you now."

At this, Holly trembled with rage.

How dare the rogue Trainer always meddle their plans! She had no right to support traitors!

Holly noticed Kristine stiffen and the disabled Trainer narrowed her eyes. Holly thought Kristine would fire back at Sabrina, but instead there was only silence.

So Holly yelled at the top of her lungs.

"That demonic Mold Breaker! Where is she?"

Sabrina only kept her cold composure.

"As if I'd tell you."

Holly let her voice rang through the air as she screamed.

"Then I'll have to make you talk!"

She snatched a Poké Ball from her belt, tossing it with all her might.

"Go, Honchkrow!"

The dark bird immediately appeared in the air, letting out a mighty cry.

Yet Sabrina only shook her head.

"You're beginning an official League battle acting like that? I shouldn't have expected anything else."

Holly gritted her teeth.

Sabrina would regret those words!

Yet Holly had no time to dwell on her thoughts as she focused on the battlefield before her.

A Poké Ball detached from the Saffron Gym Leader's belt, flying through the air on its own.

Sabrina deadpanned again as she commanded.

"Go, Hypno."

At her words, the Poké Ball opened up.

A creature appeared in the flash of bright white lights, and Holly took a moment to study it.

It looked like a human, expect it was yellow. The creature's ears were pointed with pink inside, resembling triangles. It had a white scruff that looked like something Holly occasionally saw on coats. The creature surveyed the battlefield with black eyes, as a grey pendulum swung in its right hand.

Holly narrowed her eyes at her opponent.

Even though Sabrina was a powerful Gym Leader, this match would be easy!

Kristine spoke softly as she approached.

"You know what to do here, Holly."

Holly noted curtly.

At first, she would've questioned why the disabled Trainer was talking to her normally.

Now, however, it was clear that using telepathy was far too dangerous.

Sabrina would surely catch with there were doing, if not hear the entire conversation.

If she hadn't already.

But if she had heard anything, Sabrina gave no indication.

Instead, she stoically stared at Holly, face also holding no emotion.

Holly met her gaze with her own glare as she shouted.

"Honchkrow, Night Slash!"

Honchkrow let out another cry as its wings glowed light purple.

Holly's Pokémon soared towards the opponent, wings outstretched.

Before Hypno had time to react, Honchkrow smashed straight into it.

Sabrina's Pokémon only let out a groan as it fell backwards.

There was a deafening crash as Hypno hit the ground.

Sabrina didn't even wince at the noise, instead wordlessly letting Hypno disappear in her Poké Ball's red beam of light.

Honchkrow let out a victory shriek as it flew back to Holly. The light purple glow disappeared from Honchkrow's wings, and she stroked her Pokémon.

Holly grinned triumphantly as she glanced at Sabrina.

Yet the Saffron Gym Leader still held no emotion, and another Poké Ball detached itself.

"Come out, Espeon."

Another Pokémon appeared, twin image of Anabel's dead one.

Holly's grin only grew wider.

This Espeon would be just as easy to destroy!

Yet Holly's hopes were dashed at the sound of Sabrina's voice.

"Espeon, Signal Beam."

The red gem on Espeon's head glowed as a rainbow colored light appeared.

Sabrina's Pokémon let out a cry as it launched the rainbow light at Honchkrow.

Holly clenched her fist.

Sabrina should know any resistance was futile!

Holly continued pointing as she shouted.

"Honchkrow, we can still win this! Night Slash!"

Holly's Pokémon let out another shriek as its wings were bathed in the light purple color.

Honchkrow spread its wings wide, charging forward as it prepared its deadly attack.

Yet the attack never came.

Instead, Honchkrow slammed straight into Espeon's Signal Beam.

Holly's Pokémon screeched as the attack pierced its left wing. Holly let out a gasp as the wing was now illuminated with the Signal Beam's rainbow light.

Thankfully, Honchkrow tore itself away from the attack and flew to the right of Espeon.

However, Holly could see that its flight was lopsided, and that the glow from its left wing had weakened.

Holly gritted her teeth.

Had she been too overconfident?

Had Espeon already won the match?

Holly rapidly shook her head.

She be consumed by such negative thoughts!

She couldn't Sabrina win!

She couldn't let any of the traitors win!

With renewed determination, Holly shouted.

"Honchkrow, Night Slash! Let's finish this!"

At Holly's command, Honchkrow swerved behind Espeon.

The opposing Pokémon didn't enough time to utter a scream before Honchkrow's outstretched wings struck their target.

Espeon crumbled into a heap as Honchkrow soared past it and back to Holly.

Sabrina wasted no time recalling her Pokémon, once again not even a flicker of emotion showing on her face.

Holly thought about grinning again, but resisted the urge.

The gesture had no effect on Sabrina before, and Holly couldn't let her guard down.

Honchkrow was hurt, and Sabrina knew tactics that Holly wasn't aware of.

Even though she currently had the advantage, Holly would have to be careful.

Sabrina's monotone voice filled the air as she readied another Poké Ball.

"This battle is yours, Mr. Mime."

Another Poké Ball soared, opening to reveal another creature.

The creature looked like a clown more than anything. It had long pointy boots with arms and legs that looked almost like wood. Except they were a light pink with a circle of white on their knees. The creature had hands that were white as well, with the red digits on its fingers. Its body was white, although red was in all four corners. There was also something that looked like a red circle in the center. It all matched red cheeks on a pink face. Black jagged ears gave the creature hearing, and matching eyes, sight.

Holly resisted the urge to laugh out loud at Sabrina's Pokémon, but didn't dare.

Mr. Mime might've looked odd, but Sabrina would not have chosen it if it wasn't powerful.

And right now, Holly was on the defensive.

She couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

In fact, she couldn't afford to do anything at all.

Because then Sabrina uttered a cold command.

"Dazzling Gleam, Mr. Mime."

Sabrina's Pokémon leapt up, bathed in white light. Within another minute, rainbow rays shot out in every direction.

Honchkrow's screams pierced Holly's ears, as the rainbow rays struck it repeatedly.

Holly tried to see how her Pokémon was doing, yet could only shield her eyes from the blinding light.

She could certainly hear what was going on though.

For soon, the screaming stopped and was followed by a crashing noise. The light ceased too, and Mr. Mime skillfully landed on the ground.

Holly's eyes went wide as she glanced down.

Honchkrow was on the ground as well, laying lifeless and unmoving. The bird didn't even stir as Holly took a tiny step forward.

For a moment, Holly thought Sabrina had killed Honchkrow in a fit of rage.

But then, the Saffron Gym Leader wouldn't dare do that during an official Gym battle. She knew what would happen if she did.

Besides, if the Pokémon has lost its life, Kristine would've said something.

With her power of Yveltal, she surely would've known whether something had lived or died.

And perhaps, Holly knew better than she thought.

After all, she had seen plenty of death by now.

But then…

How had Honchkrow lost to such a filthy traitor?

They had been doing so well.

As if sensing her thoughts, Kristine stepped closer.

"Mr. Mime is part Fairy type. As such, it has nothing to fear from Dark Types."

Holly gritted her teeth.

Of course Sabrina would have something to counter the Psychic Type's greatest weakness! She should have expected a traitor to use such dirty tricks!

Sabrina stared at Holly intensely, although now she was nodding at what Kristine had said.

Holly clenched her fist.

How dare Sabrina think she could win? This was far from over!

Yet Sabrina wasn't nodding when Kristine stealthily spoke again.

"But you… You have something Mr. Mime does fear, Holly. Something all of Sabrina's Pokémon fear."

Holly's nodded and her eyes narrowed.

She might not have known what tricks Sabrina had up her sleeve, but Holly knew exactly what Kristine was talking about.

She picked up a Poké Ball, and tossed it into the air.

"Go, Lucario!"

Holly's Pokémon let out a snarl as it burst onto the battlefield, Mega Stone gleaming in the jewelry around its throat.

Yet Sabrina only frowned.

"So you're using Lucario, a Pokémon that isn't yours. Then again, considering how your journey has been, perhaps none of them are yours."

Holly clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.

Sabrina had no idea what she was talking about!

She was only crazy!

Now was the time to show her the truth!

So Holly screamed. "They're all mine, and I will prove it using my true power!"

Holly took a deep breath, screaming even louder as she pressed the button on her wrist ring.

"Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

Lucario let out a howl that resonated through the area.

Bright white light engulfed Holly's Pokémon, and she looked away.

Yet still, she smiled, because she knew what this meant.

This was the power of Mawile, slayer of dragons.

This was the strength of Bryan, the fellow Lucario who had fought to save everyone in Fuchsia.

This was the prowess needed to halt those who would misuse the ability, like Zinnia.

And now the power was Holly's again.

Only this time, it was so strong no one could stop it.

Not even Sabrina.

Holly glanced back at the battlefield as the light faded.

Lucario was now glaring menacingly at the opponent, and Holly thought she saw Mr. Mime shrink back a little.

Holly grinned.

Now was her chance to turn things around.

Triumph flowed through her next command.

"Lucario, Flash Cannon!"

Holly's Pokémon opened its mouth wide as it shot a massive beam of silver light out of its mouth.

Mr. Mime's screaming rang through the air as the light slammed into it.

The force was so strong it started pushing the opposing Pokémon backward.

The light got stronger, and Holly's grin wider.

Sabrina barely had enough time to get out of the way as her Pokémon was then violently hurled into a wall behind her.

The Saffron Gym Leader rapidly recalled Pokémon, but still held no emotion.

Holly only beamed back.

With power like this, victory was near!

Yet she wasn't prepared for Sabrina's next words.

"If this is how you want to battle, Holly, that I must use my true power as well. Alakazam, come."

Holly grin did not fade as she watched the Poké Ball reveal the creature she knew it contained.

The opposing Alakazam looked exact like Anabel's, aside from the jewelry and gleaming stone around its throat.

Holly smirked.

Sabrina didn't know how to use Mega Evolution, so the extra equipment was useless!

Holly waited for Sabrina to shout out her next command, but the Saffron Gym Leader was eerily silent.

Instead, Sabrina held something in her left hand, bringing it closer to the front.

Holly's eyes widened when she realized what the object was.

It was a tiny doll, so lifelike Holly thought it would start walking and talking. The doll looked a lot like Sabrina, only her hair was lighter. Instead of the red clothing Sabrina typically wore, the doll wore a little white dress. It had a sunhat with a white bow, although Holly had never known Sabrina to wear hats. Not even when it was appropriate. Holly couldn't see the doll's eyes, but given the oddity of the thing, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

Holly's widened eyes became narrowed, and her surprise turned into a frown.

What was Sabrina doing with a doll?

Only little kids had them, and a battlefield was hardly the place for one!

Yet Sabrina only squeezed her doll tightly, eyes narrowing.

The words she spoke next gave Holly's surprise a triumphant return.

"Alakazam, Mega Evolve."

Blinding light radiated from the doll, turning the entire object white. The light rapidly surrounded Alakazam, but the opposing Pokémon didn't even blink.

The light went on to engulf the battlefield, and Holly cringed as she looked away.

In a few minutes, the light was over.

But the Alakazam Holly knew was no more.

The Pokémon had a long white beard that seem to flow elegantly. It sat crosslegged in a pose almost resembling meditation. It's yellow body and brown shirt was still there, but it no longer held its two spoons. Instead, several levitated above it, and Holly could see a red gem on the Pokémon's forehead that hadn't been there before.

Holly tried not to let her surprise show again as she focused on her new opponent.

So Sabrina could use Mega Evolution too, it seemed.

But how could someone like her be worthy of such a powerful technique?

Besides, despite having known Sabrina for so long, Holly had never seen her use it.

Yet she was torn from her thoughts as Sabrina curtly spoke.

"I don't use this power very often, because I dislike utilizing something that exists almost solely for combat. But desperate times call for desperate measures."

Holly clenched her fist.

How dare Sabrina use such a sacred technique when she wasn't anywhere near being worthy of it!

And the Saffron Gym Leader had no idea just how desperate things could get!

Holly's voice rang through the air as she shouted.

"Lucario, Extremespeed! Take out Alakazam, and put an end to this battle once and for all!"

A white aura surrounded Lucario, and sprinted off so fast Holly could hardly see where it was going.

Confusion was present in Alakazam's eyes as the glanced around.

Nevertheless, psychic energy radiated from it, as it fought to prepare some type of attack.

However, it was not enough.

Lucario let out another howl as it slammed into Alakazam. The howling was soon replaced by Alakazam's screams as it crumpled to the ground.

Lucario sped back to Holly, letting out a triumphant roar.

Holly grinned.

Despite Sabrina using another dirty trick, she had won!

Kristine now faced Sabrina, and the disabled Trainer's expression almost seemed scolding.

"Mega Evolution or no, you cannot hide your Pokémon's weaknesses."

Holly nodded eagerly.

As a Gym Leader, Sabrina should almost certainly know that!

Yet Sabrina did not respond to Kristine's remark.

Instead, she held out something that looks like a yellow circle.

Her monotone voice filled the air.

"This is the Marsh Badge. Take it, Holly."

Holly grinned as she walked up to receive her prize.

Yet as soon as the Bagde hit her palm, she gave a nod.

In that instant, Lucario's claw was at Sabrina's throat, pointed spike gently pushing at the underside of her chin.

Holly stood across from the Gym Leader and screeched.

"The Mold Breaker! Where is she? Tell me now!"

Kristine then spoke up, her voice an icy calm.

"You'd best do as she says, Sabrina. Unless you want to end up like all those who died in front of your Gym."

Lucario nodded, and Holly could see a faint trickle of blood from a scratch where the spike was. The blood bleached the spike red, but neither Holly nor her Pokémon cared.

The information was all that mattered now, and now that her life was on the line, Sabrina was sure to give it to them!

Holly expected Sabrina to shake, or maybe scream and stammer with pain.

Yet the Saffron Gym Leader did none of that.

Instead, she smiled.

For the first time, emotion could be heard in Sabrina's voice as she spoke quietly yet triumphantly.

"You're too late. The Mold Breaker has already gone back to her homeland. You'll never find her now."

Holly's eyes went wide.

"How? Tell me how that's possible!"

Yet Sabrina did not answer, only glowing as psychic power radiated around her.

Holly screamed. "Lucario, make her talk!"

Yet Holly's Pokémon only let out a screech as the psychic power froze it in place. Its claw was forcibly removed from Sabrina's throat, dropping back down at its side.

Holly opened her mouth to shout out another command, but found she had no voice.

Instead, Sabrina's power held her hostage, and she felt as though her body was like ice.

Holly noticed Kristine grimacing, as the psychic power also held her in place. Google had the same expression, Sabrina's actions rendering it helpless.

The last thing Holly saw Sabrina's continued triumphant smile before everything disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

 **So finally there's the battle against Sabrina! In the games, her Gym is full of teleporters, and the player must use them to warp from one room to the next. Gym Trainers await in some of the rooms, and the player must take a specific pattern of warp tiles to find Sabrina in the center. The warp tiles and Trainers were omitted here to save on descriptions, since the main focus is supposed to be the battle. Story wise, I thought it would make sense that Sabrina wouldn't bother with the warp tiles anyway after what happened to her Gym before, and probably try to keep her Trainers safe by not allowing them to engage Holly and Kristine.**

 **Holly's comment about getting dizzy from the warp tiles also comes in the games. A common animation once a character hits a warp tile is to show that character spinning around, and then go flying up off the screen before appearing in the next place. Although animations were eventually updated, the old one became almost iconic. As a result, some fans have depicted characters getting dizzy and even throwing up from that.**

 **-Sabrina's Poké Balls flying through the air on their own is from the anime. In that media, they do exactly that. Although she never explains how, Brock realizes it's from psychic powers, and that Sabrina is moving the Poké Balls with her mind.**

- **Holly's confusion over Mr. Mime being part Fairy type comes mainly from the games. Originally, Mr. Mime was a pure Psychic Type. This meant that it was weak to Dark Type attacks. However, once the Fairy Type was introduced in Pokémon X and Y, Mr. Mime gained that as a secondary typing. As a result, Dark type attacks now do neutral damage. However, players who don't know about the Type change might make the mistake of using a Dark Type attack, and expect it to do extra damage, like Holly did. And since Mr. Mime can learn powerful offensive Fairy Type moves and Dark Types are weak to Fairy Types, that mistake can have disastrous consequences.**

 **-Sabrina having a doll comes from the anime. In there, Sabrina always holds one, and it looks exactly like the one seen in this story. The reason is that her psychic power controls her in the anime, turning into a ruthless, emotionless, person. However, the doll that Sabrina always holds represents how and who she was before her psychic powers controlled her. The doll is also able to somehow voice the thoughts of the real Sabrina, although these thoughts seem unaware of what Sabrina is** _ **actually**_ **doing at times.**

 **For example, Sabrina uses her doll to rescue Pikachu in the beginning of the episode where she first appears. However, later on in the same episode, she shrinks Ash and the others after winning the Gym fight and places them in a dollhouse. Sabrina then appears soon after Ash and the others figure out what's really going on, and her doll just cheerfully exclaims that she wants to play with her new ones. This is despite the fact that playing with Ash and his friends involves Sabrina rapidly grabbing at them with a free hand, and then using her doll to nearly** _ **crush them all with a bowling ball.**_ **Somehow, Sabrina and her doll see nothing wrong with this (despite the fact that there would be consequences even if the people really were just toys, let alone what would happen if they were** _ **actual people)**_ **. It's extremely unsettling, both because of creepiness and because of how odd the entire thing is. Unfortunately, what Sabrina is truly aware of is left unexplained, because as soon as she's freed from her psychic powers, the doll just simply disappears.**

 **-Even though Sabrina does not fall under the control of her psychic powers in Traveler, I thought it would make sense that the doll would mean something to her, and she would still have it. The idea of her using the doll to Mega Evolve is slightly inspired by the games. In all games where Mega Evolution is present, some opponents have access to different item to Mega Evolve their Pokémon. The items are unique to that Trainer, and usually reflects some part of their personality. However, the player cannot obtain any of these items. Since I felt like the doll would be important to Sabrina but would normally be useless on the battlefield, I turned into a unique item that she uses to Mega Evolve her Pokémon.**

 **-Sabrina disliking Mega Evolution because it's almost solely used for combat is inspired by the games. In the games, Sabrina states she dislikes fighting. However, she will fight if the situation calls for it, or if a Gym challenger wishes it. Since Sabrina would be required to buy more often Traveler and shows no dislike of fighting in other media, said dislike was mainly removed. However, I still left in a few references to it, such as not liking using Mega Evolution.**

 **-Sabrina freezing the others and forcing them out of the Gym is based on the anime. Or rather, a novelization of it. In the anime proper, Sabrina turns Misty and Brock into dolls and traps them in the dollhouse after Ash loses a second time. However, in the novelization of the anime, Sabrina instead freezes them like statues. It's not known why this change was made, but I decided take inspiration from the novelization's version of what happened. It makes more sense with Traveler's lore while still being rather eerie. It also allows plot to continue, where is putting them as dolls in a dollhouse probably wouldn't.**


	96. The Evil Savior

**Hello, and welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! So with this chapter begins the last quarter of the RP areas! There is still a lot of ground to cover, though. Also, this is the first new area in a while, so that means a new prompt! All prompts of the property of Wizardmonfan, and have been summarized here with permission. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 19 is a small beach south of Fuchsia. Occasionally, Trainers patrol the area, but typically the sands are quiet. South of the beach by the vast expanse of water. From there, the routes are waterways, and some swimmers like to dwell in these areas. If Trainers continue across the water, they will eventually arrive at the next route, and even further on, the island of Cinnabar._

* * *

96\. The Evil Savior

Holly let out a gasp as her feet finally hit the ground.

She opened her eyes, wincing as the bright sunlight struck her face.

She quickly glanced around wildly, noting the purple gates of Fuchsia behind her. Holly could hear the bustling activity of the city, but no one seemed to pay the duo any mind. Not one citizen stepped out to see what happened, or investigate the turn of events that occurred.

Holly let out a sigh of relief.

As unexpected as this was, at least there would be no more resistance.

But Holly's eyes widened as she glanced at the scene in front of her. Small ledges made of rock dotted the terrain, and they simply lay beside the rocks themselves. Grainy sand scattered everywhere as Holly kicked it around with her feet, and the substance seemed to be as far as the eye could see. Yet if Holly strained her ears enough, she could hear the sound of calm water lapping against the shore.

Clearly this was different than the city she and Kristine had just left…

But where exactly was this?

Holly knew standing around would get no answers, so she quickly turned to Kristine. The disabled Trainer and her Pokémon didn't seem any worse for the wear despite what happened. Instead they stared straight ahead, eerie confidence and familiarity in their eyes.

Holly gulped.

Kristine seemed to be deep in thought, but at hopefully she would answer at least one question.

So Holly took a deep breath as she asked.

"Kristine, where are we?"

The disabled Trainer replied calmly, although Holly could detect there was still seriousness in her voice.

"This appears to be Route 19. As you can see, it's a small beach south of Fuchsia."

Kristine's eyes narrowed as she paused before speaking again.

"It's also the pathway to the island called Cinnabar, and the next Badge."

Holly's eyes widened again as she realized the implications, and she couldn't help shouting.

"So Sabrina teleported us right where we needed to go next? Why would she do that?"

Eyes still narrowed, Kristine wasted no time responding.

"Sabrina knew she could send us anywhere, as long as it was away from her. And since she couldn't do anything else against us after the battle, and knew from the one outside her Gym that locking us up wasn't an option, this was the best outcome. After all, Professor Pine's trap is set, and Sabrina doesn't realize we know about that. As far as she understands, she's just letting us walk right into it. There's nothing more Sabrina needs to do."

Holly clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.

So Sabrina truly was a traitor then!

How dare she be so underhanded as to try to lead Kristine and Holly into a trap, especially with a reputation as an honest Trainer and Gym Leader!

Sabrina would pay for her crimes!

Holly was sure of it!

But then, Holly was sure Sabrina wasn't the only one who would pay!

Holly's face twisted into a snarl.

"Is what Sabrina said true, then? About the Mold Breaker returning to her homeland?"

A grave tone entered Kristine's voice.

"I cannot say. Sabrina isn't exactly trustworthy at this point."

Holly thrust her fists out. "Either way, we should go after the Mold Breaker! She's our strongest enemy and needs to be put down!"

Kristine's eyes hardened.

"Regardless of whether what Sabrina said was true, we have no idea where the Mold Breaker is. And I doubt the few who really do know would be willing to tell us more information. If the Mold Breaker truly is back in her homeland, then we don't have a way of getting there currently. Even if we did, we can't ignore the possibility that there may be Trainers there as powerful as she is. Therefore, we wouldn't stand a chance. We can hardly defend ourselves against her as is, so pursuing her would only lead to our destruction."

Holly threw up her hands.

"So what are we supposed to do?"

Kristine's grave tone did not change.

"The only thing we can do; keep going."

Holly gritted her teeth again, hands clenching into fists by her side.

Even though they had struck crushing blows against the League, Holly hated being completely helpless!

Was truly nothing they could do?

Upon seeing Holly's expression, Kristine's own softened.

"Don't worry, Holly. This is a great chance to get stronger. Strong enough that no one can defeat us."

Holly's gritted teeth turned into a smile, and she nodded.

Kristine was right!

This was no time to drown in sorrow!

They still had a journey to complete, no matter who tried to stop them!

Yet Holly was drawn from her triumphant thoughts Kristine's voice sounded in her head.

For a minute, Holly gasped, then slowly came to her senses.

She had almost forgotten they could use their telepathy, from all the time inside the base and being unable to use it against Sabrina.

The time in the base had been private, and shortly before they had just been trying to get their bearings.

But now…

Not only did the pair know where they were, but they were also out in public.

Just because they were currently alone didn't mean that would last!

They couldn't risk anyone knowing about their plans!

Or everything would be for nothing!

So Holly listened intently as Kristine spoke through thought.

" _Holly, before we leave, you should put Politoed in your party. The Gym Leader in Cinnabar uses Fire Type Pokémon, so Politoed will have a natural advantage. And at this point, we need all the advantages we can get."_

Holly nodded, rapidly replying.

"Who should I switch out?"

Without hesitation, Kristine responded.

" _Glaceon. It's weak to fire, and doesn't do too well against Pokémon in the water either. The latter is what we are likely to encounter on the way to Cinnabar. So it's not going to be that useful for the entire trip. I'd recommend switching it back in after that, though. There are opponents coming up who could use a little chill."_

Holly smiled slightly at the joke, then tossed Kristine Glaceon's Poké Ball. Kristine quickly caught it, then threw Politoed's Poké Ball. Holly effortlessly grabbed it, clipping it on her belt.

Holly nodded again, her smile only growing wider.

At last their journey would continue!

The corrupt League _would_ fall!

Holly was still beaming as the two headed down the beach towards the water's edge.

The crashing of the waves filled Holly's ears, growing closer and closer.

But suddenly, Kristine stopped dead.

Holly almost banged into her, and opened her mouth to ask why.

Yet Kristine only motioned for Holly to come closer, and she obeyed immediately.

Holly's eyes narrowed at what she saw.

Another person.

A familiar one.

One that could be easily defeated, and one that she was almost ready to fight anyway.

Holly smirked.

Perhaps Azure had come to get destroyed early!

Or perhaps he was too stupid to heed the warnings, and needed to be taught what would happen if anyone resisted…

Or perhaps he was desperate, and had come begging for his life.

Whatever the case, Holly wouldn't let him get away unscathed!

Holly confidently stepped forward, yet Kristine thrust out her hand.

The disabled Trainer seemed to give an ominous warning.

"Stay back. This is not who you think it is."

Holly was about to ask why she should, but the question died on her lips.

Upon closer inspection, the person most certainly was not Azure.

No, he looked older and wiser…

Taller and stronger…

Whereas Azure wore purple and black clothing, this person wore green and black. He had a black shirt, neatly buttoned, along with short green pants. His shoes were green as well, although there was some white. The other person hair's was considerably lighter than Azure's, but was still reddish brown.

Yet what was most noticeable was the person's eyes.

Enraged, confident, brown eyes.

Holly shook her head slightly as she finally came to a realization.

This wasn't Azure.

This was his father, Blue.

A former Champion of Kanto…

Feared and respected by many…

Perhaps even by Kristine herself…

And now…

He was standing on the beach, seemly waiting for them.

Was he there to talk?

To fight, after what nearly happened to Azure?

To unleash some dirty tactics after what he had seen at the battle outside Saffron?

Holly didn't know, but she did understand she couldn't take Blue lightly.

He might be another corrupt ally of the League, but he was one of the strongest.

Holly completely understood why Kristine didn't want her to rush in recklessly.

Yet still her eyes narrowed.

Powerful or not, she still couldn't let Blue do as he pleased!

But before Holly could even move, Blue started to speak.

He swept his gaze over both of them, a calm but cold fury in his voice.

"So you've finally made it. Seems Sabrina couldn't stop you, but considering everything, I'm not surprised.

Kristine quickly step forward, eyes cold as ice.

She held her own tranquil fury as she spoke.

"It is surprising to find a dirty traitor out here."

Blue's eyes narrowed, focusing on Kristine.

He seemed unperturbed, but there was still no mistaking his hidden rage.

"I'm not the traitor here. Not after everything you and that little brat did."

Holly gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

How dare Blue call her a brat when he was the cause of so many problems?

Holly stepped up, yelling.

"You became a traitor when you sided with that treacherous Mold Breaker!"

Holly thought that the insult would make Blue give ground.

However, his eyes became harder than stone.

"Thank your lucky stars the Mold Breaker was there. She took care of Team Rocket at Silph. They're really smarting after that loss, so they won't be back."

Holly's own eyes hardened as she snarled.

"How dare you put the Mold Breaker up on a pedestal! She's nothing more than a nameless rouge!"

Kristine's eyes held their own tranquil fury, and her voice was as cold as ice as she spoke.

"You're one of the reasons they were at Silph in the first place. After all, you're one of the supporters of the wretched League that lets Team Rocket run free."

Holly nodded.

Kristine was right as usual!

With that, she yelled her agreement.

"If you and the League had taken even the slightest step to stop Team Rocket, the attack at Silph never would've happened!"

Holly resisted the urge to smirk.

That would show him!

Blue was sure to back off now!

Yet the powerful Trainer only closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I should have known this would happen."

He suddenly popped them open again, glaring straight at Kristine.

His voice was graver than Holly thought anyone's could ever be.

"Of course the one who brought Team Rocket back wouldn't care."

Holly's eyes suddenly went wide.

What was Blue talking about?

Yet, Holly's surprise was immediately replaced by unquenchable rage.

It didn't matter what Blue was talking about!

It was just more filth spewed by the League!

"Stop spreading lies!" Holly screeched.

Blue ignored her, continuing the plans at Kristine.

"I'm not lying. Right, Kris?"

Holly gritted her teeth as she glanced at the disabled Trainer.

Surely Kristine would fire a retort!

Yet the disabled Trainer only stood silently, neither refuting nor confirming Blue's claims.

Blue nodded coldly.

"Fine, then. I suppose I will be the one giving the history lesson today."

Holly threw up her hands. "History lesson? You're no one's teacher! You're _nothing!"_

Yet Blue ignored Holly again, only taking a deep breath before he spoke.

"It was seven years ago, in Johto's City of Goldenrod. There was a Radio Tower, and it was the most important buildings in the city. So important, that Team Rocket decided to take it over."

Holly clenched her fist, but didn't dare speak.

She had never heard of a Team Rocket takeover, so it all had to be a lie!

Besides, Molly Hale never mentioned anything like that, and she lived near Goldenrod!

Well, Molly Hale wasn't exactly on their side now, but she would have said something before everything happened…

And even if what Blue said was true, the city was apparently fine now, and Team Rocket got whatever came to them!

There was no point in Blue talking about this!

Yet the powerful Trainer only continued.

"The attack was brutal, and it attracted the attention of every authority in the city. It took a while for them to mobilize, but when they did, they brought their best. Cops eventually surrounded the place, and I even heard the Gym Leader Whitney came to personally lend her assistance. Yet even though the Goldenrod authorities knew about the attack, there was one thing they didn't know."

Holly snorted.

"Their own incompetence and stupidity?"

Blue's eyes remained hard as he continued.

"There was a vigilante already inside of the building, destroying as many Rockets as possible. This vigilante was apparently hell-bent on defeating Archer, the one who orchestrated the takeover. When the vigilante finally got to Archer, the fight was over faster than anyone could track."

This time, Holly couldn't help shouting.

"Well, at least _someone's_ doing their job!"

Holly kept her eyes narrowed.

Perhaps Blue would finally admit to the League's incompetence!

Yet the powerful Trainer only shook his head again.

"I suppose you expect me to say that the vigilante was the hero of the day, turning Archer in to the police outside and ending the invasion at last. But that's not what happened."

The powerful Trainer paused for what seemed like an eternity before speaking again.

"Bringing Archer down in battle wasn't enough. No, the only thing that mattered to the vigilante was killing him. And with no one around to stop the act, the murder was successful."

Holly could feel herself being engulfed with rage.

How dare someone called a person who killed a Team Rocket member a murderer when the evil team had taken the lives of so many others!

How much more backwards could things get?

She screamed. "Anyone who kills a member of Team Rocket is no murderer! Every last Team Rocket member deserves to die!"

Blue held a fierce glare, fiercer than anything Holly had ever seen.

She forced herself not to shrink back, as Blue's voice took on a low growl.

"It was very much a murder, because Archer wasn't the only fatality that day. No, killing Archer just wasn't enough. Because after the vigilante was done with him… The person set the building ablaze."

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her.

Surely Blue must be making all everything up! After all, Kristine and Holly couldn't trust any member of the League, no matter how strong they were!

And if the attack was that bad, Holly would've heard something about it!

The entire world would've!

So far there was nothing, so it couldn't have happened!

Yet Holly could do nothing but listen as Blue continued his tale.

"Countless Rockets perished in the flames, but many more innocent civilians lost their lives. And the damage wasn't just in the building, either. The authorities had no idea that was going to happen, so they were completely unprepared. Many of them were injured, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them died. The vigilante escaped, but it took a long time to finally put out the fire. When the fire was finally extinguished, the building was little more than ruins. But even after the blaze was taken care of, no one could start repairs. The building was haunted by the restless dead, and normal people couldn't get near it. A lot of spirit speakers were called in to deal with the issue. They were eventually able to resolve it, but I heard it took a long time. And I also heard the spirit speakers did not walk away unscathed. Even dead, the Rockets damaged people… Perhaps they wanted one last chance to inflict pain…"

Holly stomped her foot, fury boiling within her.

She'd heard enough of this nonsense!

Holly threw her up hands, rage overflowing as it burned in her eyes.

"That's ridiculous! It's probably not even real! Even if it was, no Trainer would do something like that! There'd just be no reason!"

Blue's eyes remained hard and his voice did not waver.

"There was for this person. Apparently, the vigilante lost a Pokémon to Team Rocket shortly before this happened. Supposedly, Archer was in charge of that operation, too. So the vigilante was driven by revenge, and sought to end Archer's life. No matter who got hurt in the crossfire."

Holly screamed back at the top of her lungs.

"Oh yeah? I bet that vigilante doesn't even exist! After all, you haven't even told us anything about this person!"

Blue did not flinch as he replied gravely.

"That's because there's not much known about the person. However, there are rumors… And one of the rumors is that the vigilante's name… is Kristine."

Kristine suddenly stiffened at the mention of her name. The disabled Trainer had been silent throughout Blue's entire story, but now she cast a glare harsher than anything Holly had ever seen.

Holly flashed the same glare, thrusting her fists out in front of her.

What Blue said couldn't be true!

A virtuous Trainer like Kristine would never do something like that!

And it was all based on rumors, so people probably got things wrong!

Besides, even if the Trainer had the same name as Kristine, it didn't mean that they were the same person!

Countless other people could have the same name!

And yet…

What Blue said made an eerie sort of sense…

A chorus of voices rang in Holly's head as her mind whisked her back to the past.

" _I have hurt many. Killed many. I've seen countless innocents die. If you knew what I did, you would probably have_ _me_ _in a jail cell."_

The situation with Archer… Was _that_ what Kristine was referring to?

Holly shook her head.

No, it couldn't be.

Kristine was taking down a hardened criminal, and Anabel said her efforts had helped the League!

So it would make no sense for the disabled Trainer to be thrown in jail alongside them!

And yet…

Holly could recall Malva's words.

" _You know, Kris, I have no idea how you have a clean record, with all that you've done."_

And then there was what the Mold Breaker had said…

" _There are no records, no true stories, nothing… Because you died so young… People are convinced you are honest because almost all of your dishonest acts took place after you died."_

As soon as Holly flashbacked, her face twisted into a scowl.

Malva, the Mold Breaker, even Blue… They were just deceitful traitors! Holly knew better than to listen to them!

But she couldn't forget that time in Celadon, alone with Kristine…

" _Many of the vigilantes were injured. Some of them even died. Yet the League and the officers that came later only called us stupid kids… That we should stayed in safety while they fought the Rockets... Never mind that we were fighting because the League didn't do much about the Rockets… We were trying to save the League from their own incompetence. We were fighting for the sake of the entire region, but the League didn't even acknowledge us…"_

" _That's why I fight against all evil teams. Team Rocket destroyed Levi's life that day, and they destroyed the lives of several innocent Trainers. I will never forgive them. Never. I have to continue stop them, to ensure that what happened to Levi and those other vigilantes doesn't happen again._

 _Of course, I can't forgive the League either. People and Pokémon died, and they just swept it under the rug… Because they didn't want to admit their own complacency… That's why I cannot ally with them, even though I fight to protect them sometimes… In the end, I must expose all the wrongs they've committed, even if it comes to blood…"_

Even if Blue was making things up, there was no denying that Kristine's story matched up with what he said…

But even then…

There were still some fatal flaws.

And a way to disprove what Blue had said.

Holly started to step forward, but stopped as soon as she saw Kristine.

The disabled Trainer's narrowed eyes continued glaring as they kept focusing on Blue.

Her response came out as a low growl, voice so icy it sounded as though the disabled Trainer could freeze everything.

"There's no proof that I'm the one behind what happened in Goldenrod."

Blue simply threw up his hands, although his voice remained even.

"The proof is that Team Rocket is back, Kris."

Holly finally stepped up, voice trembling with rage.

"What you're saying is absurd! The death of one Rocket member isn't enough to bring the whole team back!"

Blue didn't even flinch at the insult.

"But it is, and it was. Archer was one of the highest-ranking Team Rocket members at the time of his death. Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni, secretly chose Archer to lead the organization in his place. At that time, Giovanni had been forced into exile and pursued solitary training. He hoped to bring the organization back, all the while leaving its remains to someone he trusted. Giovanni got to do the former when Archer died. Archer was not only a high-ranking member of Team Rocket, but also an incredible battler. So of course Giovanni became suspicious that Archer was so easily killed by a nameless vigilante. So he brought Team Rocket back in full force, planning to pursue the one that destroyed his second-in-command, and conquer the regions."

Holly shook her head.

The League had defeated Giovanni once! They could simply do it again!

Blue was just making excuses for them!

Holly's face twisted into a scowl.

"The League has already destroyed Team Rocket once! They can just do the same as the last time!"

Blue shook his head.

"No, they can't. Giovanni has been in hiding for so long that the League is unprepared for many of these tactics. And with Archer monitoring everything before that, Giovanni knows all of theirs. And after so brutal a strike against him, he's willing to be just as dangerous. Besides, Giovanni isn't the only one enraged at what happened."

Holly snarled. "That's glaringly obvious! Tell me something I don't know!"

Blue once again ignored Holly, expression cold as he continued speaking.

"After Archer died, Giovanni selected a new second-in-command. That person leads a force that terrorizes Kanto, while Giovanni uses his own forces to handle matters outside of it. The new second-in-command's name is Ariana, and she is the widow of Archer."

Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide at Blue's words.

Ariana was the woman she and Kristine had met at the Safari Zone and Silph!

The one that caused untold destruction and endangered many people!

It seemed impossible that anyone would want to marry her!

Holly resisted the urge to shudder as she recalled what Kristine had said to the redhaired Rocket.

" _Team Rocket wasn't strong enough to defend their territory, so they have no right keep it. That goes for you keeping him, too."_

Ariana had become beyond enraged after that, and was on the verge of attacking…

Was that because "him" referred to Archer?

But wouldn't that mean…

Holly rapidly shook her head.

She couldn't believe the League's lies!

Archer's death was something that had shaken all of the regions!

It wasn't that far-fetched that others would've heard about it, especially in the case of someone as well traveled as Kristine!

Holly focused back on the present as Blue began speaking again.

"Ariana is renowned for her prowess and cruelty. Driven by revenge, she became more brutal than any Rocket before had ever been. Despite all its power, the League still has trouble with her. Even though the Mold Breaker's last attack took out some of Ariana's underlings, she still managed to retreat… It just goes to show how powerful Ariana is."

Holly thrust out her fists. "So the Mold Breaker is so weak she can't even win a single battle against Team Rocket! And yet you still worship that wretched excuse of a Trainer!"

She tried to be deep breath as a realization dawned on her.

Holly resisted from giving Blue a smirk as she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"You know what? I bet, with all her powers, the Mold Breaker would've easily killed Archer too! Even if it meant the Radio Tower's destruction!"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The name of this chapter comes from a song from Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns. It's a somber tune that first plays near the beginning of the game. The main protagonist, Lightning, is now hailed as a savior after surviving the events of the previous two Final Fantasy XIII games. Being one of the few survivors of both games and almost the only person that can fight back against the evil seemingly plaguing the world, she sets off to save it. Thus, she is known as The Savior throughout the game. However, not everyone agrees with Lightning's ideas. This track starts playing when Lightning realizes just how grim things are, with her enemies killing anyone who even looks like her. Thus, to them, she is, fitting for the track's name, an evil savior. Given what Kristine has supposedly done, how Holly and Kristine view Blue, and the overall somber and serious topics brought up in the conversation, I thought a reference to this track was appropriate.**

 **-So Blue makes another appearance here! He shows up in many games in the series, and thus has many different looks. His characteristics here come from the Alola games. Like Red and Ash, Blue has an anime counterpart. This counterpart is called Gary, and has his set of characteristics. However, unlike Ash and Red, Gary and Blue are similar enough to be the same character, so Traveler series treats them as such.**

 **Blue's appearance here is based off one of his encounters in the Johto games. The player first finds him ruminating on Cinnabar. Except Cinnabar itself is gone, destroyed by a volcano, with only a small patch of land and a Pokémon Center standing. Though the Gym Leader Blaine managed to escape and set himself and his Trainers up in the nearby Seafoam Islands, he still misses his home. It's not known what happened to anyone else, but the damage was catastrophic. Thus, Blue gives a solemn speech about how they can go on battling, winning and losing, yet nature can wipe people and places out effortlessly with no way for anyone to fight back. If the player has collected every Badge except for Blue's at this point, he will return to Viridian, and can be challenged for the final Badge. If the player doesn't have the required badges, he will tell the player to get the other ones, and then talk to him again once they have done so.**

 **-So the Mold Breaker destroys Team Rocket, at least enough so that they'll retreat. This destruction was actually one of the reasons I chose to have her use her Angel abilities earlier on. I wanted to have Team Rocket leave the main plot, as they were not the focal villains of this story and it wasn't too much left to do with them directly. However, I didn't want to just have them quietly drop out of the plot, as they were a huge part of the background of said story, and the series overall. They were also established as a competent force, so I could not see them being defeated too easily or just simply choosing not to attack for the rest of the story. So having the Mold Breaker use her powers to do a lot of damage to Team Rocket, and forced them to back off long enough to recover, was a believable reason why they would leave the main plot. Ariana surviving the attack and seemingly escaping damage allowed me to do more with them in other stories.**

 **-The attack on Goldenrod that Blue describes is inspired by something that happens in the games. After the player receives their seventh Badge, they receive news that the radio broadcasts are malfunctioning and talking about Team Rocket. If the player attempts to listen to the radio at this time, no regular programs will play, and the radio will continuously talk about Team Rocket. If the player heads to Goldenrod, they will find the city occupied by Team Rocket. They have taken over the Radio Tower, in homes of bringing back their boss, Giovanni, from his solo training. The player must then storm the Radio Tower and surrounding areas in order to bring Team Rocket down. Archer is the leader of the operation, and is the last person the player must fight. After he is defeated, things return to normal in Goldenrod.**

 **-Except Traveler has a much darker take on the events.**

 **-In the games, the Radio Tower segment comes almost as soon as the clash at the Team Rocket hideout is completed.**

 **Which means the player is still smarting from the previous attack by the time the new one starts. Granted, there is no permanent damage in the games, and whatever damage player does take is healed.**

 **Traveler has a more realistic idea, where there** _ **is**_ **permanent damage.**

 **Combine that with a setting where vigilantes, usually young children, can effectively run around doing whatever they want, and needing to kill an enemy to survive, and the result is what happens in the Radio Tower.**

 **Interestingly, the death of Archer in the Radio Tower was one of the first parts of Kristine's past and character that I thought of. Her grudge, the death of Levi, and her ruthless behavior around Team Rocket fell into place after that. I wanted to try and show what would really happen if someone was confronted with a hated enemy after a long and dangerous journey and battles against an enemy, especially since there was at least one death. It was also an experiment with the idea of what a player character might do if they weren't bound by the restrictions of the game, and would just allowed to let their anger and power go wild on a defenseless, criminal, opponent. Needless to say, the results are devastating.**

 **As for why I had the building be burnt down, there were several reasons. One was that I thought about having Archer be the one burnt to death, and having the killer want to destroy the evidence. While I'm still deciding whether Archer will die from fire, the idea of destroying evidence still remains. Later on, I decided that the fire would do a lot of collateral damage, so was the perfect thing to use for the Radio Tower attack. My final and main reason for using fire was that I thought it wouldn't be as gruesome as other types of deaths. I found out much later that it wasn't necessarily the case, but decided to continue using it for what happened anyway due the other reasons.**

 **-In the games, no one comes to save the Radio Tower other than the player, but the decision for others to come is loosely based off of them. In Traveler, with its darker setting, I figured the police would be much more active than they are in the games. So it would make sense for them to come almost as soon as Team Rocket attacked. Whitney's appearance** _ **is**_ **slightly based off of the games. When first encountered in the Johto remakes, she is taking a quiz in the Radio Tower. After the player takes the same quiz, Whitney heads back to her Gym. Inspired by the scene and the fact that a Gym's Leader duty is to protect their city, I thought it would be appropriate that she would appear when the Radio Tower was attacked. It's worth noting that in a lot of unofficial and fan media, Whitney is depicted as weak. However, she's actually one of the most** _ **infamously**_ **strong Gym Leaders** _ **in the entire series.**_ **Therefore, she is depicted as strong enough to hold her own in this one.**

 **-The story of the Radio Tower burning down was originally supposed to be quite different. In the original version, only Archer and his cronies were injured. This was changed for a few reasons. One of those them was that having only Archer and his supporters get injured and would make the attack on the Radio Tower a** _ **positive**_ **thing (as Kristine will be taken down a dangerous criminal no matter what situation she was in). I wanted to show off the attack as negative to emphasize the issues in the Pokémon world, and the idea of unintended consequences. Furthermore, something as devastating and wide ranging as fire could easily do a lot of collateral damage if left unchecked. To make matters worse, in the games, it is shown that many radio hosts and other civilians are trapped in the tower. So if the tower goes down, many of those civilians have a very good chance of going down with it. Who exactly will die in the attack on the Radio Tower, or if there are any major characters other than Archer dying is unknown at this time.**

 **One of the other major changes was that in the original version, Kristine was genuinely remorseful for what happened, and it was one of the things she strove to atone for. It was unknown when the Radio Tower incident would have been revealed in the original draft, but it almost certainly would have been in a different context than when it is revealed here. As Kristine's character developed, the original scene was no longer appropriate, so it became what it is in this version.**

 **-The return of Team Rocket is slightly inspired by what happens in the games. After Giovanni is defeated in the Kanto games, he retreats into exile and trains to better himself. During this time, his followers work to resurrect Team Rocket under Archer's command. Eventually they use the Radio Tower to broadcast a signal to drive Pokémon insane and hopefully bring Giovanni back. It's revealed an optional event in the Johto remakes that Giovanni does receive the signals from the Radio Tower, and is going to head out to join those in Goldenrod. However, the player can use the legendary Pokémon Celebi to intercept and stop him. However, they must fight Giovanni with Celebi alone. If Giovanni is defeated in the ensuing battle, he simply leaves without joining his team.**

 **In the games, Archer survives the encounters at the Radio Tower no matter what. However, since Archer is Giovanni second-in-command, I figured his death would attract Giovanni's attention immediately. Therefore, it would make sense for them to resurrect to market regardless of how powerful the adversaries are that stand in his way. Especially if only a single person was responsible, like the player is in the actual Radio Tower segment.**

 **-Ariana being Archer's widow is based on my own interpretations. It's not none of Ariana is married in canon material. However, common fan interpretations often pair her with Giovanni (although the two are not necessarily married, or stated to be). She then becomes the mother of Silver, which he may or may not know. This interpretation comes from the fact that Ariana's name actually means silver, she and the character Silver are similar in looks, and she is powerful and works in the same organization as Giovanni. However, this Traveler has a different interpretation about Silver and Giovanni, Ariana is instead paired with Archer. It's unknown how close the two are in the games, but they are both powerful in battle and sometimes working together. Being Archer's widow would also give Ariana reason to go after Kristine, and the region at large. Thus, it made sense to pair the two together.**


	97. Parallel

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

97\. Parallel

After the words left her mouth, Holly could no longer hide her smirk.

That would show Blue!

The Mold Breaker may be making herself _look_ heroic, but in reality she was cruel like the rogue she was!

There was no way Blue could deny that, not after everything that happened!

Yet Blue didn't even flinch at Holly's remark.

Instead, his voice became dangerously low and his gaze became so cold he looked like he could freeze the world over.

"You know, she came from a place where the Radio Tower fell too. And she lost a beloved Pokémon to Team Rocket. However, the Mold Breaker recognized what would've happened if she acted on revenge. Thus, she was not responsible for the Radio Tower's destruction, and even tried to stop the one who did the deed. For many years, she couldn't prove who really burned down the tower, and lived for years with the rumor that the criminal was her. The true wrongdoer eventually paid the ultimate price, so in the end, living honestly paid off."

Before Blue could speak anymore, Holly screamed.

"That sounds like some sort of fairytale that's too good to be true! Besides, how could someone like that horrible Mold Breaker live honestly?"

Before Blue could respond, Kristine stepped up.

Her eyes were hard as she finally broke her silence.

"The fact that those who take on criminals are then labeled criminals themselves shows what's wrong with the system."

Blue narrowed his eyes, continuing in his dangerously low tone.

"A felony is a felony, Kris. No matter what system there is, if the law doesn't back anyone up, an eye for an eye never works."

Blue paused, his voice becoming even colder as he glared at Kristine.

"But I don't think you would understand that, not after what you did to me."

At Blue's statement, Holly's own eyes blazed with fury.

If Kristine did anything to Blue, it was only because he deserved it!

Holly stepped forward, prepared to rush to Kristine's defense.

Yet before Holly could even open her mouth, Blue hurled more accusations.

"What made you think it was okay to run around with those uncontrolled powers? And when is it acceptable to unleash them every time you get upset about something? I still have the scars from all the wounds you gave me, Kris! I will always have them!"

Holly tried not to let their eyes go wide as her thoughts turned to the past.

" _That's not fair! Treating her like a prisoner, just because she didn't want to use a power! She didn't mean to do what she did!"_

" _It doesn't matter what she meant to do. Someone with uncontrolled power cannot be allowed to roam free."_

Molly Hale had talked about people with uncontrolled powers when Kristine had first unleashed hers in Lavender…

At the time, Holly had dismissed the psychic's words as crazy ramblings…

But now…

Did situations like Blue's prove Molly Hale's point?

And then there was what Blue himself had said to Kristine at Saffron…

" _I don't believe anything you have to say! Not after you nearly hurt my son! Not after you hurt me!"_

It was obvious Blue was referring to what happened in Lavender when he spoke of Kristine nearly hurting Azure…

But when he spoke of Kristine hurting him…

Was he also referring to the uncontrolled powers Kristine had?

Was he referring to what he spoke of now?

And if he was…

Was _that_ why Kristine had been afraid of him?

Afraid that he would expose her secret?

Afraid that he would get her locked up?

Afraid that he would get some sort of revenge?

A glare made its way onto Holly's face as she shook her head furiously.

Blue was just another corrupt Trainer brainwashed by the league!

Everywhere that came out of his mouth was false!

Holly stepped forward to fire a retort, but Kristine spoke first.

The disabled Trainer's voice could rival eyes as she stared straight at Blue.

"Pity you have no proof that that actually happened."

Blue immediately snarled.

"I have proof of the other injuries, Kris! The ones from 10 years ago!"

Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide.

What was Blue talking about?

As far as Holly was aware, nothing happened 10 years ago! And even if something did, Blue was such a famous Trainer that Holly would have heard about it!

Probably, the _entire world_ would have!

So this must've been just another lie!

Holly watched as Kristine took another step forward, eyes boring into Blue.

She spoke in a tone that suggested nothing more than mild amusement, but Holly could hear the tranquil fury bubbling beneath.

"Oh? Tell me what you mean by that, then."

There was no mistaking the fury on Blue's face as he threw up his hands and screeched.

"You know what I mean, Kris! Red and I nearly lost our lives that day! And it's because of those injuries that I can't battle at the level I was ever again! And Red… He's just a shell of who he once was… Thanks to what happened, he'll never recover!"

Holly clenched her fists.

Enough was enough!

Holly took a deep breath, yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Spare us your sob stories! Especially since it doesn't have anything to do with Kris!"

Blue did not give ground as he continued. "Kris was in the area. She could have helped out. This has everything to do with her."

Kristine's voice kept its hidden fury as she responded.

"I wasn't even officially on my journey yet. So I don't think I could've been much help at all. And with a battle so vicious, I doubt one more person would've made a difference."

Holly couldn't resist adding. "Forcing Trainers into their schemes before they even start to travel? How low can the League sink?"

Blue continued to stare straight at Kristine, ignoring Holly's remark.

This time, Blue didn't make any attempt to conceal his rage as he yelled.

"It would have been _something,_ Kris! You might not have gone on your journey, but you were still a skilled Trainer. And you already had years more experience with Pokémon than most that _are_ on their journeys. You could have helped if you'd tried!"

Holly stepped up, fixing Blue with a scowl.

"Why does that matter now? Both you and Red survived."

Blues face hardened, and his hand clenched into a fist.

"If it wasn't for Domino and her Pokémon Ranger friends, Cullen and Luna, Red and I would have never made it out alive."

Holly wasn't about to let Blue continued as she snapped.

"Domino? Who that names their kid after a board game?"

Blue shook his head. "No one. Domino is really just a codename, and her real name is Rachel. However, some people call their Domino regardless, and she never corrects them. Nevertheless, she is a high-ranking League official, and often fights evil organizations like Team Rocket from within. Domino is also one of League's strongest fighters, so it's thanks to her that I'm here talking to you."

Holly's face twisted into the fiercest scowl she could muster.

No matter who this Domino really was, as a League official, she had to be taken down!

It didn't matter how strong she was, because with all the plans Holly and Kristine had, Domino wouldn't stand a chance!

No one supporting the League would stand _any_ chance!

Yet Holly knew she couldn't let herself be distracted by a future that hadn't yet come.

So instead, she focused on the present.

Kristine held a hard, narrowed, gaze in her eyes as she faced Blue. Though she spoke calmly, her words betrayed her fury.

"Regardless, you got what was coming to you, with the suffering you put me through. Be thankful that you've not been disgraced."

At this, Holly couldn't help shouting.

"When we are through with you and the rest of the League, you will be!"

Yet Blue did not even flinch, instead staring straight at Kristine with a cold confidence in his eyes.

"Despite your disability and giftedness, you only wanted to be treated like everyone else, Kris. So that's exactly what I did. I trained you no differently than anyone else that chose to become my student."

Kristine made no attempt to hide her the rage blazing in her eyes as she snarled.

"By putting me through hell?"

Blue remain unfazed as he hissed back. "You already belong there."

Holly's feet slammed against the ground as she took another step forward productively.

She wouldn't let this madman demean Kris any longer!

She screeched at the top of her lungs. "Kris doesn't belong in hell, you do!"

Yet Blue didn't seem to pay any attention to Holly's insult.

Instead, he swept a chilling gaze over them both.

A grave tone entered his voice, combined with a coldness Holly didn't think was even possible.

"You're as cruel as ever, Kris, and now you've taught a child cruelty. To think that you would do something so diabolical…"

Blue paused, as if slowly the considering his next words.

Holly prepared to fire back a retort, but Blue spoke before she could even open her mouth.

"I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. That cruelty is why things turned out the way they did, years ago."

Holly clenched her fist.

Now she _had_ to retaliate!

Holly had to defend Kristine from Blue's repeated attacks!

Yet Blue didn't give Holly chance to strike as he continued addressing Kristine.

"After you hurt me, all you had to do play the victim, and come crying to Red. He took you in without question. But having you around didn't change the fact that Red was shy, restless, and insecure. That all made him soft, so he let you get away with things. But I suppose that's what you wanted all along."

Holly gritted her teeth at the words, but tried not to let her eyes go wide.

Kristine was a student of Red and Blue, two of the most well-known and powerful Trainers in Kanto!

No, they were two of the most well-known and powerful Trainers _in the world!_

That would certainly explain why Kristine was so good at battling!

Surprise flooded Holly, and she wondered why Kristine hadn't brought it up earlier.

Perhaps the disabled Trainer just didn't want to brag.

But judging by the conversation now, Kristine's relationship with Red and Blue had been rocky.

So perhaps Kristine didn't want to bring up bad memories.

It would make sense either way, Holly figured.

But still…

There was one thing that didn't.

Holly may not have known Red and Blue personally, but she had heard the tales about them.

That the two had a fierce rivalry, but an even fiercer loyalty as childhood friends.

So why was Blue speaking about Red so negatively?

Wouldn't he always rush to defend him?

But if Holly thought the behavior was old, it probably looked even odder to Kristine.

That must've been the case, because there was no mistaking the venom in the disabled Trainer's voice as she retaliated.

"First you insult me, and now Red as well? Have you no shame?"

Blue only glared straight back as he replied stoically. "I should be asking you that question, considering you killed your own Pokémon."

Holly couldn't stop herself from throwing up her hands.

That was absurd!

A great Trainer like Kristine would never kill her own Pokémon!

She wouldn't have the spotless record that she did otherwise!

Yet Blue suddenly didn't think so as he continued with his latent fury.

"That poor Mightyena, Cheyenne… You worked that Pokémon to death, Kris. There's no denying that. As an experienced Trainer who had a history of overworking Pokémon, you should have been charged. Yet all you had to was put on a sad act, and everyone believed it. I know because I was there, but by the time I arrived that Pokémon was already dead."

Holly clenched her fist so hard she could see her knuckles turning white.

Yet Blue was no longer on her mind as she remembered the past.

" _The way Pokémon exhaustion is handled depends mainly on the Trainer. If the Trainer shows adequate concern, take the appropriate actions, and is shown not to have done so out of malice, then no charges are pressed."_

Anabel had said that when she was talking to Holly about the circumstances behind Cheyenne's death. The betrayer had mentioned she couldn't start a case against Kristine either, because of the way laws were made.

And Holly could never forget her own blazing rage when she first learned about the rules.

It seemed as though Kristine had gotten away with killing a Pokémon, however accidental, when Holly had received the harshest of punishments when she nearly killed her then-Nidoran.

Anabel had talked about the two incidents as though they were different somehow, almost as though she tried to justify Kristine's actions.

But in reality, they were the same.

One Trainer nearly killing their own Pokémon, and the other succeeding…

Both of them only being able to continue their journeys because they seemed to regret happened…

Well, Holly knew her regret was sincere, after seeing the powerful Pokémon Nidoran had become…

And considering Kristine was an honest and powerful Trainer, Holly didn't doubt the disabled Trainer's regrets were sincere too.

As one of Kristine's former teachers, Blue should have understood that!

The fact that he couldn't showed just how brainwashed he was!

And besides, an accident was an accident!

Should a simple mistake doom a Trainer for the rest of their lives?

Blue seemed to think so, and that was just madness!

Yet there was one other thing that was completely senseless.

Holly thrust her fists out, letting her voice rang through the air as she brought the issue to the forefront.

"The Mold Breaker did the same thing, and everyone treats her like a hero! She admitted her crime in front of Saffron's Gym, when she told me her Mightyena named Cheyenne died in a training accident!"

Kristine nodded when Holly finished, and Holly guess the disabled Trainer was thinking the same thing.

With all the insults lobbed against her, she had to be.

But now the two of them had turned the tide, and Holly smirked as she glanced back at Blue.

There was no way he could deny what she just said!

Yet Blue only frowned and narrowed his eyes.

His words came out stoic and strong.

"The Mold Breaker never told you what _type_ of training accident, did she?"

Kristine responded with a snarl.

"So?"

Blues eyes held an icy gaze as he glanced at the disabled Trainer.

"From what she told me, it was nothing like what happened to you. The Mold Breaker was training against wild Pokémon, but unexpectedly got to close to a nest. The wild Pokémon rapidly attacked her. She managed to get away despite being injured, but her Pokémon was not so lucky."

Blue paused, taking a deep breath before speaking again.

"It was truly an accident that could have happened to anyone. Therefore, the Mold Breaker was not charged. Apparently, it took her years to get over her grief. If she even _is_ over it."

Holly angrily stomped her foot on the ground as she yelled back.

"The Mold Breaker is just a horrible person that kills for no reason! Trainers like her will pay for their terrible acts!"

Once again, Kristine nodded as soon as Holly finished.

Holly resisted the urge to smile.

Of course the disabled Trainer would always support her!

With Kristine around, even those as powerful as Blue stood no chance!

Yet if Blue thought his situation was hopeless, he did not show it.

Instead, he narrowed his eyes, speaking without hesitation.

"As terrible as claiming another's victory for yourself?"

At this point, Kristine stiffened.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Holly drove her hands, screaming.

"What?"

Cold stoicism still was present in Blue's eyes as he replied.

"I heard about what happened with Lieutenant Surge, Kris. You should be ashamed that you fought Holly's battle for her without being given anyone's permission. Worse yet, you let Holly believe she earned the Badge and the win. All because you lost that Alolan Raichu, Bernice, years ago."

Holly's mind rushed to the past, the Vermillion Gym battle flooding her mind as though it had just taken place. Lieutenant Surge's voice echoed in her head.

" _If you gave her the power to win, is that Holly's victory, or yours?"_

Holly clenched her fist at the memory.

Of course it was her victory! She was the one who fought the battle! Kristine it simply chosen to help out beforehand!

Surge and Blue were both wrong!

Yet as soon as the thoughts entered Holly's head, another set took their place.

" _Tell me this is isn't about what happened before. Years ago, when you lost that Pokémon in the Gym…"_

" _What happened then has nothing to do with the battle now. I only wanted Holly to get stronger."_

Kristine had answered Surge back then with utmost confidence.

But was she putting on a brave face, or lying through her teeth?

It must have been the former!

Kristine would never lie!

Yet Holly knew focusing on Vermillion would not help her, so she let herself return to the present.

Kristine only glared stoically back at Blue.

"It was only fitting that Surge got thrashed after he took Bernice's life."

Blue spoke sternly as he responded.

"The death of your Raichu was your fault, Kris, not Surge's. It was your responsibility to recall that Pokémon, to make sure she didn't rush into the field of battle when she was already injured. Surge tried to hold her back, Kris, but your Pokémon kept coming. He had no choice but to try and subdue her, but because of that, the Raichu died."

Blue's eyes held not even the faintest shred of mercy as he spoke.

"Bernice's blood is on your hands, Kris. But of course, all you had to do was pretend you were honest, and you were never charged."

Kristine made no attempt to hide her rage as the pitch of her voice rose.

"How dare you speak to me that way!"

Holly could hear her own rage coming through as she chimed in.

"The heartless Mold Breaker probably did the same thing!"

Blue only shook his head.

"The Mold Breaker greatly respects Surge, and her own Raichu died protecting him. He even considered it a worthy death. Unlike anything you did, Kris."

Holly's face twisted into a scowl.

This _had_ to stop!

Yet Kristine stepped forward first.

Rage burned in her eyes, and her voice took on a tone more terrifying than Holly ever thought possible.

"Blue, if you dare insult me further, I will not hesitate…"

On an unspoken cue, Mickey appeared.

Holly was expecting Kristine Hoopa's normally silly grin and playful demeanor.

Yet there was nothing playful or silly about Mickey now.

Instead, his face was twisted into an enraged scowl, his piercing gaze boring into Blue.

Holly shuddered.

She had never seen Mickey fight, but she didn't dare underestimate the power of a god.

What would Kristine do with that power?

Holly didn't get an answer to that question, as Blue simply sneered.

"You'll do what? Attack me with the god you enslaved? You're just spoiled, Kris! Using the Master Ball your father gave you, without putting any effort into earning such a valuable item! That Pokémon didn't even want to come with you, yet you forced it along anyway!"

Kristine's face grew red with fury, and her enraged screech was so loud Holly wanted to cover her ears.

"Don't even mention that man's name! He is no longer my father! Either way, bringing the Master Ball to me was his choice! It's not my fault that he didn't know anything about Pokémon, and only about materialism!"

Blue rapidly readied his response.

"And yet you don't appreciate him at all! He may not be the best person, but don't you realize he still loves you?"

There was no mistaking the fiery fury in Kristine's eyes and she shot Blue a fierce death glare.

The disabled Trainer hissed.

"What happens with my family is no concern of yours."

Holly could not help shuddering.

Back in Lavender, Kristine had wanted her father dead…

And later on, Holly had found out he had done plenty to merit the intense hatred…

Leaving his family destitute while he had his affair…

The whole thing leaving Kristine distrustful and angry towards her remaining family…

And yet…

He had given her the Master Ball, a device that could capture any Pokémon…

And Kristine used it to catch Mickey, who became one of her most loyal and competent service Pokémon…

Perhaps one of her most powerful Pokémon overall…

And without Mickey, Kristine would never be able to function the way she currently was…

So perhaps that was also thanks to her father…

But Kristine had described him as only a selfish, shallow, person…

So what had prompted him to give Kristine the Master Ball?

And what had prompted Kristine to happily receive the gift?

Did the whole thing happen before everything took a turn for the worse?

Was Kristine's father different back then, and what was her relationship with him like?

Holly supposed she would never know.

Kristine didn't seem intent on talking about her family, and the disabled Trainer wasn't one to divulge secrets easily.

Holly was drawn back to the present as Mickey floated forward. Kristine's Hoopa's eyes held a menacing gaze. The legendary Pokémon intimidatingly bared its teeth at Blue, while brandishing its gleaming yellow rings in front of it.

Holly couldn't help shuddering again.

Would Mickey attack right now?

It certainly looked like it would.

And if it did, what would happen to Blue?

Yet Blue only scoffed, and Kristine's Hoopa halted across from him.

Holly thought Mickey was waiting for a command, but Blue spoke first.

Hoopa is naturally friendly with and curious about humans. Why couldn't you have bonded with it through that, Kris? After all, that's what the Mold Breaker did."

Holly gritted her teeth.

She didn't want to hear any more about the wretched Mold Breaker!

Yet Kristine stared straight at Blue, her voice dropping to a chilling tone.

"How so?"

Blue did not hesitate as he continued.

"It turned out the Mold Breaker and her Hoopa were both food hounds that liked to travel. So they met at a restaurant and bonded over that. They've been together ever since. Apparently, her father unintentionally gave her a Pokémon too. She called it Meltan, but it's something different now."

Holly finally found her opening, and seized it.

"No matter what Pokémon she has, the Mold Breaker is only a hardened criminal that got away with murder! Only criminals use guns to kill Pokémon!"

Blue narrowed his eyes.

"She's no criminal. Marksmanship is something that runs in her family. Her father first taught it to her, but she refined her skills with instruction from Falkner. He is a former Gym Leader of Johto, a current police officer, and still one of the most formidable Flying Type users around."

Holly thrust out her fists, shaking her head furiously.

No honest Gym Leader would use guns, much less teach someone how to take the lives of innocent Pokémon with them!

But before Holly could rebut what Blue had said, Kristine stepped forward.

Rage burned in her narrowed eyes, and Holly noticed the disabled trainer held a Poké Ball in her hand.

Holly tried not to let her face blanch as Kristine's stern and threatening voice filled the air.

"That is enough, Blue. Get out of our way, or I will use force."

Holly was surprised as Blue let out a laugh, but she quickly detected that it was only mockery.

"The fact that you can only convey what you want through threats shows how weak you really are. You're not worthy of my time."

Before Holly could fire a retort, Blue calmly walked off in Fuchsia's direction.

Holly nodded curtly.

At least Blue was gone.

"He's worth no one's time." Kristine growled.

With that, she tossed her Poké Ball into the nearby water.

There was a brief flash of blinding white light, and the imposing form of Isaac towered over them.

Kristine immediately climbed on her Lugia's back, and gestured for Holly to follow.

Holly did as she was told, feeling like she could barely get a grip on the Lugia's massive scales.

Yet she must've been safe, as Kristine stated. "Isaac will carry us across. Waters like this are no match for him."

The disabled trainer's voice took on a commanding tone as she focused on her Pokémon. "Isaac, take us to Cinnabar. We have things we must do."

Isaac's let out a low cry, the unfamiliar sound piercing Holly's ears.

However, she didn't have much time to think about that.

Within another minute, Isaac rapidly began his journey through the water, and it took all of Holly's strength just to hang on.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So a bit more about the Mold Breaker's past! Originally, this chapter was supposed to quite different, but that will be detailed a bit further down. This chapter takes its name from another, unpublished, story with some similar concepts. However, that story didn't work out, so some of the concepts made their way into Traveler, alongside this chapter title.**

 **-What makes this chapter different from its previous incarnation are things involving the Mold Breaker's past. Her past wasn't really going to be revealed much at all in the original incarnation of this chapter, and it wasn't really known what the chapter was going to focus on. However, revealing more of her past gave this chapter something to focus on, and fleshed out more of the Mold Breaker's character.**

 **Another huge difference has to do with the Mold Breaker's past itself.**

 **In the original story, the events were exactly the same. So the Mold Breaker** _ **was**_ **responsible for the fall of the Radio Tower, Cheyenne** _ **was**_ **indirectly killed by her hand, Hoopa** _ **was**_ **captured mostly against its will, and the incident with Meltan never occurred. However, as the Mold Breaker's character evolved and changed, I realize that keeping her past the same was incompatible with who she had become. More details about this will be revealed later, but I will say the changes were also an inspiration for this chapter's title.**

 **-Kristine's actions being a felony is based off of real life United States laws. With these laws, killing someone else out of revenge is considered a felony, regardless of the standings of either person. There are some exceptions, such as killing someone in self-defense after the person happens to have done something to provoke the other person's desire for revenge, or a legal manhunt where people are trying to bring justice to victims and the perpetrator gets killed. There is also execution (also known as capital punishment) as justice for crimes. However, that is not currently legal in every state, and laws involving this often change. Furthermore, even in cases where killing someone out of revenge is not a legal issue, there are a host of other laws that must be abided by for that to be the case. Hence why Blue states that killing out of revenge without support from legal authorities never works.**

 **In Pokémon and many other media depictions, killing out of revenge resulting in the person becoming a criminal is typically not addressed. This may be because the idea of a person being a felon and avoiding jail may not be interesting, simply the writers not knowing the laws, or the laws being different in whatever area the work is set in. However, Traveler being a darker and more realistic work, I chose to explore the consequences of revenge killing. It's worth noting that even if someone like Kristine were to get off without any legal ramifications, the deaths could easily haunt the person for the rest of their life. Furthermore, just because the legal system for gives the killer doesn't mean** _ **everyone else**_ _ **will.**_ **The person could spend the rest of their life trying to atone and earn others forgiveness, if forgiveness is even earned at all. Effectively, it would be almost impossible to live an honest life, no matter how regretful someone was or the circumstances of the killing.**

 **-Blue talking about the damage from Kristine's uncontrolled powers was a bit different in the original. In the original, Blue was actually going to show off his scars, and Holly was going to react with horror. However, I couldn't figure out how to have him do that without Blue stripping his clothes off. For obvious reasons, that wasn't an option. Furthermore, the fact that he doesn't have proof and therefore Kristine is seen as innocent still stands. So it was largely unneeded, and replaced with Blue simply talking about the scars.**

 **Another thing that changed was that Kristine's original reason for acting a bit fearful towards Azure. Originally, Kristine did not react well to Blue's strict training methods, and is afraid Azure would treat her the same. As a result, Kristine flees to Red, and Blue is heartbroken. Therefore, part of Kristine's character development was trying to reconcile with Blue, Blue forgiving her and himself for what happened, and understanding that Blue and Azure were not the same person. However, as Kristine's character changed, these reasons became incompatible. Furthermore, it didn't fit that well with her character in the first place, since she's shown standing up to authority figures before this even if they are strict. Therefore, her being afraid of her sacred being exposed seemed like a much more valid reason, and even then, that reason is not confirmed.**

 **-The battle that Blue talks about where he and Red get injured is my own creation. However, the battle and consequences are based off of my interpretations of certain events, and Red and Blue's characters. This will be elaborated on later.**

 **-What is not my own creation is Domino. She is in fact a canon character, although not one people are likely to know about. She appears in the exclusively in the movie Mewtwo Returns, and only has a few short scenes there. However, she still has a major impact on the plot. She originally appears as an assistant to researchers working for the Pokémon League. Domino seems like an airhead, but still kind and relatively harmless. However, she eventually reveals herself to be an elite member of Team Rocket.**

 **Domino then becomes cruel and callous, willing to do almost anything for the sake of her goals. Because of her power, she is close to Giovanni, and leads the missions looking for Mewtwo and his Pokémon super-clones (from the prequel movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back). Though it is not known if Domino possesses any Pokémon, she is extremely athletic and attacks by using a black tulip. This tulip can either be thrown or extended into a staff, firing electricity that stuns and harms opponents. It is for this reason that Domino is called the Black Tulip. Since there is already a main character named Tulip in the Traveler series, Domino instead receives a different name. It's not confirmed what Domino's name in this series will be, but I'm currently considering naming her Dark Flower. It conveys the same meaning as her name in canon, but without the confusion with the other character named Tulip. It's also worth noting that her name used during the movie actually is a codename canonically, but is never revealed what her real name is. Therefore, Rachel was just a name I picked at random.**

 **What makes Domino such an interesting character is how she is handled, despite her brief appearances. Her betrayal is quite shocking, with almost no hints leading up to it. Not to mention her act is very convincing, to both the characters and the viewers. Furthermore, the combination of Domino's athleticism and magical abilities via a method other than Pokémon is something seen with almost no other character. With all this, I started wondering what she might be like if her roles were reversed. So, in Traveler, she's an informant for the League, able to slip in and attack the evil teams from inside. Interestingly enough, in the Let's Go games, there is a female spy that does just that. However, Domino's role reversal was thought of long before the Let's Go games were released. Furthermore, the Pokémon Rangers Blue mentioned are two people Domino canonically works with at the beginning of Mewtwo Returns. While they are similar to Pokémon Rangers, they are not called that. The reason is that the term was not in use at the time the movie was released.**

 **-Just like the story mentions, Kristine being a student of Red and Blue was to give a reason as to why she was so good at battling (or at least, a supposed reason). This was also a way to have her be knowledgeable about the Pokémon world in general, since Red and Blue were two of the strongest people in it. This was before it was revealed that Red and Blue's children would be major characters in the original RP. Once I found that out, I kept Kristine's history because it would give her connections to the rest of the cast.**

 **-The flaws about Red that Blue points out come for my own interpretations. In the games, Red is a silent protagonist, so not much is known about when he is the player. There's not really any elaboration in later games either, because he's also completely silent there. Therefore, there is almost no hints about what his personality is like. The different mangas have him speaking like regular characters, and the anime gives him a counterpart in the form of Ash. However, those counterparts are considered completely separate characters from what is presented in the game, so it's unknown how much of those personality traits displayed by the counterparts are relevant to the games.**

 **As a result, there's countless different interpretations of what Red is actually like. As a result, I made up my own. Not speaking much can be a sign of shyness, but it can also be a sign of insecurity and anxiety (with shyness and social withdrawal and some of the symptoms). Considering Red is almost always lagging behind Blue, to the point Blue actually feels pity for him, it's easy to see Red having some issues with insecurity and anxiety. Restlessness is also a trait based off of something that happens in the games. In the Kanto games, Red becomes the Champion. However, by the time of the Johto games, Red has left for the remote Mt. Silver to train. It's never stated why Red left in the games themselves. However, common interpretations are that he broke down and hid from the stress of being Champion, simply didn't like being Champion and advocated, or was otherwise unsatisfied with it. A more morbid interpretation is that Red died at some point in between the games, and his spirit wound up there. However, Traveler doesn't use this interpretation, instead going with the idea that Red is naturally restless and wants to keep training.**

 **-The death of Kristine's Raichu is based on the anime. In it, Ash's Pikachu challenges Surge's Raichu for the latter's Badge. Pikachu gets thrown to the ground by a single Thundershock, and appears to be knocked out. Brock tells asks that he should call Pikachu back, stating that there is a mismatch. Ash tries to tell Pikachu to retreat and forfeit the match, but Pikachu gets up and refuses. Instead, it hurls itself at Raichu and is quickly defeated. In the canon scene, Raichu only knocks Pikachu out like any other Pokémon. This is probably because of the anime being more lighthearted, and the fact that at that point, Pikachu was acting on its own. However, Traveler has another take on that scene, showing how it might realistically go. This take is also because Kristine** _ **could**_ **control her Pokémon at that time, and chose to let it fight even though it shouldn't of.**

 **-So Mickey's backstory is revealed! This is one of the backstories I had in mind early on. The main reason is that I quickly realized Kristine could not physically carry a bunch of items like regular Trainers. Therefore, she the Pokémon to carry them for her** _ **and**_ **have an inventory that would allow said Pokémon to do so for long periods of time. The only Pokémon that really fit these requirements was Hoopa, able to carry and otherwise manipulate large amounts of items in the hyperspace portal it creates. It can easily summon items any time, and carry almost whatever wants.**

 **The problem is that Hoopa is a legendary Pokémon, and Kristine would need that power when she was young. Legendary Pokémon are often caught by skilled, older, Trainers, neither of which Kristine was at the time.**

 **Which gave me the idea of the Master Ball and Kristine's father.**

 **That story was then based on my experiences in real life. I had tried to teach my father brought Pokémon when I was younger, but he didn't understand much of what was going on. Therefore, I gave up only after little bit. However, he did understand that I liked Pokémon and it made me happy. So, in a world where Pokémon were real and around constantly, I could see him giving me a rare item associated with them, not knowing really what it was or its true value. Combined with Kristine's need to have to Hoopa on her team early on, this led to her getting the Master Ball.**

 **-Hoopa being naturally friendly and curious about humans is inspired by something in the games. Friendship is measured by a hidden value, and, upon capture, each Pokémon has a default number. For most Pokémon, the default number is 70. However, for most** _ **legendary**_ **Pokémon, that number is zero. However, Hoopa is an unusual case. It is a legendary Pokémon, but starts out with 100 points in happiness, higher than most** _ **regular**_ **Pokémon. Furthermore, 100 points is a little less than half the maximum (255). It's not really explained why Hoopa is different, but it's implied it's because it likes being near humans in order to cause mischief.**

 **-The way the Mold Breaker meets Hoopa is based off of a real-life event. In the US's first distribution of Hoopa, the Pokémon was available at McDonald's fast food restaurants. Players had to take their games and corresponding consoles over to McDonald's and connect to the Wi-Fi there. After that, they could start of their games and receive Hoopa. This event can only be accessed if the corresponding steps were done within a specific date. Luckily, I lived on a college campus that had a McDonald's nearby, so I could easily activate the event. This is also why the two Hoopas are named Mickey, as another name for McDonald's is Mickey D's.**

 **-So Pokémon Let's Go finally gets some representation! Shortly before the arc for Cinnabar was to be written into the original RP, Pokémon Let's Go was released. I and a couple of others on the Artist's Zone got it on release day. We then decided to play together and record our progress. I took about a week off the RP in order to complete the game fully, and then properly integrate it into Traveler. Meltan was a feature and Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Let's Go, and the Mold Breaker having one was inspired by my run of the game. How her father accidentally gives it to her, and why that particular scenario was chosen will be explained later.**

 **For the curious, in order to obtain Meltan, one must first also have a Pokémon Go account. After that, there must be at least one Pokémon caught and in the player's possession in Pokémon Go. This Pokémon can only be one of the original 151, other than Meltan itself. Once this has been done, the player has to link the Nintendo Switch and Pokémon Go accounts together. After that, they can transfer the Pokémon to the Switch's Go Park. This gives the Pokémon Go account a bit of experience, and also something called a Mystery Box. Opening the Mystery Box makes Meltan spawn in the player's location, regardless of where the Pokémon Go player is or what they are doing. This effect lasts for half an hour real-time, and it takes several days real-time for the player to obtain another Mystery Box. If the player tries to obtain another before the designated time, they will just get a reminder of how long they have to wait.**

 **Obviously, in Traveler, catching mechanics for Meltan work differently. Other than the Mold Breaker's specific case, I do not yet have these mechanics figured out.**

 **-The other Pokémon Blue refers to when he mentions the Mold Breaker's Meltan is its evolution, Melmetal. Melmetal can currently only be obtained in Pokémon Go, although it can be transferred to the Let's Go games. To get Melmetal, the player must capture many Meltan. It's also recommended to transfer captures, and to walk around in real life with Meltan if possible. Doing so awards the player with Meltan Candies, and the player must collect no less than** _ **400**_ **to evolve Meltan. To put that in perspective, most Pokémon need** _ **25 to**_ _ **100**_ **candies of their species to evolve. Capturing Meltan typically gives** _ **three**_ **candies, while the other methods only give** _ **one.**_ **Needless to say, this evolution method will also be changed in Traveler, but it is unknown to what.**

 **-The Mold Breaker's history with guns comes from both my own interpretations of the Pokémon world and events from real life. Marksmanship runs in my family in real life, with shooting being taught at a young age. My father actually did teach me how to shoot, although I had a passion for shooting before then. The Mold Breaker's technique being refined with Falkner is because of several reasons. One of which is that my father is often traveling in real life and currently lives in different state than me. As a result, I couldn't practice shooting as much as I wanted, and still can't. I wanted to incorporate that problem into the Mold Breaker's situation, so Falkner was a bit of a solution for it.**

 **The second reason is that Falkner is depicted as a part-time police officer in Pokémon Special. Therefore, I figured he would have a gun and know how to use it. The third reason actually has to do with Falkner's name. His name is a play on the word falconry, which is the art of hunting with falcons. While Falcons are really used to hunt in the modern day, guns are, and Falkner could still be associated with hunting. The fourth reason has to do with something in the early drafts. Early drafts of the Mold Breaker's story her close to Falkner, seeing him as a father figure. While that was changed for reasons that will be explained later on, I wanted to retain at least some of the closeness they had in the original, even if it was in a different way. Therefore, having him teach her how to defend herself was the perfect method of doing so.**


	98. The Crime Committed

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details! This is another new area, so it comes with a new prompt. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 20 is a waterway of Kanto. Many Trainers use their Pokémon to surf these waters, but just as many like to swim. In the center of the route is the entrance to Seafoam Islands. It's also the only piece of land on the route where Trainers can rest before reaching Cinnabar._

* * *

97\. The Crime Committed

Holly was glad Isaac decided to slow down as he tore through the waters.

Perhaps Kristine's Lugia had recognized that this was Holly's first ride, or perhaps Kristine had told him to slow down somehow.

Regardless, Holly was able to find and maintain a steady grip.

The rest of the ride to Cinnabar was going smoothly, and Holly grinned as the next Gym Badge lay within her sights.

However, the green soon faded as Holly glanced up.

There was a piece of land with two giant caves, both looming ominously in the distance. Even from where she was, Holly could see the caves looked dark and uninviting, and shuddered at what might live within.

Yet the shivering soon stopped as Holly's eyes were wide and her jaw dropped.

She had never been to Cinnabar, but she knew it didn't have caves like this.

And as far as Holly was aware, Cinnabar was only accessible by traveling through waterways…

So where were they?

Clearly not the final destination.

But these caves must've been important somehow.

Certainly they were the only landmark here.

Holly opened her mouth to ask Kristine about the caves, but was cut off as the disabled Trainor spoke through thought.

" _Look, Holly."_

Holly wasn't sure she could see anything other than caves, but decided to do as she was told.

She climbed up Isaac's back, cocking her head to look around the Lugia's neck to get a better view.

At first, Holly still couldn't see much other than the approaching land as she strained her eyes.

However, a flash of red entered her vision.

Holly's eyes went wide with confusion.

Why would there be anything red in this area?

There wasn't anyone hurt, or Kristine and Isaac would've rushed straight towards them.

Yet as the land drew closer, Holly realized what the red was.

Red hair.

Red eyes.

Red clothing.

Were she not hanging onto Isaac, Holly would've clenched her fist.

This was Courtney Hiroko.

The Johto Elite Four member was waiting for them.

Just as Blue had been.

Holly wondered if Kristine would speed right past. After all, Courtney Hiroko was her and Holly's enemy, and probably only here to slow them down.

Yet Isaac carefully stopped next to a piece of land in front of the caves.

Kristine rapidly dismounted onto the sand, and motioned for Holly to do the same.

Holly slowly obeyed, cautiously making sure not to fall as she lowered herself to the ground.

But what didn't come slowly was the glare Holly flashed Courtney Hiroko.

The Johto Elite Four member was still their foe, and she was alone this time!

Now would be the perfect opportunity to take her down!

Yet Courtney Hiroko appeared unperturbed, as if she wasn't in any danger.

She just sat calmly on the sand, expression unreadable.

Were this any other time, Holly would've thought Courtney Hiroko was just waiting to start a beach party.

Yet Holly knew this was knew this was no time for parties, and kept her gaze narrowed.

Instead, Holly watched as Kristine stepped forward.

The disabled Trainer's face was also expressionless, but her voice betrayed an icy fury.

"So, Courtney Hiroko, Vessel of Moltres. Come to burn us with your Ninetails? Or perhaps your Arcanine would be better suited to the task? Maybe we will graced with the presence of the fire bird itself?"

Holly clenched her fist.

If it was a fight Courtney Hiroko wanted, then a fight was exactly what she would get!

Yet the Johto Elite Four member only got up from the ground, her eyes narrowed.

Courtney Hiroko chose to completely ignore Kristine's question, instead posing one of her own.

"So how does it make you feel, Kris? Knowing that an entire region fell, because of your neglect?"

Kristine was quick to answer. "Oh, that attack against the islands? That has nothing to do with me."

Holly did not stop herself from stomping her foot into the sand, as Courtney Hiroko only shook her head in response.

After everything Blue had said, Holly wouldn't tolerate any more accusations against Kristine!

She stepped forward, screeching at Courtney Hiroko.

"That's crazy talk! None of the regions have fallen, and despite what's going on here, they are all perfectly fine!"

Courtney Hiroko shook her head again, eyes blazing with the deadly fire she was known for.

"No, you're wrong. There's a group of islands to the south, and it's where I'm originally from. We had Gym Leaders, a professor, and a League all our own. However, we also had to repel attacks from Team Rocket, and one day there was attack that we could not recover from. That was the attack where Isaac died, and the League collapsed. From that day forward, the island League was no more. With the immense amount of damage, it will probably never rise again."

Holly stamped her foot again as she snarled.

"This is clearly all a lie! Isaac's not dead! He's right behind us!"

Holly gestured to Kristine's enormous Lugia as she spoke. The Pokémon nodded in response as he watched intently.

Surely Courtney Hiroko didn't truly think that anyone would believe her falsehoods when the truth was in front of her!

Yet the fury in Courtney Hiroko's eyes only continued to burn as she hissed.

"I'm not talking about the stupid Lugia! I am referring to the Electric type Gym Leader the islands used to have!"

Suddenly, the blazing fire vanished from her eyes, only to be replaced by deep sorrow.

Holly simply scowled.

If Courtney Hiroko was expecting sympathy, then she wouldn't get any!

Yet Courtney Hiroko continued to speak, but her voice almost seemed muted.

"The Rockets came, and they brought with them psychics skilled in the art of mind control. Isaac was one of the weaker Gym Leaders, so the Rockets knew he was an easy target. Isaac valiantly fought against them, but he was not strong enough… After that, it was only a matter of time…"

Courtney Hiroko then trailed off, not even attempting to suppress a shudder. She closed her eyes and her face twisted into a pained grimace.

This scowl never left Holly's face.

Courtney Hiroko wasn't fooling anyone with her fake sadness!

Especially not Holly and Kristine!

Holly moved up to speak once again, but Kristine step forward first.

There was no mistaking the piercing, icy, gaze she held nor the similar tone as she finished where Courtney Hiroko had left off.

"Until you became a murderer."

Holly felt her blood run cold. At the same time, rage boiled within her.

How could the Pokémon League let a murderer into one of their highest ranks?

Holly knew they were corrupt, but this defied belief!

Yeah Kristine's words seem to reignite the rage within Courtney Hiroko, and she howled.

"I had no choice but to kill Isaac! If I didn't, those children, Mark and Mint, would've lost their lives!"

Rage burned in Holly's own eyes, and she thrust her fists out in front of her.

Courtney Hiroko needed to hear the truth, no matter how painful it was!

Holly screamed at the top of her lungs.

"How dare you call yourself an Elite Four member! All you are is a murderer, and no murderer should walk free! You deserve to be punished for your crimes! When we get to the League, you _will_ be! And who cares about this Mark and Mint? They probably weren't even worth saving!"

At this, Courtney Hiroko's face hardened, and the rage burning in her eyes seem to be ignited into an inferno.

"Mark and Mint are two young Trainers who foolishly thought they could free the islands all by themselves. They could hold their own in a battle, but, in the end, there were only children. Mark and Mint got themselves captured by Team Rocket and imprisoned in a fortress full of fire. Fire being my area of expertise, I opted to go rescue them. But those horrible Rockets… With Isaac under their mind control, they could do whatever they wanted with him. Including forcing him to try to kill captured children…"

Before Courtney Hiroko could finish, Kristine interrupted her speech. Her voice was still icy as ever as she responded.

"So you resorted to murdering your own comrade? Couldn't you have simply used another psychic to counter the mind control? Failing that, you could always take the life of the controller."

Courtney Hiroko fiercely shook her head, rage not dissipating even for a second.

"Our own psychics were out of commission, and it was impossible for me to reach the one with the mind control. Therefore, Isaac could not be saved. I spoke with the survivors and the remaining officials of the islands later on. They all agreed that I'd done the right thing, and so I don't have any charges hanging over my head."

Holly matched Courtney Hiroko's rage with her own.

"Only deranged people would agree with that! You and all those who agreed should be charged to the maximum!"

The blazing rage was still present in Courtney Hiroko's eyes, yet her voice had become eerily calm.

"Believe whatever you like. That does not change what happened, nor can it. And that doesn't change that something almost as bad also came out of it."

Holly wasted no time shrieking.

"Which is?"

Courtney Hiroko's gaze remained harder than ever, yet the Fire Queen was still calm.

"There was a third young Trainer, Ronald, who also wanted to save the islands. He was a friend of the other two, and although he came earlier than they did, he got captured with them. However, once freed, Ronald got fed up with everything, believing the attack was the result of all Leagues' incompetence. He wasted no time turning against us."

Holly immediately snarled. "As well he should, given all the League has done! What does any of this have to do with Kris anyway?"

The fury in Courtney Hiroko's gaze only intensified as she glared straight at Kristine.

"You knew the islands well, and you knew we had problems with Team Rocket. So I know you were aware of the attack. You should have helped out, Kris, or, provided you couldn't, at least alerted someone who could. But you didn't do either, and now both Isaac and our League are gone."

Kristine remain unperturbed, only matching Courtney Hiroko's glare.

"The islanders should learn how to take care of their own problems. I don't clean up other people's messes."

Courtney Hiroko's voice became a snarl.

"Cleaning up other people's messes is different than helping someone you know that's in trouble! And with all the power you have, it's your duty to use it responsibly!"

Holly threw up her hands, shouting.

"As taking down the corrupt League isn't responsible?"

Yet Courtney Hiroko ignored Holly's retort.

She simply shook her head, never taking her eyes off of Kristine.

Her voice became calm again as she spoke.

"It's always the same with you, Kris. Ignoring everything that doesn't directly affect you. It's just like when the Rockets tried to take over Azalea in Johto. You were right there, and you abandoned everyone to those villains. As a result, that poor, brave, Gardevoir Gracie died a horrible death… Professor Pine was devastated… She treated Gracie like her family… I was there and I saw that Pokémon ripped apart by the ruthless Rockets…"

Courtney Hiroko paused, her gaze growing even harder.

"I was able to help fend the Rockets off, and Azalea is now at peace. But I know what you did, Kris, and I will never forget."

Holly clenched her fist.

Professor Pine deserved no sympathy! Not after she betrayed them!

Holly screeched. "Who cares about Professor Pine and some stupid Pokémon? And why someone as vile as you even in the Elite Four anyway? Not only are you a horrible person, but your name is just weird!"

Courtney Hiroko ignored the insult, continuing her eerie calmness.

"After some of the Johto Elite Four moved to Kanto, the latter League needed people to fill the empty slots. I was already one of the strongest Trainers in the islands, so that made me a natural pick. A few of my friends from the islands joined as well, so I felt right at home. As for my name, it's mainly to avoid confusion. There's a famous detective from the Hoenn region who shares the same first name as me. Since both of us work for the League and were famous in all regions, we quickly realized there would be an issue if both of us went by the same name. Luckily, the detective's last name, Kagari, was completely different from mine, Hiroko. So we both used our last names alongside our first, and people had no problem telling us apart."

Holly had no chance to answer back as Courtney Hiroko's piercing, burning gaze focused once again on Kristine.

"Now then, Kris? What you have to say for yourself about letting a Pokémon senselessly die in Azalea?"

Holly could feel rage boiling inside of her.

The death of some rogue Pokémon wasn't important! Courtney Hiroko was just trying to keep them from reaching their next destination!

Holly's tightly gripped Politoed's Poké Ball in her right hand.

She would have use force to get Courtney Hiroko to move!

And no matter what type of queen the Elite Four member was, her Fire Type Pokémon wouldn't be able to withstand being doused by Holly's Water Types!

Yet before Holly or Kristine could do anything, a cry of a Pokémon filled the air.

Holly wasn't sure what type of Pokémon it was, but she knew the cry was deafening and coming from the caves. Simultaneously, Holly thought she could hear something being slammed against something else, and whatever surface it was seemed rather hard.

Holly couldn't help grimacing.

Perhaps someone really was hurt this time.

But she had no time to ask as Courtney Hiroko threw up her hands. The rage from before was gone, replaced by simply mild annoyance.

"Oh, Lorelei is probably overdoing it with her training in there _again..._ I wonder how many extra healing items she will need _this_ time…"

At the mention of Lorelei's name, Kristine tensed, and her eyes narrowed.

"Lorelei's in there, is she? I have a score to settle with her."

Holly could also feel herself tense, and stepped forward.

At the top of her lungs, she shouted. "That goes for me too!"

Holly's face twisted into the fiercest scowl she could muster.

After what Lorelei had done at Saffron, she couldn't let her get away!

Holly imagined Kristine felt the same, as the disabled Trainer recalled her Lugia and faced Courtney Hiroko.

Kristine spoken the same icy tone from before.

"The cave is ours. Do not try and stop us, Fire Queen."

Courtney Hiroko threw up her hands again, her tone keeping its mild annoyance from before.

"As if I could stop you at this point."

Holly nodded.

At least Courtney Hiroko knew her place.

Kristine gave another nod to Holly before dashing into the caves.

Without another look back, Holly rapidly followed.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So a bit about Courtney Hiroko. Much of her characteristics here and the story she tells is based off of the games she appears in. Moltres, Ninetales, and Arcanine are three Pokémon she uses in her games. The Pokémon Trading Card Game Boy Color games only have the original 151 Pokémon, which is why only Kanto Pokémon are mentioned here. Her being the Vessel of Moltres is also based on the Pokémon she uses. In the games, Courtney Hiroko is one of four Trainers that hold the coveted Legendary Pokémon Cards. The one she uses is Moltres, and it's by far the strongest Pokémon she has. Being someone so closely associated with Moltres, I thought that Courtney Hiroko being its Vessel was fitting.**

 **-The island region Courtney Hiroko talks about is both based on canon media and my own interpretations. Courtney Hiroko comes from an unnamed island in her own games, but there wasn't much to explore there. Therefore, the islands are the Orange Islands (from the anime), the Trading Card Game islands (from the aforementioned games), the Sevii Islands (from the Kanto game remakes), and the Decolore Islands (also from the anime) all together. Later on, the Pokémon Rumble series, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, Magikarp Jump, Pokémon Duel, Pokémon Trozei series, and the Pokémon Ranger series were also added to the islands. Side games are still currently being looked at in the hopes of having them be added to the islands. Any future side games and other side material also have a chance of being added. The idea was that I wanted to represent the side games alongside the regular games. However, most of them were too small to be regions on their own, so I started combining as many of them as I could into one. The islands having their own League, Gym Leaders, and professor comes from the Orange Islands. These islands have all that and more, although it's a bit different from what is traditionally seen. It's unknown if these differences will make their way into Traveler, however. The location of the Island League is based on the location of the Sevii Islands.**

 **-What Courtney Hiroko talks about is based off of the story in Pokémon Trading Card Game 2. The aforementioned game is one of the darkest in the series, and would probably be the darkest for a long time (arguably until Pokémon Colosseum was released many years later). This is because the Trading Card Game islands are suddenly and brutally attacked by a branch of Team Rocket known as Team Great Rocket. Team Great Rocket immediately steals everyone's Pokémon cards so people are unable to resist as the islands get take it over. This leads to many people being imprisoned, physically harmed, put under mind control, and even one person desperate enough to try to become a spy. Luckily, the protagonist of the first game manages to make their way to the professor of the islands, Dr. Mason. Dr. Mason has been hiding the last set of cards left on the islands, and gives them to the player so that they can head off to save everyone else. What makes this game so dark is that it is one the few games where the evil team has already won, done major damage, and everything is bleak. Currently and to my knowledge, the only other game in the series that has this concept is Pokémon Colosseum.**

 **-Isaac is a canon character in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Boy Color games, being the equivalent of an Electric Type Gym Leader in those games. In Pokémon Trading Card Game 2, he is one of the people that gets put under mind control. However, the player frees Isaac by defeating him in battle. The concept of a Gym Leader being brainwashed to fight was already pretty dark, so wasn't difficult for me to imagine what would happen if the player didn't or couldn't free Isaac. The end result is what happens in the story.**

 **It's worth noting that Kristine's Lugia having the same name is pure coincidence. At the time that Pokémon was written in, the Pokémon Trading Card Games were not planned to be used in Traveler. Thus, Kristine's Lugia was instead named for the horrific Hurricane Isaac that was going on at the time his introduction was written. Since Lugia is associated with the sea and sky, and hurricanes involve both, I figured it would make sense to name Kristine's Lugia after one. When the Pokémon Trading Card games for the Game Boy Color eventually were added, I kept the human Isaac's name for consistency. Thus, two characters having the same name is brought up here.**

 **-Courtney's Hiroko experiences with Mark and Mint are based off of Pokémon Card Trading Game 2. In the game, Courtney Hiroko is imprisoned in an area called the Fire Fort. Mark (default name if the player is playing as a boy) or Mint (if the player is playing as a girl) has to eventually head to the Fire Fort and save Courtney. With Courtney Hiroko being an expert in fire and Traveler hammering home the theme that children trying to take on evil organizations by themselves is a** _ **very**_ **bad idea regardless of intentions, it wasn't too difficult to switch the roles around. It's worth noting that once the player takes their gender, the opposite gender character will never appear. However, Traveler has them both appear together.**

 **-What Ronald does in this story is based on something that happens in the games and interpretations of it. In the first Pokémon Trading Card Game Boy Color game, Ronald serves as the player's rival. He then uses his rivalry to become one of the strongest trainers in that game. In the sequel, he chases after Team Great Rocket prior to the player. Ronald then returned as a spy, feeding information to the player and occasionally battling them. However, without reading the text, it looks as though Ronald is** _ **betraying**_ **the player. This is because he first appears in his outfit is a spy, only revealing his true identity a little while later. It wasn't until the English fan translation was released that Ronald's role was explained. Thus, his one here comes what he does in canon, and the erroneous initial interpretations of that.**

 **-The Gardevoir Gracie is a character I created myself. She is the main character in the companion log Diary, and is also set to star in a proper companion story currently called Angel. I am also planning to have her be a major character in other books, but not everything she does is worked out at this point. What happens in Azalea, as well as Gracie's relationship with Professor Pine is detailed in Diary. One key difference is that Courtney Hiroko was not there in the original attack on Azalea, due to the Pokémon Trading Card games not being added into the series by the time the chapters for Diary were written.**

 **-Courtney Kagari is a canon character, although her role is a bit different. In canon media, she's an Admin of Team Magma. However, in Traveler, she doesn't have any association with Team Magma, instead working honestly for the League from the beginning. The reason is because of** _ **how**_ **she's portrayed in canon media.**

 **Out of the five games she appears in, she only fights the player in** _ **two**_ **of them (Pokémon Ruby and its remake). In Pokémon Sapphire and its remake, she's on the player's side from the beginning. In Pokémon Emerald, she doesn't really appear at all, with most of her role being taken over by Tabitha.**

 **Courtney Kagari doesn't appear in the main anime at all. However, she does appear in a short scene in a side anime called Pokémon Generations. In this scene, Courtney Kagari receives a vision about the devastation that will happen if Team Magma's leader Maxie goes through with his plans. She is shocked and starts wandering what the vision means. However, before she can truly understand it, she is forced to fight Brendan as the latter infiltrates the team Team Magma hideout. Courtney Kagari's portrayal in the Pokémon Special manga is arguably one of her most heroic. Even though she's formally an admin of Team Magma, Courtney Kagari spends a lot of time fighting** _ **against**_ **them. She helps the protagonists quite a few times, and when the final conflict is over, she leaves Team Magma entirely. With all these heroic (or neutral) appearances, I thought it would make more sense if Courtney Kagari was never a part of Team Magma at all.**

 **Her being a detective was based on my interpretation of her character. In the remakes of the Hoenn, Courtney Kagari enjoys analyzing opponents and predicting their next moves. This causes her to be almost robotic as she concentrates on doing so. Further back, in Pokémon Special, she spends a lot of time searching for answers and analyzing options in an effort to avert, and later end, the upcoming crisis. Therefore, I thought being a detective was something Courtney Kagari would excel at, and so she is one in Traveler.**

 **-Lorelei training in Seafoam Islands is based on the games. In the original games, it was stated that Lorelei trained there. Confusingly, the anime changed it to the Orange Islands. Even more confusing, the Kanto remakes added the Sevii Islands, and had Lorelei train there instead. The Let's Go games didn't even mention Lorelei's training spot. Therefore, I figured she trained in several areas, with Seafoam simply being one of them.**


	99. Cruel Coldness

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. This is a new area, so there is a new prompt. All of the prompts are property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _The Seafoam Islands are a duo of caves near Cinnabar. These freezing areas are home to many Ice Type Pokémon. Supposedly, the legendary bird Pokémon Articuno also rests deep within. However, rapid water currents and freezing temperatures make progress through the cave difficult. Therefore, many people have never seen Articuno at Seafoam._

* * *

98\. Cruel Coldness

Holly's feet pounded on the hard floor of the caves. Holly thought Kristine would never stop running, yet she managed to keep up with the disabled Trainer by also running at a full sprint. However, Kristine eventually came to a stop, and Holly did the same.

Holly guessed this was to allow her to catch her breath and study her surroundings.

Kristine confirmed this as she spoke through thought.

" _After taking all that time getting used to riding on Isaac and the confrontations with Courtney Hiroko and Blue, I figured you could use a break."_

Holly nodded gratefully. With everything that happened, the disabled Trainer wasn't wrong.

She took the time to ask, through thought.

" _Kristine, where are we?"_

Kristine calmly replied.

"This place is called the Seafoam Islands. It's home to many Ice and Water type Pokémon. The legendary bird god of ice, Articuno, also resides deep within. Although most of the inhabitants here are away from human contact, there are still Trainers who come to hone their skills. As you heard before, one of them is Lorelei."

Holly clenched her fist and nodded.

She couldn't forget what she came here for!

With that, she whipped around to examine the caves.

Perhaps they would give some hint to Lorelei's location.

Yet Holly found was looming darkness and walls of rock.

Within minutes, her face fell and her shoulders sagged.

This looked no different than any other cave they'd explored!

Why would Lorelei want to train here?

Why would _anyone_ want to train here?

Holly was about to decide to tell Kristine to just travel further in when something caught her eye.

She strained, wondering at what she saw was real, but she could still see it off in the distance.

The object appeared to be a giant blue rock, vibrant color clearly standing out amongst otherwise drab surroundings. It glistened and glimmered, shimmering light almost inviting Holly to come near it.

Yet Holly didn't dare.

Being something so much different from the rest of the area, who knew what that object really was?

What had created that light and strange color, anyway?

Holly tried not to let her voice tremble as she pointed to the object.

" _Kristine, what's that over there in the distance?"_

The disabled Trainer's voice was full of reassurance.

" _That's called an Icy Rock. Don't worry, it's completely harmless. Well, aside from being pretty cold when you touch it. This rock is what normally allows Eevee to evolve into Glaceon. I would've explained and let you use it earlier. However, I figured you would come across it far too late for it to be useful to us."_

Holly nodded, although she could not help letting her eyes go wide.

" _The Chilled Ore you gave me… Is that why it exists?"_

Kristine nodded as she replied.

" _Yes, that's indeed the case. This and other regions have their rocks in hidden places or late into a Trainer's journey. Many Trainers also have issues even getting to them. So people started mining Chilled Ore as a means to counter that. The ore is still very rare and expensive, though. Therefore, most trainers are forced to go with the traditional path. There's a similar object in Viridian Forest called the Moss Rock, and it triggers Eevee's evolution into Leafeon. The rock is well out of the way, so if one is not specifically looking for it, it's easy to pass it by. There's also an item called a Woodland Ore for those who choose not to find the Moss Rock."_

Holly nodded again and simply stood, taking all the information.

She didn't remember there being a rock like the one Kristine spoke of in Viridian Forest. Of course, she didn't have an Eevee at the time, so she probably wasn't paying attention. Besides, it seemed much easier to use the ores Kristine had also talked about, no matter how expensive or rare the items were.

Her curiosity satisfied, Holly was about to move on.

Yet before she could even take a step, the cry of a Pokémon filled her ears.

It sounded high-pitched, but it wasn't piercing.

The cry had an innocent tone to it.

Almost childlike…

It sounded so familiar, yet Holly couldn't place her finger on it…

Yet Kristine answered Holly's silent question almost immediately.

" _That's the cry of Eevee. Probably a young one."_

Holly nodded.

That would explain why the cry was so familiar... Holly had her own Eevee, but it had quickly evolved before she had much time to learn about it.

Perhaps that's why she didn't recognize the cry before.

Yet Holly's attention was drawn back to Kristine.

The disabled Trainer's eyes were narrowed and focused, and she spoke in a stern tone.

" _Eevee aren't native to this area, so any here must belong to a Trainer."_

Holly clenched her fist, her own eyes narrowed.

"Well, we know one Trainer that's here."

Kristine nodded back. _"And this may give us some tips for finding her. It seems the cry came from the direction of the Icy Rock, so let's move closer."_

With that, they both sped off in the direction Kristine had indicated. Holly's feet pounded against stone floors again as she sprinted to keep up with Kristine.

However, it wasn't long before she stopped.

Because at that point, she saw it.

Light brown fur with a bushy brown tail.

White fur on the chin and tail tip.

Alert and friendly brown eyes that surveyed everything.

The Pokémon wore a stupid light blue hat and T-shirt, yet Holly still knew what species it was.

An Eevee.

Probably the same one that had cried out before.

And the means of completing their next task.

Holly immediately dashed up to the small creature, Kristine not far behind.

The Eevee's eyes went wide upon seeing Holly and Kristine, and the little Pokémon took a step back.

However, Holly was determined not to let it get away.

As she rushed to stand in front of the Eevee, Kristine sharply veered to the right. Within minutes, the disabled Trainer had blocked the Eevee from the right side. On a silent command, Google overtook the Eevee from behind, and the timid Pokémon almost banged into it. Mickey appeared in midair, floating next to the Eevee's left side.

Holly nodded, a smile spreading across her face.

No matter whose Eevee this was, they now had it cornered.

Which meant there was only one thing to do next.

Holly stepped forward, fixing the Eevee with the most intimidating glare she could muster.

"You… You wouldn't happen to belong to Lorelei, would you?"

At this, the Eevee crouched flat against the ground, looking even smaller than usual. Its entire body drooped, tail almost dragging on the cave floor. The tiny Pokémon shivered so furiously Holly would've thought it was an earthquake.

But somewhere within the shaking, Holly could see a weak nod.

At this, Holly's gaze only hardened, as her next demand came out as a growl.

"Take us to her, then."

At this, the Eevee only shivered harder, and Holly wondered if it was going to fall over. However, the little Pokémon kept its balance as it shook its head.

Holly narrowed her eyes, and she could see Kristine done the same.

Holly's hand tightly gripped one of her Poké Balls, intimidatingly bringing the device out in front of her. Kristine stepped forward, doing the same. Holly could hear the roar of Google's flame intensifying, and was sure the Eevee could feel the heat. Mickey let out a mocking laugh, as psychic power orbited around it.

A smirk made its way onto Holly's face.

The attack was set, and there was no way their captive could escape!

Even little Eevees needed to learn what happened when they resisted Holly and Kristine!

Yet suddenly the Eevee let out a scream that rang through the air. Holly winced as the scream pierced her ears.

However, Holly's wincing didn't last long as Eevee continued screaming.

After all, Eevee was screaming for no reason, because it wasn't like anyone would come and save it!

Holly and Kristine just needed to teach it lesson!

But before anyone could make a move, Holly felt the air grow frigid. She couldn't help shivering, and glanced over to the others. However, Holly noticed Kristine and the Pokémon were shivering too.

Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide.

If this cold was affecting figures as powerful as Kristine and her Pokémon, than what could be causing it?

Yet Holly never got a chance to voice her question.

For at that moment, a massive blast of ice went sailing through the air. The blast of ice rapidly soared safely over Eevee's head, and the little Pokémon did not even react. Instead, the blast of ice split into four sharp icicles, intent on impaling their foes from above.

Holly's eyes went wide.

Four icicles.

Four foes.

She didn't need anyone to explain who the attack was aiming for.

Holly's body moved on its own as she swung to avoid the deadly icicle flying towards her. However, she nearly banged into Kristine, the disabled Trainer having jumped backward. Holly nearly fell as she staggered to avoid Kristine's clumsy dodge. Luckily, the two were successful at missing each other.

However, the Pokémon seemed to have as much difficulty as the Trainers did.

Both Google and Mickey seemed to be able to teleport away from the attack. Unfortunately, Google teleported backward, and Mickey to the side. The two screeched as they had to contend with the same fate as their Trainers. It was only with another quick motion that the two's attempt to dodge the ice attacks didn't end up harming each other.

Holly let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as she struggled to regain her footing. Her face twisted into a scowl, and their eyes narrowed even more. Holly turned to Kristine, realizing the disabled Trainer had the same expression. Her Pokémon were now on her side, yet shock and anger were present on their faces.

Holly clenched her fist, knowing they were all thinking the same thing.

Who dared try to hurt others with an attack like that?

Holly glanced again at the Eevee, noting that the creature was still standing in the center.

The little Pokémon still shook in its fear, but was otherwise completely unharmed.

Holly clenched her fists so tight she swore her knuckles would go white.

The target was still defenseless! If only they could get closer…

But before Holly could take another step, she was alerted to the sound of someone else's. The steps pounded at a rapid pace, and Holly could easily make out who they belonged to.

Because then another person appeared.

Dark red hair somehow untouched by anything in the cave.

Blue eyes full of cold rage.

Stray chunks of ice still glistening off of the person's hands.

It had been a while since the group and the other person had crossed paths, but Holly knew the adversary had not changed all.

She frowned as she recognized the woman.

Lorelei.

Holly stiffened as she watched the woman walk forward, towards the center where the Eevee was. She saw Kristine tense as well, and knew that they were once again probably thinking the same thing.

Why was Lorelei just heading towards them?

Ice attacks or no, Lorelei was walking straight into her defeat!

Yet Holly's attention was drawn away from Lorelei as the Eevee let out another cry.

This one was not of fear, but of joy. Despite not being able to understand Pokémon, Holly could easily tell that. She figured anyone could, as the Eevee's eyes lit up. It abandoned its crouched position from before and bounded towards Lorelei.

The ice on the woman's hands finally dissipated, and a small, relieved smile crossed her face. She tapped her right shoulder, and the Eevee quickly scampered up Lorelei's back. Lorelei didn't even seem to mind the movement, as the Eevee rapidly perched on her shoulder.

Nevertheless, Holly scowled.

Who let Pokémon ride on top of them like that, and dressed them up in silly outfits?

Only little kids did stupid stuff like that!

And Lorelei was far too old for it!

Holly knew even _she_ was far too old for it!

Pokémon belonged in Poké Balls, looking always ready for battle!

As a Pokémon Master, Lorelei clearly should've known that!

Holly directed a glare towards Lorelei, face still twisted into a scowl.

Yet Lorelei only returned the glare, smile fading into a stern expression.

It was clear the Pokémon Master wouldn't back down. Perhaps she'd even been expecting them.

Yet Holly wouldn't be so easily intimidated either.

Lorelei would get what was coming to her today! Holly was sure of it!

So instead, she simply stepped forward.

Holly's voice still came out as a snarl.

"Do you really own this wimpy Eevee?"

The Eevee shuddered again, and Holly resisted the urge to smirk.

No matter how strong Lorelei was, it was evident the Eevee was a weakling!

Yet Lorelei took no notice of that, responding with an icy calmness.

"Yes, the Eevee is mine, and his name is Carlos. He used to belong to another Trainer, but that Trainer passed away. So I took Carlos is my own. He's been with me ever since."

Kristine suddenly stepped up, her eyes cold.

The disabled Trainer's reply was even colder.

"I wouldn't think a Pokémon Master would waste their time with something like that."

Lorelei's voice was harsher than Holly had ever known someone could be, although somehow, she still remained unperturbed.

"It is the duty of a Pokémon Master to protect all honest Pokémon and their Trainers. It's hardly waste of time. Besides, honesty is nothing either of you would know about."

Holly clenched her fist.

Based on what Lorelei had done, she knew nothing of honesty either!

Kristine held a grave gaze, yet her tone carried a mocking air to it.

"Is it the duty of the Pokémon Master to flee to tropical islands while the rest of the region is desperate for aid?"

At this, Holly gritted her teeth.

There was no hiding that Lorelei had abandoned the region she claimed to protect!

She had betrayed the people there for her own selfish ideals!

Lorelei was even worse than Anabel!

She needed to receive only the harshest of punishments!

Lorelei's eyes narrowed, but her composure did not falter.

The same frigid coldness permeated her reply.

"I chose to head for the islands to protect my family and friends. It's where I was born, after all. Even though their League is no more, plenty of people and Pokémon still live there. And with what happened to them, they also need protection."

Lorelei's eyes narrowed even more, and her voice became so cold Holly wondered if it was even colder than the ice she'd seen before.

"But it's not like you would understand family relationships either. After all, one of you is a corpse straying away from her grave, and the other is a menace who cares for nothing but herself."

Holly could feel her face redden with rage.

She had to stop this now, before Lorelei could continue her wicked ways!

So Holly stepped even closer and yelled.

"You actually believe all that filth the Mold Breaker spews?"

Lorelei's icy expression and voice did not falter.

"I do, considering she's the one that stopped you from destroying your own home, Holly of Celadon."

Holly made no attempt to let her rage mix with their own mocking tone.

"Oh really? And how did she do that?"

Lorelei shut her eyes, as if she was deep in thought.

When she opened them again, a pensive fury entered her voice.

"Ice magic is very potent, more so than either of you probably realize. Under the right circumstances, it can freeze anything. Even time."

Kristine suddenly spoke again, voice dropping to a growl. "Freezing time? That's the work of other gods. I highly doubt you possess such power, Lorelei, because last time I checked, the god you command is the ice bird Articuno. Articuno possesses no power over time, and even if it did, it probably couldn't use it very well. The same goes for ice itself, and its accompanying magic. You've overstepped your boundaries, Lorelei."

Holly thrusts her fist on front of her.

No matter what, Lorelei couldn't deny that accusation!

Yet Lorelei only shook her head.

"I'm not overstepping anything. It's true time is the domain of others, and that ice doesn't utilize that power very often. But that doesn't mean I can't use it, and that it isn't possible. Of course, the Mold Breaker recognized this. She had me wield the power of ice to force the fire you caused to be frozen in time. The effect was only temporary, but lasted long enough for the people you trapped to escape. With the fire frozen, it couldn't do any more damage, so the Mold Breaker also saved the surrounding city. The magic lasted just long enough for us to get to Celadon, and for her to destroy the fire completely."

Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide as she listened.

It didn't matter how powerful a fire was…

A fire frozen in time couldn't move…

Couldn't burn…

Couldn't hurt…

Couldn't even threaten…

Couldn't kill…

It most certainly explained how the traitors escaped the Gym unscathed…

But even more than that…

The Mold Breaker knew what would happen to the fire… And she knew that the power of ice could be morphed into a force so potent it could stop time… On top of all that, she had some other ability that allowed her to completely extinguish a roaring fire provided she was close enough…

And everyone acted as though they had hardly seen powers like that, if ever…

Yet then, Holly resisted the urge to gasp as she was struck by a memory.

" _You really are the opposite of the other Trainer. She trusted us, and we trusted her in return. The Trainer was kind, polite, and sincere, even though she knew almost nothing about us. She risked her own life to make sure every innocent on the battlefield was safe. And the Trainer was only able to do this because she was willing to accept our help in order to draw out her own latent power."_

" _I saw the Trainer, Holly, and I saw her use that attack. It wasn't anything anyone was familiar with, though. She didn't have time to elaborate either, because she collapsed shortly afterward."_

Holly remembered what Anabel and Caitlin had said at the Safari Zone. At the time, Holly had rapidly dismissed them.

But now…

What the Lorelei had said sounded eerily similar to what had happened at the Safari Zone…

Too similar to be a mere coincidence…

Holly couldn't help shivering, and she knew it wasn't because of the cold.

Holly flashed back to the past again, only this time to Saffron.

Kristine had angrily asked who the Mold Breaker was, yet now all Holly could see was the Mold Breaker's chilling response.

" _I am everything you could have been, and everything you believe yourself to be."_

Even now, those words doesn't make sense!

Kristine couldn't wield the types of powers the Mold Breaker had, never had utilized those powers, and never would! And she certainly hadn't deluded herself into believing she could utilize the strength the Mold Breaker wielded!

The rogue Trainer had only perpetuated another lie!

But then…

What was the Mold Breaker?

And how could she wield the power she did?

Holly shook her head angrily as another question appeared in her mind.

At this, Holly could not help frowning.

Surely Lorelei's answer to this question would expose the Pokémon Master's corruption!

So, Holly took a deep breath and yelled.

"You let that inhuman monster order you around? How dare you call yourself a Pokémon Master!"

At this, Lorelei's eyes narrowed more than Holly had ever seen, and a newfound sharpness entered her voice.

"No, she didn't order me around. The Mold Breaker was the one utilizing the attack. I merely lent a hand."

This time Holly could not help screaming.

"What? You lie!"

Even Kristine's voice came out as a hiss.

"The Mold Breaker can't use ice magic, or she would have used that power all along! And she doesn't seem to be associated with anything related to time, either!"

Lorelei only stood unperturbed.

"You're right about that. But the Mold Breaker can use a power either one of you could have used. A power either one of you _should_ have used. Especially you, Kris. If you had utilized the power from the beginning, then perhaps you wouldn't have died so horribly…"

This time, Holly couldn't help her eyes going wide.

Yet she also couldn't stop the rage boiling inside of her.

Was Lorelei implying _anyone_ could possess the amount of power the Mold Breaker did?

That's not what _Kristine_ had said! That's not what _anyone_ before had said!

It was all just madness, coming from the mouth of a brainwashed person!

And Holly had to put a stop to it right now!

"Nobody can use the Mold Breaker's power! You don't know what you're talking about, Lorelei! And for the last time, Kristine isn't dead!"

Holly stepped even closer, gripping a Poké Ball tighter than she ever realized she could. Everything rushed to focus as she shot another glare at Lorelei. Her eyes once again became narrowed, although she knew it was from the adrenaline and confidence that flowed through her veins. Holly was aware of frosty air biting into her body, and yet she did not care.

For the only thing that mattered was taking down one of the strongest and highest ranked Trainers in the League.

And then the entire League would fall to its knees soon after!

Holly thrust her fist forward in a challenge, knowing Lorelei had to respond.

Yet the Pokémon Master did nothing other than stand where she was. Even Carlos, so frightened before, did not make a single move.

Holly frowned.

How could Lorelei call herself a Pokémon Master if she didn't even recognize the signal to battle?

Yet then, Carlos started shivering.

Holly wondered if the Eevee had just let his cowardice get the best of him, but then noticed the air temperature dropping.

Her eyes widened in shock and horror as she realized she could see her own breath. Her teeth started to chatter, and she tried desperately to ignore it. But Holly couldn't ignore the urge completely, and her face twisted into a grimace. The world teetered below her, and Holly finally let her eyes go wide as her thoughts swam with confusion. However, she soon registered the sensation has as own trembling, and her eyes grew even wider. Holly fought to control it, but to no avail.

Instead she could only focus on Lorelei.

The Pokémon Master's gaze was harder than ever. There was no way Lorelei could not have noticed Holly's suffering, and yet her eyes didn't have a shred of sympathy. Holly could see ice glistening around Lorelei, and the entire area seemed to shimmer. The ice appeared in the air to the right of Lorelei, beginning to take some sort of shape. Holly stared, vision straining as she tried to understand what the shape was.

And then the shape of the ice came into focus.

Holly's jaws parted in a scream.

They were dolls made out of gleaming ice.

Dolls of Holly and Kristine. Mickey and Google too.

It was clear they weren't alive, and yet they looked so lifelike…

Almost perfect imitations, only made of glistening ice…

Just icy impersonations, pulled out of nowhere…

What was Lorelei doing with the dolls, and what was she going to do?

The ice around Lorelei suddenly intensified, and Holly thought she could see a faint mark on the dolls.

At first she thought Lorelei had somehow damaged one, but then the Pokémon Master appeared to be drawing something.

What was she drawing, and how was she drawing it? There was nothing to draw with here, and Lorelei hadn't pulled out any drawing utensils!

Yet as the markings became more detailed, Holly found herself screaming again.

The markings were red, like blood, and they contrasted clearly against the ice.

Clearly Lorelei wasn't going to do anything good with them.

Was she going to kill them right then and there?

Despite everything that had happened?

Holly wasn't sure.

But she did know that all she could do was stare and tremble as she faced her certain doom…

And then…

There was the sound of something breaking.

Instantly, Lorelei recoiled backward and ducked as the ice shattered into countless pieces. Carlos let out a screech as he fought to keep his footing. Miraculously, he did not fall off of Lorelei's shoulder as she stumbled around. The Pokémon Master must've known in the icy cave well, as she did not trip trying to avoid the shards.

Holly finally allowed herself to breathe as she heard the low guttural cry of Yveltal.

Kristine then stepped up, glare as intense as ever.

Her voice was just as intense as she growled.

"Back down, Lorelei. Do not try to test the limits of what I can do."

Lorelei got out of her ducking position and slowly stepped forward.

Her own gaze was just as fierce, and Carlos copied her intense stare.

"With my power as Pokémon Master, do anything against me, and your Pokémon journey is over."

Suddenly, a smug look crossed Kristine's face. The mocking tone filled her voice again as she spoke.

Yet the disabled Trainer's words made Holly's eyes go wide.

"Do you mean the power that was useless in preventing your own children from turning against all the regions? The power that made you fail to notice that Team Rocket was right in front of your face? The power that made you blind to the fact that you were living with them for years?"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The Icy Rock existing in Seafoam Islands and the Moss Rock existing in Viridian Forest is my own creation. Neither of the places exist in the Kanto games, so I just put them in the areas that made the most sense. Otherwise, the rocks work exactly as Kristine explains, with the Chilled Ore given out for the exact same purpose Kristine talks about.**

 **-So the Let's Go games get more representation. This chapter's representation is in the form of Eevee itself. In the original Pokémon Yellow version, the player automatically receives Pikachu as a starter Pokémon. This continues into Let's Go Pikachu. However, if the player chooses to play Let's Go Eevee, Eevee will instead be their starter Pokémon. This is notable since it is the first time Eevee was the only starter Pokémon available since Pokémon XD many years before. Pokémon Quest also has Eevee as a potential starter Pokémon, but it shares that spot with the three Kanto starters and Pikachu. Pokémon Let's Go was also the first time Eevee was on equal footing with other starters (as opposed to being something extra or relegated to a side game), to the point where it achieved mascot status. Therefore, it is here for the novelty, as opposed to Pikachu, as well as to truly highlight some of the changes Let's Go made.**

 **-The starter Pikachu and Eevee are different Pokémon, but they share a lot of similarities in the Let's Go games. For one, they are called Partner Pokémon. Neither can be traded or evolved, and they will have a special symbol denoting their status. They will also never be in a Poké Ball, instead being on the player's shoulder (Pikachu) or head (Eevee). However, they can be switched in and out of the party just like regular Pokémon. The starter Pikachu and Eevee will learn different moves to get around the region as the player progresses through the game. These moves take the place of Hidden Machines, and do not take up a move slot. To make up for the fact that they can't evolve, the partner Pikachu and Eevee have higher stats than they would normally. They can also learn special moves unique to them. For Pikachu, these moves resemble Surf and Fly. For Eevee, these moves are powerful techniques the same Type as its seven known evolutions. Finally, Pikachu and Eevee can wear costumes that are obtained throughout the game. Although any attempts to evolve them will fail, the player can capture while Pikachu and Eevee if they wish to use the evolved forms.**

 **-Lorelei choosing not to keep Carlos in a Poké Ball is a reference to the Let's Go games. Carlos liking to dress up is also a reference to those games, with the outfit he wears in this chapter being one of the outfits Eevee can actually wear in the games. Eevee and Pikachu have exclusive outfits resembling their evolutions, and the one that Carlos is currently wearing resembles Glaceon. There is a slight change to Carlos, however. In the games, the partner Eevee is often perched on the player's hat. However, it doesn't make much sense for Lorelei, as she's never seen wearing hats. Therefore, Carlos perches on her shoulder instead, which is the position partner Pikachu takes. However, the way Lorelei holds Carlos is how the player holds the partner Eevee during the saving and loading screens of the games.**

 **-Speaking of Lorelei, there's quite a bit to talk about her here. The ice magic she uses initially is my own creation, but it is inspired by the manga Pokémon Special. In this media, Lorelei can somehow instantly create voodoo dolls out of ice. She then draws on the dolls using lipstick. Wherever she draws causes in handcuffs to appear on the person the doll is made out to be. These handcuffs can freeze, slow down, and severely injure opponents. However, the attack itself is not lethal, and can still be escaped from. The attack can also be completely stopped if the dolls of ice are destroyed. The attack she uses later on in the chapter is taken completely from Pokémon Special, minus the lipstick. The reason is that I thought drawing with lipstick looked odd and since the attack is already implied to be magical in nature, I figured having Lorelei draw magically on the dolls would still make sense.**


	100. Never-ending Loss

**Welcome back to another chapter Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

99\. Never-ending Loss

Holly couldn't stop her widened eyes as she listened to Kristine's words.

She knew Lorelei's children had turned against all regions, and that the Pokémon Master had failed to realize when Team Rocket was right in front of her.

That much Holly had gathered from her own journeys.

But to think Lorelei had been living with Team Rocket for _years…_

It didn't seem possible, because with the Pokémon Master's fame and status, everyone would know about it!

And Malva had said Lorelei wasn't affiliated with Team Rocket at all when she first mentioned the Pokémon Master!

However, Malva was part of the corrupt Pokémon League, so she wasn't exactly trustworthy!

Besides, Holly had no reason to doubt Kristine!

What the disabled Trainer said still made some sense.

Lorelei was allied with the League traitors, so it would be no surprise that she was also allied with the evil teams at one point.

After all, the Elite Four had accepted Malva, so they would accept Lorelei without any issues!

Knowing the League, they would try to help Lorelei cover her past up, or at least ignore it!

But it was clear Lorelei couldn't ignore the past now.

The Pokémon Master's eyes still held their cold fury, and Holly thought she could detect a bit of the rage creeping into Lorelei's voice as she replied.

"My past with Team Rocket has nothing to do with my power as a Pokémon Master. In fact, my only association with them is having a Rocket as my ex-husband."

Holly snarled.

"And who would that be?"

Lorelei's gaze became so hard she looked like she could pierce anything.

Her chilling tone was the same as she answered.

"Giovanni, their leader."

Kristine walked closer, a smile on her face. Yet there was no warmth, and only more mockery as she responded.

"Finally, you admit the truth. You sheltered Team Rocket for years, Lorelei, and allowed Giovanni to freely perform his criminal deeds and torture all regions without fear. You're just as much of a lawbreaker as he is."

Holly's voice rose to a shrill yell, and she thrust her fists on the front of her.

"How _dare_ you allow Team Rocket to terrorize the region, Lorelei! You don't deserve to be called a Pokémon Master, much less a former member of the Elite Four! You should be punished to the highest degree!"

Beside her, Holly could see Kristine giving a curt nod.

Holly simply continued to glare at Lorelei, but resisted the urge to smile back.

No matter how strong Lorelei was, with Kristine backing her up, Holly could handle anything!

Yet despite being outnumbered, Lorelei only retained her piercing gaze. Her icy tone still remained unchanged.

"I didn't know he was part of Team Rocket. No one knew. As far as people were concerned, Giovanni was the virtuous Gym Leader of Viridian. Giovanni was quite the charmer, enough to steal my heart for many years. He also was powerful enough to be the final step on Trainers' journeys, hand-picked for the position by the League itself."

Holly howled. "Fitting for the horrible League to pick a criminal as a Gym Leader! And if the high-ranking members of the League pick them, then you should have known Giovanni was a criminal, Lorelei!"

Lorelei's eyes blazed with fury, but she kept her icy serenity as she replied.

"As I mentioned before, no one knew Giovanni was a criminal when he was chosen. And even so, I wasn't the one who selected him. That duty falls mostly to the Champion, as they control and protect the entire region. The Elite Four can advise the Champion on the choices, but unless something severe happens, the Champion has the final say. I doubt many people now would know much about Giovanni's selection process anyway. It was all the way back during Bill's reign,"

Holly couldn't resist pulling her eyes go wide, and she swore her jaw would hit the cave's icy floor.

"Bill? You mean the _crazy inventor Bill?_ _He_ was a _Champion?"_

Lorelei nodded briskly.

"He was, carrying the title before Red and Blue. Bill was, and still is, one of the finest battlers the region had ever seen. He didn't have too much of a passion for battling, however. Bill preferred studying Pokémon in other ways, and devoted a lot of his training to that. I think he was relieved when Blue finally defeated him in battle. Of course, Blue's reign was very short, as Red defeated him mere moments later."

Holly gritted her teeth, but remained silent as her mind took her back to her first encounter with Bill.

 _"If it were up to me, you wouldn't have any Pokémon ever again, Holly."_

Bill had said that after claiming he was one of the authorities on Pokémon. And then he revealed he had invented the PC storage system, and could see everything Holly did with it.

All that alone was enough to grant him power and prestige, and Holly assumed that was why he stated what he did.

But what if Bill said what he had because he had been a Champion?

What if the shy, eccentric inventor truly did have enough power to stand against the legendary Red and Blue?

What if the myriad of Pokémon Holly had seen were from Bill's Champion days?

What if Bill had been the Champion when Holly had begun her journey?

Would she still be training Pokémon?

Would she have ever trained Pokémon again?

Holly narrowed her eyes.

This was no time to focus on Bill.

Former Champion or not, there was nothing he could do to her now.

It was time to focus on the present.

So Holly listened intently as Kristine began to speak again.

"Red and Blue defeated Team Rocket when they went on their journeys. Surely someone would've figured out Giovanni was Team Rocket's leader then."

Lorelei fiercely shook her head, eyes still narrowed.

"Giovanni was prepared for that, and knew how to outwit those who would try to launch any attacks on their bases. He had many executives, and had them do the dirty work out in public while he hid in the shadows. It was effortless for these executives to claim to be the leader of Team Rocket and masquerade as such. When Red and Blue took down Team Rocket, it was publicized that they took down the leader. But all they did was take down one of the executives that was erroneously believed to be the leader. In the end, taking down the executives was completely useless, because Giovanni could use his prestige and countless other troops to bail out whoever got captured. So all Red and Blue did was lull the public into a false sense of security, while Giovanni continued his villainous activities unopposed."

Holly threw her hands, yelling.

"That just shows how pathetic the League is! They can't even tell a real Team Rocket leader from a fake one, let alone destroy even one of them! And this is despite fighting the Rockets for goodness knows how long! You talk about the Rockets lulling people into a false sense of security, but that's exactly what the League does! You and your kind are no better than the Rockets, Lorelei, and deserve to be punished along with them! And to think you even blame Red and Blue for everything, when the League works together with both of them. Just despicable!"

Lorelei's gaze only grew harder, rivaling the ice she was known for. However, Holly still realized the Pokémon Master's fury boiling beneath.

"The League may be strong, but it is not perfect! Red and Blue were only well-meaning vigilantes at the time, and did not intend for things to turn out the way they did. I'm not blaming them for anything. The only ones who are despicable are those Rockets that caused the whole mess."

Kristine's gaze was just as hard as she stepped up. The mocking tone was still present in the disabled Trainer's voice, although Holly could now detect it was mixed with cold anger.

"Or the League that didn't stop it, despite the enemy being right in front of them. It just goes to show how incompetent it is, and that the Rockets should have never been able to achieve the level of power that they have now."

At Kristine's words, a thought popped into Holly's head.

One she knew she just had to voice.

Holly made sure Lorelei could hear the sneer in her words as she loudly proclaimed.

"I bet you ignored the Rockets on purpose, Lorelei! It would only make sense, considering you were married to their leader!"

Before Lorelei could retaliate, Kristine calmly added.

"And it especially makes sense considering what happened after."

The mocking tone in Kristine's voice rapidly returned as the disabled Trainer faced Lorelei.

"Isn't that right?"

Holly wanted to ask what Kristine was talking about, but she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

However, she focused on Lorelei anyway.

Lorelei's eyes blazed with fury but her voice remained tranquil.

"I would never ignore something like that. Especially since what happened was so senselessly brutal…"

Kristine's mocking tone suddenly turned stern and vicious, as though it could pierce Lorelei like the Pokémon Master's icicles had tried to do earlier.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind telling us all about it, then."

Lorelei nodded curtly, although Holly thought she could see the faintest hint of Lorelei's right hand making a fist. However, that hint was soon gone as Lorelei somehow kept her tranquil tone despite her blazing rage.

"Red and Blue later completed their journeys in Kanto, becoming some of the most powerful Trainers ever known. For a while, the region was at peace. However, Giovanni now knew of Red and Blue's power, and that they could potentially be Team Rocket's greatest enemies. So he secretly amassed a massive amount of power over several years. When the time was right, he sent his troops to attack Red and Blue."

Holly clenched her fists as her suspicions were confirmed.

This was the same attack Blue had talked about!

The one that had he had tried to blame Kristine for, but it was really just another failure of the League!

Lorelei must've known what Giovanni was planning, or at least she must have known that the attack was an example of how the League let honest Trainers down!

Yet Lorelei still allied with them regardless!

It just showed how corrupt she was, and that the Pokémon Master didn't deserve her title!

Holy frowned as she prepared to launch another retort.

However, she didn't even get chance to open her mouth as Lorelei continued.

"Red and Blue were caught completely off guard, as was the rest of the region. Giovanni successfully had them completely ensnared, with almost no one being there to help or knowing how to counter Giovanni's attack. It looked as though Red and Blue would lose their lives that day."

Kristine icily responded.

"But they didn't."

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her as she yelled.

"All because of some stupid person named after a board game!"

Lorelei's eyes narrowed.

"I assume you're talking about the League informant Domino."

Kristine nodded, mocking tone once again returning. "Who else would have a name like that, even if it isn't her real one?"

Lorelei ignored the question as she explained.

"Domino is one of the most powerful members of the League, both with and without Pokémon. As such, she had been investigating Team Rocket a long time, trying to discern their movements and the identity of their leader. Even when Red and Blue took down Team Rocket, Domino did not believe they were truly defeated. So she continued her investigations, believing their leader was still at large. The worst part was that she was right."

Holly kept her fists in front of her as she snarled. "Of course she was! The League can't do anything properly!"

Lorelei ignored the jab, simply speaking again.

"Domino's investigations were the reason she was in the area at the time of the attack on Red and Blue. Her long-time friends, Cullen and Luna Calix, were also there. Although the two of them were simply Pokémon Rangers, they shared Domino's suspicions about Team Rocket, and agreed to come to her aid should she require it. That day, Domino thought she was getting close to the truth about Team Rocket, so she asked the two come along. Luna and Cullen agreed, and together the trio witnessed Team Rocket's attack against Red and Blue. Between this attack and the previous information she'd gathered, Domino was able to figure out that Giovanni was Team Rocket's leader and the one behind the strike. She exposed Giovanni as such during the attack, and worked together with Cullen and Luna to successfully save Red and Blue. After the League heard about Domino's new discovery, Giovanni was forced into exile. But even after that, there was still chaos in Kanto."

Holly threw up her hands.

"Really? Can't the League do its job?"

Lorelei once again ignored all his outburst, speaking with her tranquil fury.

"Red and Blue were still badly injured in the attack, and were lucky to have made it out alive at all. Even after they miraculously made a full recovery, they were still not unscathed."

Holly sneered. "And now exactly does that work?"

Lorelei simply glared and she responded.

"Though Blue and Red recovered physically, psychologically they were never the same. Furthermore, Viridian's Gym position was left wide open, and the League needed to quickly fill it. Thanks to his legendary prowess, Blue was almost immediately selected as the new leader. Despite everything, Blue agreed, as there wasn't many who could reliably fill in the position as the last step before the League. However, Blue had lost much of his passion for battling, traumatized by his latest experience with Team Rocket and the memories of his previous ones. While he still took on challengers at the Gym, he found it incredibly stressful. Consequently, Blue spent a lot of time away from his Gym. Instead, he preferred to study Pokémon in the wild, hoping to succeed his grandfather Professor Oak as a researcher. So as soon Blue got the chance, he handed his Gym position off to his son, Azure. Since then, he's gone off to study and travel as a researcher."

Holy snarled.

"So after the League fails to take down an obvious major criminal organization, it makes someone irresponsible Gym Leader. They are nothing more than incompetent! I bet Blue didn't even _want_ the position, and only took it to please tyrants like you!"

Before Lorelei could answer, Kristine stoically added.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Blue has always been a League loyalist."

Lorelei still glared, but continued calmly.

"I don't know why Blue chose to take the Gym position, but I did know he fared better off than Red. Red was the Champion at the time of the attack. Due to the negative experiences, he wanted to step down. His successor was a woman named Giselle, and he was perfectly willing to hand off the position without a fight. However, Giselle insisted on one last battle so that she could succeed him properly. After that, Red became a withdrawn recluse, and the experience scarred him so bad he didn't even speak for a while. Even I don't know what he is doing with his life now. What I do know is that Giselle's reign lasted for a long time. She was defeated only very recently, and Red's young daughter Scarlet took over the Champion position."

At that moment, thoughts of the past overtook Holly.

Kristine has mentioned knowing the current Champion personally at Celadon, and that she had enough of a relationship to ask her to disgrace the League traitors, if it came to that…

And it was clear that the Champion was Red's daughter…

So with Kristine being a student of Red, did she know Scarlet through him?

And if so, how close were they?

Just how powerful was Kristine?

It seemed like nothing could stop her…

But now was not the time to think about that.

If Holly didn't act, Lorelei would stop Kristine.

So she walked up and snarled. "What does it matter what happened in the past? The Champion and the Gym Leader positions are filled, and the new holders seem to be doing well! I don't see how this has any effect on what's happening now!"

Lorelei's gaze became so narrowed Holly wondered how the Pokémon Master could see. She spoke in an icy tone, and Holly wondered if she would see more of the glistening magic.

But Lorelei kept her magic at bay, only piercing with her words.

"The reason it matters is because Red and Blue weren't the only ones who suffered during Giovanni's attack. When Giovanni went into exile, he left a family behind. The family consisted me and two children. Due to Giovanni's unforgivable deeds and criminal ties, I could easily break off the relationship and take sole custody of both of the children. I knew that losing their father would be a blow to them, and wasn't sure how to compensate. However, I happened to be close friends with one of the other members of the Elite Four, Lance. He agreed to act as their father, as best as he could, anyway. With Lance being a member of the International Police Force, I felt he would be a good role model to the children. After all, it would be difficult for them to become lawbreakers if their father figure was one of the people enforcing the law. And now that Team Rocket was truly out of the picture, I hoped that my children could lead honest lives."

Lorelei closed her eyes, and a grimace finally crossed her face.

When she opened her eyes and spoke again, her icy demeanor had broken, replaced by noticeable pain.

"Unfortunately, it seems that hope was not enough."

Kristine abruptly responded, no sympathy in her voice.

"Because those children are Silver and Leaf, heads of the rebel forces."

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her again.

"Fitting that someone with so close to Team Rocket would also be so close the rebels! You should be treated just like the villain you are, Lorelei!"

Continuing in her unsympathetic voice, Kristine rapidly added.

"The only reason Leaf and Silver became rebels is because you didn't raise them properly, Lorelei."

Rage suddenly flashed in Lorelei's eyes, and Holly could detect the same fury creeping into the Pokémon Master's voice.

"You're not exactly innocent either, Kris!"

The mockery filled Kristine's voice as she responded.

"Enlighten me."

Lorelei seemed unperturbed by the hidden insults, sternly stating.

"Silver wished to beat everyone down with all his power, no matter who got hurt in the process. And you… You validated that philosophy, by utterly annihilating him in battle every time the two of you met."

Kristine's voice dripped with venom as she responded.

"Well it's not _my fault_ he wanted to battle, surpass me, and otherwise get my way every single time we crossed paths."

Lorelei wasted no time firing back.

"But it _is_ your fault that you continued proving his philosophy right. There were a myriad of other things you could have done, including choosing to disarm him without fighting at the very least. But instead you repeatedly resorted to battle, teaching Silver that power mattered above all else. And despite Silver's misdeeds, Leaf was still loyal to him as his sister, and followed that way of thinking. And all that led to the creation of the rebels, and you only sat back and watched…"

Kristine's eyes narrowed, and Holly could hear the rage blazing in the disabled Trainer's voice.

"Silver and Leaf were already causing trouble and unhappy with the League before I arrived. As the children of Giovanni, it goes without saying there were displeased with the way the evil teams were being handled and what they were doing. And there were countless other Trainers who were also discontent with the League and the way they run things. The rebels would have been formed no matter what happened. Of course, if it weren't for the League doing such a poor job at protecting the regions, the rebels would never have taken up arms."

Kristine nodded, as if silently confirming her own points.

"The creation of the rebels is the League's fault, and theirs alone."

Lorelei's next words came out as a snarl.

"You didn't have to expedite it!"

Rage continued to blaze in Kristine's eyes, and she spoke harsher than Holly ever thought anyone could.

"I didn't do anything. Stop making excuses, Lorelei."

Holly clenched her fist.

The League was once again blaming Kristine for their own incompetence!

Holly had to stop this!

Yet before she could even open her mouth, Lorelei faced Kristine again.

What the Pokémon Master said to the disabled Trainer made Holly's eyes go wide in confusion.

"I can't believe I even once considered having someone like you as my successor. There couldn't be a worse fit for a Trainer trying to earn the title Pokémon Master."

Kristine did not seem to be affected by the words, yet Holly gritted her teeth.

Why would Lorelei choose Kristine as a successor, and why did she think Kristine would accept?

Why would _anyone_ want to become Lorelei's successor?

Holly wasn't sure, but she knew now that this was the perfect time to attack.

So she screeched.

"Successor? Kris was never anything to you! She's just another honest Trainer, let down by you and you and your corrupt League!"

Lorelei's eyes narrowed as she faced Holly, but before Lorelei could answer, Holly fired another retort.

"Name one time you tried to help an ordinary Trainer, Lorelei! I bet you can't think of anything!"

Lorelei took a stumbling step back, and Holly could resist the urge to smirk.

Of course Lorelei wouldn't able to answer Holly's question!

The Pokémon Master could do nothing but admit to her own corruption!

Yet Lorelei simply closed her eyes and waited for a few tense minutes.

When she opened them, there was no mistaking the mixture of sorrow and sternness.

The Pokémon master responded quietly.

"Trace."

Holly yelled back at the top of her lungs.

"And who's that?"

Lorelei narrowed her eyes, but her voice betrayed her sorrow.

"Carlos's dead trainer."

At this, Carlos sank down low as his entire body drooped. Holly wondered if he would fall off of Lorelei's shoulder, but somehow he kept his footing. The Eevee had been so quiet that Holly had almost forgotten he was there. However, Carlos now let out a whimper, and his own sorrow was present in his eyes. On an unspoken command, he scampered down from his place on Lorelei's shoulder. The Eevee ran close to Lorelei's arms, and the Pokémon Master held him tightly as she wrapped her right one around him. Her free arm stroked Carlos's head, and the Eevee let out a deep breath. Lorelei nodded reassuringly, continuing to pet the Pokémon as she turned to Kristine and Holly.

Holly made a face, and Kristine simply shifted as if she was annoyed.

Who would baby their Pokémon like that? The Eevee already had another Trainer, and whoever was his previous one had been dead for a while!

Yet Holly didn't get chance to fire a retort as Lorelei began.

"Trace was a young Trainer, a few years younger than you, Holly. He was eager and energetic, but didn't know his limits."

The Pokémon Master took a deep breath before she began to speak again.

"A little while after the island League fell, members of Team Rocket attacked the islands known as Sevii. Sevii consists of many different places, so Team Rocket had set up a base on the islands and was capturing the Pokémon there. I was there, so of course I decided I would head out to free the imprisoned Pokémon. However, Trace was there too, and he thought would free the captured Pokémon himself."

A pained look reappeared on Lorelei's face, and Carlos drooped even more.

Yet Holly could only glare.

No matter what, Lorelei didn't deserve any sympathy!

Yet the Pokémon Master only continued.

"I feared for the safety of such an inexperienced Trainer, and I knew the islands much better than he did. So I tried telling Trace I could handle problem myself. However, he didn't believe me, and went off alone."

Holly screeched.

"Why would he believe you, after how much the League has failed?"

Lorelei ignored Holly's insult as she spoke again.

"I tried following Trace, but he quickly outpaced me. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Trace got captured himself. Luckily, Carlos managed to evade capture, and made his way to me. He was so exhausted he collapsed, but was able to alert me to what was going on. So Carlos and I raced to where Trace was captured, hoping to free him along with the Pokémon. But when we got there, we were too late. The Rockets killed Trace right in front of me, and poor Carlos witnessed his Trainer's death."

At this, the Eevee let out another tiny wail, and Lorelei gave him a quick reassuring squeeze.

Holly only narrowed her eyes.

If Lorelei thought another sob story could absolve the League of their crimes, that she was mistaken!

Nevertheless, Lorelei continued talking.

"I was still able to chase off Team Rocket, and the captured Pokémon were saved. However, Trace's already paid the ultimate price. All his Pokémon other than Carlos had also already lost their lives. I did what I could to help the other loved ones Trace left behind, including bringing his body home and paying for the funeral expenses. Trace's family also asked that I take Carlos as my own. Trace's journey had been brief, and they felt Carlos deserved another chance at one. Unfortunately, none of them were Pokémon Trainers, so Carlos would've otherwise just been a house pet. Therefore, I agreed, feeling that the least I could do was take care of Trace's remaining Pokémon. Carlos also gave his consent, although he kept some mementos of his former Trainer. Trace never put Carlos into a Poké Ball, so I decided that I wouldn't force one on him. Furthermore, one of the things Carlos and Trace liked to do was dress up together. I'm not one for doing things like that, but I figured there was no harm in letting Carlos wear costumes when he wanted. So he wears them almost all the time now, even though Trace is no longer with him."

Holly frowned.

That was such a stupid reason to let the Pokémon wear childish costumes! Carlos should have just accepted Lorelei as his new Trainer, and adapted to her ways!

And Trace…

What happened to him seemed eerily similar to what Courtney Hiroko had mentioned…

Perhaps the League officials were trying to tell the pair something…

At that realization, Holly's eyes hardened.

Whatever the League was trying to tell them, it wasn't worth listening to!

And Lorelei needed to know that!

But before Holly could voice her opinion, the Pokémon Master's voice became grave.

"No matter what, it was Trace's choice leave on his own. He knew what the consequences could be, and he chose to act rashly anyway. And both he and Carlos suffered for it. Even if the League couldn't save him, those who make foolish decisions like that while knowing what could happen have no one to blame but themselves."

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her.

Was _that_ what the League was trying to tell them?

How dare Lorelei speak like that, especially since _she_ was the problem!

So Holly shouted.

"That's not true, Lorelei! Trace is just another Trainer that was failed by the League! And you carry Carlos around as a living reminder! That's just cruel!"

Lorelei remained unperturbed, only narrowing her eyes. She had stopped petting Carlos, and the Eevee now shivered in her arms.

The Pokémon Master kept her grave tone as she spoke again.

"I can't believe you'd be so callous. Carlos was Trace's first Pokémon, and you both know the pain of losing your starters."

The Pokémon Master's voice grew even graver.

"Especially since one of you died with yours."

Holly snarled.

"You're talking about Kris and the Team Rocket hideout, aren't you? Don't you dare try to tarnish their reputations with your lies! Especially since you and your League tried to pretend that didn't happen! Kris escaped, but Levi and many others didn't! That's all there is to it!"

Lorelei shook her head.

"No, that's not what happened. Both Kris and her Pokémon were injured, and perished in the exact same explosion trap. The only reason Kris could continue her journey was because she was resurrected by that Yveltal she holds hostage."

"And how would you know about this?"

Lorelei did not stop her grave tone of voice as she continued.

"I know because I came as soon as I heard about the attack. The League had their suspicions about the place, and had been planning to storm the area. However, just like with Trace, I was too late to stop the vigilantes from recklessly charging in. By the time I got there, most of the damage had already been done. Everyone had horrible wounds both physically and psychologically, except for one person."

Lorelei flicked her gaze to Kristine.

The disabled Trainer simply remained silent, only shooting an icy glare back.

And that was when Lorelei stated a single, chilling, word.

"You."

Kristine did nothing but shift at what Lorelei had said, her piercing gaze still boring into the Pokémon Master.

Lorelei simply shook her head as she continued.

"I was a bit suspicious when I saw you entirely unhurt next to the mangled corpse of your starter Pokémon. Of course, I couldn't find any answers, and everyone just dismissed it as a miracle. But after what the Mold Breaker did in Saffron, I finally understand what really happened."

Lorelei's voice grew colder than ice as she responded.

"You never survived the battle, and you shouldn't have even been there. You shouldn't even be here now. Because you died long ago, and only exist through another's suffering."

Holly stamped her foot.

She had to stop this.

"How dare you, Lorelei! First, you believe the lies of the Mold Breaker, and insult Kris and the fact that she survived a horrible experience! You don't even deserve to be called a person, let alone a Trainer!"

Yet Lorelei simply ignored Holly, focusing on Kristine again.

"Such a shame, Kris. If only you'd tried to…"

Holy snapped.

"That's enough, Lorelei! If you're just going to argue and lie, then I have nothing more to say to you!"

Holly turned to Kristine, noting the disabled Trainer was still glaring daggers at the Pokémon Master.

Nevertheless, Holly spoke anyway.

"Come on, Kris! There is no reason to waste any more time with this idiot!"

Despite her fury, Kristine took notice of Holly's words and nodded.

"Indeed."

Yet before start walking away, Kristine shot one more freezing glance at Lorelei.

"I'll be back, Lorelei, and when I am, _you'll_ be the one that shouldn't be here."

Holly didn't have time to hear or see Lorelei's reaction, because the only sound after that was the pounding footsteps as she and Kristine raced out of the cave.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, Lorelei's past is based on a fan theory I heard years ago. I was browsing a Pokémon board, and there was discussion of who Silver's mother is. Someone created a chart involving many different characters and relationships. However, the one that stuck out to me the most was Lorelei and Giovanni being together. The explanation was that Lorelei was originally unaware of Giovanni's double life as a Team Rocket leader. In time, they married and had two children. The first was Silver, and the second was a girl. However, I don't remember if the girl in question was Ariana or Mars (an Admin of Team Galactic of Sinnoh). Regardless, Lorelei eventually found out about Giovanni's schemes and left him. I don't remember the rest of the theory, or what happened to the children afterward.**

 **Regardless, I thought it was an interesting attempt to shed light on the question that a lot of the fandom had been asking. It was also plausible, because Giovanni had easily wormed his way into society and lived as a high-ranking honest person for an extremely long time. Simultaneously, Giovanni also ran one of the largest, most infamous, and deadliest criminal organizations right under everyone's noses. So it made sense that Lorelei would not know about him leading Team Rocket, despite her own high rank. Not to mention that if it wasn't for the player attacking bases in the canon games, I doubt** _ **anyone**_ **would've known. The games themselves even keep it a secret, obscuring Giovanni's name and face when one looks at their Gym Badges, right up until the final battle with him. That made me want to use the theory I found even more, so I started fleshing it out and adding events and reasons as to why things went the way they did. I did make a slight change to the theory, however.**

 **In Traveler, Ariana and Mars are both adults. So it's not possible for either of them to be Lorelei's second child. Therefore, Leaf became Silver's sister instead. There are two reasons for this. One of them was that I thought would be interesting for a protagonist to be the child of someone so infamous, especially since Leaf does become a criminal herself. The second reason is that Leaf is around Silver's age canonically, so it is fairly reasonable that she would be his sister. This is actually pointed out in the games themselves, where a scientist working for Team Rocket mistakes the player for Giovanni's child when they are heading through a base in Sevii. The scientist then quickly corrects himself, stating that Giovanni's child has red hair (something the player characters can't have, because customization did not exist at the time the games were made). This scene happens whether the player is playing as Red (if they chose to play as a boy) or Leaf (if they chose to play as a girl). Since Red is already grown up and has his own story in Traveler, Leaf was the only one that quote really applied to. Therefore, she was chosen.**

 **-The idea that the Champion chooses the Gym Leaders is my own interpretation. It's not really shown how they are chosen and what criteria they have to meet in canon media. What is shown is that Gyms can be inherited (such as the cases of Falkner, Janine, Sophocles, and Hapu). Other people can also take over a Gym if the old Leader is forced out or otherwise can no longer hold the position (such as the case of Giovanni and Blue, Wallace and Juan, the various cases of retired Gym Leader equivalents in Alola, and Hapu taking over for her deceased grandfather). New Gym Leaders can also be added to an established circuit, so long as the person adding the Gym already has some sort of official authority (such as Mina coming up with her Gym in the middle of Pokémon Sun and Moon, and the city of Malie adding a Gym in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon).**

 **The Alola games have heads of the four islands (called Kahunas) pick the current Gym Leaders (called Trial Captains), but this is not always the case. Furthermore, the heads of the islands take journeys to temples to be chosen by the gods called the Tapus. However, a person can be denied the position, even if it leaves the island without a leader. Once an island leader is picked, the choice cannot be overturned except in extreme cases (such as someone dying, or having to take up a new position of authority). Furthermore, the details of how and why someone is picked for either position are never shown. Pokémon Special reveals that there is some sort of test prospective Gym Leaders have to take (as evidenced by Red having to take it), and the anime does something similar with inspections (which quite a few prospective Gym Leaders are subject to). However, no one has seen passing these tests or inspections, so it's unknown what they entail. With the selection process being so open ended, I thought it would make sense and simplify things if the Champion simply picked the Gym Leaders. Given that they have power over and a duty to protect the entire region, it would make sense that they would have that ability.**

 **-Bill's time as Champion comes from a mixture of fan interpretations and canon material. Initially, the games don't say how good of a battler Bill is, but many fans have assumed he is powerful. This is for a variety of reasons. One of them is that Bill owns many Pokémon, especially powerful and rare ones. In addition, he built the entire PC storage and has massive knowledge of every species of Pokémon. Bill's also one of the three cases of Pokémon and human fusion in the entire franchise (no matter how accidental). For the curious, the other two cases are Lusamine from Pokémon Sun and Moon, and various people in the Detective Pikachu film adaptation as a major theme. However, the latter fusions have various side effects, and are viewed as something negative. Bill's fusion does not appear to have any side effects, and also was not viewed negatively. The anime reveals that Bill is so knowledgeable about Pokémon that he is able to understand agent once just by dressing up in a costume. With all this knowledge and power, fans typically placed him at the level of an Elite Four member, if not higher.**

 **However, a conversation in the remakes finally answers the question about Bill's battling prowess. Unfortunately, this conversation explains that Bill is** _ **not**_ **very good at battling, so instead devotes his time and knowledge to doing research instead. However, this conversation is completely optional, and easily missed. There are absolutely no hints on what to trigger it, and even then, there's an element of randomness. Therefore, even if all of the requirements to trigger that conversation are met, the player might still never see it. With such a vital piece of information hidden beneath something so obscure, I decided to combine it with what the typical interpretation was. So, Bill is a powerful battler in Traveler, but just doesn't have the passion for constantly using it in a high position.**

 **Interestingly, Bill was originally supposed to be the Champion prior to the current one. However, when I worked out his backstory and character, I chose not to do that. Furthermore, Bill has a wife and children in Traveler, in addition to his canonical duties of managing the PCs. Therefore, I couldn't see him being burdened with Champion duties on top of all that, especially since he probably wouldn't be able to see his family very much. So he became the Champion Blue had to face instead.**

 **-The idea of Red and Blue only defeating executives masquerading as the real Team Rocket is inspired by something in the games and in real life. In real life, some organizations have had high-ranking members claim to be the organization's leader in order to protect their leader and allow them to lay low. This can also have the effect of dragging conflicts out, sometimes for much longer than they need to be. Given the type of person Giovanni is, I could easily see him doing that. This also has some basis in the canon media. In the Johto games and their remakes, Archer impersonates Giovanni while the other members of Team Rocket work in secret to bring their old leader back. There is even foreshadowing that this is beginning to take place, with the Let's Go games having Archer already appear as Giovanni's right-hand man.**

 **-Red and Blue be attacked by Giovanni was both an attempt to explain some things in the present day and a deconstruction of the Champion position itself. Becoming the Champion of a region grants power, prestige, and fame. It also grants a lot of allies who can protect the Champion when they are having been difficulties. However, it also grants a lot of responsibility to protect the region and ward off enemies.**

 **And those enemies will know who the Champion is, their weaknesses, and what power they wield. If the Champion is young, as Red and Blue are implied to be, they would be at a severe disadvantage no matter how good they were at battling. Red and Blue have an even worse disadvantage because they fought Team Rocket before becoming Champions. As a result, Giovanni knows who they are and what they can do before they even ascend to the position. Combining all these disadvantages, it wasn't too unbelievable for Giovanni to attack Red and Blue, catch them off guard, and do massive damage while hardly taking any in return.**

 **-Cullen and Luna are the two people mentioned by Blue earlier and in the corresponding author's notes for that chapter. They appear exclusively in the movie Mewtwo Returns, although they are bit different from their counterparts here. In the movie, they live near an area called Clarity Lake, investigating the possible medical properties of the spring water there. At first, they only share research common. However, later on, they become close friends, eventually starting to fall in love at the end of the movie. As a result, they decide to stay together even after the movie's events and most of their research concludes. Domino also works for them at the beginning of the movie, but is quick to betray them when her true identity is revealed later on.**

 **In this version, more time has passed. As a result, Cullen and Luna have decided to marry, so Luna takes Cullen's last name (Calix) as opposed to using her own (Carson). In addition, in the movie, the memories of Luna are erased, so they have no knowledge of people like Domino that they met during it. However, since things go differently here, but to keep their memories and the relationship to people like Domino. Furthermore, since Domino is genuinely on the side of good, she is friends with Cullen and Luna, as opposed to it all being an act. As stated before, Luna and Cullen do work that is very similar to Pokémon Rangers. However, that term and meaning would not come into use until Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire were released years later. Instead, Cullen and Luna were called environmentalists and naturalists. Since Traveler is written long after the idea of a Pokémon Ranger entered the series, Cullen and Luna are classified as such. Finally, Luna has an older sister, Luka Carson. She is seen at the beginning of the movie, and again at the end. However, she's not mentioned here. The reason is that I am currently unsure if she will participate in the battle to ward of Giovanni. In the movie, she's simply a civilian that drives buses, and therefore has no means to defend herself in a huge battle (unlike Rangers who are expected to, and Cullen and Luna, who canonically try). Unlike the other two, she also has no canonical relationship to Domino, so she probably wouldn't be called upon to help investigate unless a relationship was added.**

 **-How Red and Blue behave after the battle is not only a deconstruction of the Champion position, but also a way to explain so things that happen in canon. Canonically, Blue takes over the Viridian Gym position with little explanation in the Johto games. However, he is constantly away from his Gym, which causes problems for Trainers. Furthermore, Blue's often off doing research for Professor Oak, despite being known as a powerful battler and no explanation otherwise. This gets even worse than the anime, where he is a powerful and popular battler, yet suddenly stops to become a researcher. Once again, there's almost no explanation for the change. So I decided to include the backstory of the attack and the effects to give a plausible explanation as to why Blue switches around. This also gives an explanation as to why his son, Azure, runs the Viridian Gym. In the original RP, it was stated that Azure runs the Gym. However, it was not stated how he inherited the position. Therefore, this story gives an explanation.**

 **-Red unfortunately has the lack of explanation problem even worse. In the Kanto games and their remakes, he takes the title of Champion. This is true even if he's not the player character (possible if the player chooses to play as a girl in the remakes, in which case he doesn't appear and she takes credit for his accomplishments). However, by the time the Johto games come around, Red has become a recluse, training at the remote Mt. Silver for no particular reason. This leaves Lance in charge of both the Johto and Kanto Leagues (which are now merged). Mount Silver can be accessed as long as the player has all 16 Badges and has talked to Professor Oak in Pallet afterward. Red can be battled at the summit as a secret final boss with one of the strongest teams in the entire series. However, there's no hints that he is there, and still no explanation as to why he went to Mount Silver in the first place. Oddly enough, he can be encountered as a powerful bonus battle in some of the other games.**

 **-The Let's Go games do attempt to give an explanation for Red. In these games, he's not connected to the Champion title at all. Instead, he is a wandering Trainer and the strongest one in the game. Once again, there are no hints to his appearance, but he instead appears near the Pokémon League. In order to even challenge them, one must beat the main game. After that, one must defeat powerful opponents called Master Trainers in one-on-one fights. After doing this, Red will appear and can be challenged. It's worth noting that the player does not need to use the same Pokémon used to battle the Master Trainers, and defeating Red gives the player a title which can be used for greeting others. Being defeated doesn't have the players suffer any penalties, and Red can simply be challenged again immediately. Once Red is defeated, he will disappear, and the player can challenge them after defeating the Elite Four again. The Let's Go games also attempted to give Red some personality, showing him as a laid-back Trainer who enjoys tough opponents and battles, whether winning or losing. He also is an honorable opponent, even in defeat. The Let's Go games take place a separate timeline, however, so it's unknown how much they affect the other games of the series.**

 **Furthermore, the anime doesn't really feature Red at all (aside from Pokémon Origins, a direct adaptation of the games). Instead, his character is taken over and replaced by Ash. The latter character has a completely different personality and goals, so the two are usually considered separate. In Pokémon Special, Red keeps his Champion title and connections to the League. He does travel to Mount Silver, but it's only temporary in order to heal wounds he received previously. After that, he returns to his position, also traveling around to help solve the current issues in the regions. However, the events in Pokémon Special do not happen in Traveler, so the explanation in the former cannot be used in the latter.**

 **So, with Red suddenly disappearing for seemingly no reason canonically, I felt I wanted to make my own interpretation as to why he did what he did. This interpretation also builds on the idea of seeing much of what little is known about Red's personality traits in a negative light, since the games don't provide an explanation about that either way.**

 **-So finally the Champion is revealed! Scarlet being the current Champion, Red's daughter, and later on, the team she uses all come directly from the original RP. That was all the information that was known from there, so everything else was there is my own creation. Some of Scarlet's traits are based off of Red, such as the restlessness mentioned in an earlier chapter. Scarlet being very young despite being the Champion is also based off of Red. In Pokémon Special, he a phenomenal battler and only 11 years old when he took the Champion title. Since Scarlet seems to have inherited the ability to battle well from him, I could easily see her doing the same.**

 **-Lance's relationship with Lorelei is based on fan interpretations. It is common for fans to pair the two together (at least until the character of Lyra came along), so I decided to do something based off of that here. However, they are not in a romantic relationship, but are simply close friends. So I figured they could easily become close enough where Lorelei would trust Lance to help raise her children, and he would accept. It's also worth noting that some fan interpretations do have Lance being a father (even unknowingly), although sometimes the child is adopted.**

 **-Lance being a member of the International Police Force is based off of the anime. In this media, Lance is a member of the Pokémon Government Man (or G-man, for short). While it's not officially considered a part of the International Police Force, he is seen working closely with police officers. Furthermore, it's his duty to investigate and destroy crime, something that he is very good at. Therefore, making Lance a full member of the International Police Force was not too far of a stretch.**

 **-So in comes the introduction to Silver's character! What he does here is based on the games on my interpretation of them. In the games, Silver starts off as a cruel Trainer, believing Pokémon only to be tools and solely wanting to get stronger to the point where he could beat anyone. He starts off by stealing a starter Pokémon for the local professor Elm, then heads off to challenge the player and everyone else he can find. Silver desires power above all else, aiming to be the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer through whatever means necessary. Silver has numerous battles with the player, losing every single time. Eventually, he gets into a battle with Lance. Lance utterly destroys him, and lets him off with a warning about the error of his ways. Silver, hell-bent on revenge, trains even harder. However, after losing to the player right before the Pokémon League, Silver realizes the truth of Lance's warning, amends his ways, and fully reforms.**

 **In Traveler, Silver's redemption never happens.**

 **And that is because of how he is written in the games.**

 **In the games, the player's numerous battles with Silver show him that friendship and trust with Pokémon will always prevail over pure power.**

 **So how does the player teach Silver valuable information?**

 _ **By beating him into the ground with their own power.**_

 **In other words, they are not** _ **disproving**_ **Silver's philosophy; they're** _ **validating**_ **it.**

 **One could argue that the player wins the battle is because of their Pokémons' friendship and trust. However, friendship is not displayed in battle at all, and has hardly any effect on it. Friendship is a rather useless stat overall, only relevant for certain events, evolving specific Pokémon, and measuring the power of two moves (out of hundreds). Furthermore, a player can use Pokémon that they don't have a lot of friendship and trust with, and as long as those Pokémon are stronger than Silver's, they will still win the fights.**

 **One could also argue that a player could easily avoid or lose the fights. However, all the fights with Silver pre-reform are unavoidable and must be won. Therefore, Silver will always get beaten by the player no matter what.**

 **So the player** _ **isn't**_ **teaching Silver that love and friendship will triumph, but rather, the power truly does matter above all else, because power brings one success.**

 **Therefore, Silver's character is one big contradiction, one that the games don't really do a good job of addressing.**

 **So Traveler uses an alternative, darker, and plausible interpretation of his character, showing what would realistically happen if someone treated Silver the same way the player treats him in the games. Traveler having the battles being avoidable is there to emphasize the situation and interpretation even more. It also shows that an alternative option is possible, but the games do not give the player any.**

 **-Silver forming the rebels is also based on Silver's character in the games. In the games, it's no secret he has a disdain for Team Rocket, due to being the abandoned son of Giovanni (although the player only finds the information out during a secret event of the remakes). However, Silver also disdains anyone he sees as weak. This includes several members of the League, such as Gym Leaders, the local professor, and the Champion Lance. This disdain disappears once Silver reforms. However, this reform does not happen in Traveler, so he keeps the disdain here.**

 **-Lorelei considering choosing Kristine as a successor to the title Pokémon Master is actually based off of Kristine's original character when she was first created many years ago. Kristine's original incarnation had a lot of behavior issues and refused to respect authority. However, Lorelei was one of the few people Kristine liked, respected, and eventually grew close to. I originally wanted to do more with the two of them together, but that never came to be. However, when this story was created, and Kristine was part of it, I wanted Lorelei to play a large role in Kristine's backstory and character again. Given what I already knew about the two, having Kristine be a possible successor to the title Pokémon Master was the perfect way to do that.**

 **-Trace is a character exclusive to the Let's Go games, replacing Blue as the player's rival. Blue still appears in those games, but is more of a mentor figure to the player and Trace. He is also more laid back than and kinder than he is in the original games and their first remakes. Blue can also be challenged as a secret bonus boss after the main game has been cleared. As for Trace himself, he is sillier, less brave, more carefree, and not as competitive as Blue. However, he still has a fierce determination to be as powerful as he can be, and take his place among the world's best Trainers. In the games, Trace can have either Pikachu or Eevee as a starter Pokémon, depending on what game the player is playing. I picked Eevee here because of the novelty of having it as a starter overall.**

 **-Trace's tragic fate is actually based off of the fusion of events in the games. In the Let's Go games, the player is about to enter Rock Tunnel when a lot of Rockets surround them. They want revenge on the player for defeating them in previous encounters, and prepare to capture or severely hurt them. However, Lorelei suddenly appears, taking the Rockets down and rescuing the player. This event can be quite shocking, because it does a good job of portraying the player is in very real danger before Lorelei appears. Furthermore, this event does not occur in either the originals or first remakes, so there's no way a player can see it coming without knowing about said event beforehand. I also found the event quite interesting, because I wondered what would've happened if Lorelei had never come or had come too late to help. The wonder led to the tale she tells here.**

 **-Another event that inspired this story was also from Pokémon Let's Go. In Pokémon let's go, the player ends up tossing their partner Pokémon into an air vent to go and secretly grab a key. The player only has control over their partner Pokémon at that point, and cannot engage in any battles. Instead they must travel down a winding area, grabbed the key, and then jump down from a wall. I thought that was a very cool addition, and wished there were more things like that. Thus, when I got the idea of Trace being captured, I thought about his partner Pokémon escaping somehow, and heading back in secret similar to how the Let's Go games does it.**

 **The final inspiration for what happened to Trace was actually taken from the first Kanto remakes. In these games, Team Rocket terrorizes the Sevii Islands. The player has a chance to go visit these islands, where they can find Lorelei about to battle some members of Team Rocket. Lorelei will ask the player for their help, and the player will accept. Afterward, Lorelei and the player will learn that the island's Pokémon have been taken to a warehouse on one of the other islands. Lorelei will stay behind to defend the remaining islands will the player proceeds ahead to oust Team Rocket and free the captured Pokémon. Since the player has defeated the regional Champion by that point and the games don't really deal with the issues of sending a child to take on a criminal organization alone, there isn't really a problem.**

 **But of course, Traveler** _ **does**_ **deal with those issues.**

 **And it also puts forth the idea of what would happen if the player** _ **wasn't**_ **on the level of the Champion at the time they went to do with the Rocket warehouse.**

 **It's worth noting that in the Let's Go games, the event with Lorelei and Team Rocket occurs when the player only has three Badges** _ **(at most).**_ **That's** _ **nowhere near**_ **the level needed to take on the Champion** _ **or**_ **the Pokémon found in the Rocket warehouse in Sevii. As Trace was a let's go exclusive character, it was easy to see the power disadvantage occurring. Combining that power disadvantage with the problems of having a child trying to take down criminal organizations by themselves led to what happens to Trace in this story.**


	101. Vacant Cradle

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. This is a new area, so there is a new prompt! All forms of the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Cinnabar Island is a small area, but still has many attractions. It's home to the giant Pokémon Mansion, and a famous Pokémon Lab. Trainers can have fossils resurrected into ancient Pokémon at that lab. They can also view a giant volcano helps give Cinnabar its name. The Gym Leader is Blaine, who specializes in Fire Type Pokémon._

* * *

100\. Vacant Cradle

Despite the rocky ride before, Holly was now comfortable as Isaac blasted through the water while she held onto his back. Kristine's Lugia did not seem to slow down this time, but perhaps that was because Holly had gotten used to the motion.

Whatever the case, Holly let out a sigh of relief.

They were finally away from those wretched Seafoam Islands, and away from Lorelei. Given the verbal beat down Kristine had handed her, the Pokémon Master was unlikely to bother the Kristine and Holly again.

And yet…

A question still rattled in Holly's mind.

So she asked through thought.

" _Kristine, the islands to the south that Courtney Hiroko mentioned… Should we attack them too?"_

The disabled Trainer's calm voice rang clearly in Holly's head.

" _No, don't worry about the islands. Ever since their fall, the League has very little influence there. It's not worth wasting our time with them."_

Although she wasn't sure if Kristine could see, Holly nodded resolutely.

They had to focus on getting all the Badges, and taking the fight to the League!

There was no time to waste on some insignificant islands!

With that, the rest of the voyage was quiet, and no more thoughts made their way into Holly's head.

However, the silence was soon broken by Holly's sigh of relief.

Another piece of land loomed before them, full of towering buildings instead of looming caves. Holly thought she caught a glimpse of something red, and guessed it must have been the roofs of some of the buildings. She could have sworn the red color could be found lower down, but Holly wondered who in their right mind would paint an entire city red.

Regardless, a smile came to Holly's face.

They were finally here.

Cinnabar Island.

The next step in gaining another Badge and crushing the League!

Holly could have kissed the ground as she dismounted, but instead her eyes were drawn to an ornate building. It was larger than most of the other ones, and its dark brown color contrasted against the red. Holly could see some whiteness, but there still wasn't a speck of red.

She blinked in confusion.

What would such a mismatched building be doing here?

As soon as the thought entered Holly's mind, so did Kristine's voice.

" _That's the Pokémon Mansion. It also doubles as a research lab, although it's not as famous as the actual Cinnabar Lab in front of it."_

Holly was about to ask what someone would study a place like that when she noticed the doors opening.

Holly narrowed arise when she noticed who was walking out of the mansion, and saw Kristine do the same. On an unspoken signal, the two dashed towards the figure.

The figure seem to be expecting them, as they stopped, and their own face became stern.

Before they could do anything else, Kristine and Holly were right beside the person.

Kristine spoke coldly as she stared straight into the other person's eyes.

A single word left the disabled Trainer's lips.

"Nia."

Holly snarled.

"What are you doing here?"

Nia remained unperturbed, instead staring straight back.

Holly could detect casualness in her response, although most of her cheeriness was gone.

"Visiting Dr. Fuji and his daughter Amber. It's been a while since I've seen them."

Holly howled.

"Dr. Fuji? That man is in Lavender!"

Nia only shook her head.

"The man in Lavender is called _Mr_. Fuji. _Dr._ Fuji is an entirely different person, and his son. So that makes Amber Mr. Fuji's granddaughter."

Holly clenched her fist.

Why would anyone make things so confusing?

Yet Holly's clenched fist displayed her anger nowhere near as much as Kristine's cold eyes.

The disabled Trainer's voice was colder than ice as she responded. "Amber's been dead for years, Nia. Even you should know that."

Holly gritted her teeth.

Was Nia so deluded to think that the dead lived again? That she could freely visit a dead person? Or did she just want to pretend someone dead was alive?

Yet Nia continue to remain unruffled as she replied tensely.

"And you should know that Dr. Fuji's specialty is cloning. When his daughter died young, he created a clone of her and had the clone live on in her place. The fact that Amber is a clone is only known to a select few, though, because he wanted her to be able to live normally. Dr. Fuji also implanted the new Amber with the original's memories and age, so she would be able to live and act just like his daughter had. Death may as well have been just a small pause in Amber's life, one that she easily recovered from."

Holly screeched. "How dare he toy with human life like that!"

This finally elicited a response, as Nia put her hands on her hips.

"And you haven't?"

Nia's eyes were sharp as she glared at Holly.

"You've destroyed countless innocents just to satisfy your own selfish desires."

Holly threw up her hands.

Those she destroyed weren't innocent!

They had been supporters of a corrupt League, and both needed to be taken down!

But the harsh words Nia more nothing compared to what the foreign Trainer said as she captured Kristine in her sharp gaze.

"But that's nothing compared to what you did. If anyone's guilty of toying with others' lives, it's you, Kristine."

Holly had to stop herself from gasping at Nia's comment.

How dare Nia use that name! She didn't have the honor!

Kristine must've thought the same as her voice dropped to a low furious, tone.

"Only those close to me can call me that. You have not earned that right, Nia."

Yet Nia seemed unaffected by Kristine's rage as she stated.

"Like it or not, Kristine is your name. And I may as well have earned that right. After all, I was one of the last people to see you alive."

Holly clenched her fist.

If Nia could use Kristine's full name, she could too!

After all, she was the one that had the privilege!

So Holly screeched.

"That doesn't automatically make you better than anyone else, Nia! And Kristine is alive right now!"

Nia rapidly shook her head.

"No, she isn't. You saw what happened in Saffron."

Holly rapidly snarled.

"So Kristine can survive fatal blows, and revive! That doesn't mean she's dead!"

Holly stepped up, rage burning in her eyes as she let her voice rang through the air. "Give me some proof, then! Tell me when you last saw Kristine alive, Nia!"

Nia didn't even flinch at the remark, quietly stating.

"It was around 15 years ago… I always thought the idea of a Pokémon fusing with the human was interesting. So when I heard of Kristine's condition and that there was not only a fusion between Pokémon and human that was alive, but also stable, I became fascinated."

Holly resisted the urge to throw up her hands again.

Who cared about Nia's fascinations? She was only an eccentric person from nowhere!

Yet the woman was now directing her gaze at Kristine as she continued.

"I tried to teach you battle tactics so you could use the Ultra Beast living within you. But you just ignored me, Kristine. Instead, you continued mistreating and neglecting poor Tulip…"

Kristine shifted abruptly, eyes colder than the harshest winter.

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her.

Kristine didn't mistreat and neglect Tulip! They were the best of friends! And Nia didn't know what she was talking about! No matter what, Tulip couldn't fight, so there was no way she could learn any battle tactics!

But for Holly could fire a retort, Nia went on.

"From what I know, hosts that truly form a friendship with and increase the power of a Nihilego obtain unparalleled strength. That strength could have _saved_ you, Kristine, from your horrible fate… But you refuse to even knowledge that, and as a result…"

Nia paused again, and Holly thought she could see the woman shudder.

Nevertheless, Nia finished her sentence in a subdued tone.

"You died."

At this, Kristine spoke with the same tranquil fury.

"My decision is none of your business, Nia."

Holly stepped up, yelling.

"I won't allow you to insult Kristine any longer! Leave now, or suffer!"

Instead, Nia shook her head, continuing to glare.

"It's true. You're just like the Shadows."

"Who?" Holly screamed.

Nia's eyes grew hard.

"Shadows. People and Pokémon corrupted into fighting machines by destroying all semblance of their souls. They come from my homeland of Orre, engineered by madmen to dominate the other regions. There used to be a way to revert Shadows to their former selves, but now it is gone… But it's not like it would matter for you anyway."

At this, Kristine shifted again, rage now burning in her eyes.

Holly copied the gesture and screamed.

"What do these Shadows have do with us?"

Nia's gaze remained hard as she continued.

"Because you're just like them, soulless creatures who constantly fight and destroy, corrupted by selfish ideals. And you're so twisted you can never go back. Even if someone found a way to reverse the process, it would be much too late…"

Holly stamped her foot. She didn't know what this Nia person was talking about, but enough was enough!

Holly screeched at the top of her lungs.

"Leave now, or I will have to use force!"

Kristine spoke in the sternest voice Holly had ever heard.

"Be gone, Nia."

This time, the woman seem to have gotten the message and turned to leave.

However, as she was doing so, she called out.

"You will pay for your crimes."

Kristine sneered back.

"Not likely."

Holly couldn't resist stepping forward to shout.

"Especially since we didn't do anything wrong!"

If Nia had heard Holly's comment, she gave no indication.

Instead, the eccentric woman continued walking, until she became merely a glimpse in the distance.

It was only then that Holly let her fists slam down at her side.

Hopefully that would be the last of the traitors for now!

Or they would face the full brunt of Holly's wrath, and Kristine's along with it!

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-This chapter's name comes from a song used in Fire Emblem: Fates. It's a somber, slow, tune that is played when the cast learns about the history of the dragon Anakos and the fallen kingdom of Valla. Anakos is one of three dragon gods in the world of Fire Emblem: Fates. When the other dragon gods eventually ascended to the heavens, he chose to remain to watch over the mortal world. He became a kind and powerful figure, and a best friend of Valla's king. He also passed on some of his power to the people there, and it is still used by the time the game begin. Unfortunately, dragons who do not ascend eventually become insane from their own power. Though Anakos tried to keep the power at bay, he finally succumbed a generation before the games begin. As a result, he destroys a forest, kills his best friend, and brings the entire kingdom to ruin. Most of the people killed are brought back as soulless shells of their former selves, forced to act as Anakos's soldiers until they die again. There are a few who escape, but it doesn't do much good. The reason is that there is a curse on the entire kingdom, and anyone who speaks of it outside its borders dies a horrible death. Furthermore, the kingdom is nearly impossible to get to, not being able to be accessed by conventional means. The main character only finds out about the kingdom by accidentally following someone else, and that puts a plan in motion to figure out what's going on, stop the insane Anakos, and restore the kingdom completely.**

 **I picked this title and song for several reasons. One is that it is a slow, somber, yet hauntingly beautiful song. I thought it fit very well for the mood of this particular chapter. One of the other reasons is that what is explained in this chapter fits with the context in which the song is used in its original game. This chapter deals with corruption from a combination of power and supernatural sources, as well as the damage that the corruption has done (both Nia's backstory and what she thinks of Holly and Kristine). In addition, there's the idea of hidden knowledge and said knowledge having consequences if it ever was released (Amber's status, and Kristine and Holly's plans at large). Finally, the third topic talked about is the idea of death and rebirth, and what that really means (Amber, but also Kristine as well). All the similarities made the song even more fitting.**

 **-So the islands in the south referenced in this chapter are the Sevii Islands (although, in this story, they have been expanded to include several other side games and materials). Even though the player can visit them in the Kanto remakes, I chose to have Holly not visit them early on (even before the expansion). The expansion into a separate region and the fall of their League are the reasons given in story. There are also several other reasons related to the gameplay in the original games, however.**

 **One has to do with how the Sevii Islands are laid out. In the games, the player is forcefully taken there by Bill after they receive their seventh Badge. There, the player meets Bill's friend Celio and has to do several quests for him in order to get the PCs running there. Once the player has beaten the Champion, they can return to do more quests and establish connectivity with the other games. It's worth noting that all quests in Sevii must be completed before the Elite Four can be challenged again.**

 **Compared to the canon material, Holly really has no reason to visit the Sevii Islands. PCs and game connectivity aren't an issue, so a whole new backstory for these islands would have to be created. In addition, Holly is not on good terms with Bill, and since Bill established be the only one that has the means of getting there initially, Holly has no way to get transportation there, nor would he give it see her for future use. Finally, the majority of the islands cannot be visited until after the Champion is defeated. However, the original RP and thus, Holly story, does not deal with any of the content after the main game. So Holly would not be able to visit them if the game conditions were still in place.**

 **-So the Pokémon Mansion! It is simultaneously one of the most interesting and one of the most confusing areas in the entire series. In the games, it was apparently a home for many researchers, working on studying the Pokémon Mew to create clones. Eventually, they succeeded with one, a powerful Pokémon named Mewtwo. However, Mewtwo grew to detest what happened to it, and destroyed the mansion. It is now home to several wild Pokémon, and burglars who try to look for treasure remaining after the tragedy. Blaine also hides the key to his Gym here, directing players to the Mansion as a test of character.**

 **The issue is with** _ **how**_ **the Mansion is handled.**

 **In the games, some of the scientists escaped Mewtwo's carnage. One of them is implied to be Mr. Fuji, and he has taken residence in Lavender Town to atone for what happened. The problem is that Mr. Fuji never reveals who he is (neither confirming nor denying his history), and it's never revealed how the scientists escaped. Furthermore, with a Pokémon as powerful as Mewtwo, the building was more or less completely annihilated in the backstory. Yet parts of it still stand, and there's enough left for people to explore it. In addition, one would think that after an incident that caused so much damage, people would find out about Mewtwo, or at least suspect something. However, no one seems to know anything, and a lot of people act as though Mewtwo and Mew don't even exist.**

 **The anime tries to remedy the situation by saying all the scientists died in Mewtwo's attack. One of the scientists is a man named Dr. Fuji, and he was the head of the project to create Mewtwo. Unfortunately, he's one of the last ones killed in the attack, and the area is completely destroyed until there's nothing left. Furthermore, Mr. Fuji is never seen in the anime, despite Lavender Town being a major plot point there. The implication is that this is because he is the same scientist that was killed, but the movie is made long after Lavender Town. Therefore, there's no confirmation that Dr. Fuji is Mr. Fuji when he was young. The issue with Mewtwo being found out is still there. Powerful people still know of its existence, namely Giovanni of Team Rocket and Blue (known as Gary in the main anime). The movie tries to explain that away by having Mewtwo erase everyone's memory after the encounters with that, but people who were not exposed to the memory erasure are still around (Blue being one example).**

 **So one of the darkest moments of the series quickly turns into a giant mess of inconsistencies.**

 **Therefore, I decided to rectify one of those inconsistencies by having Mr. Fuji and Dr. Fuji be two different people. The two being father and son explains why they have the same last name, and still gives Mr. Fuji some connection to Mewtwo.**

 **It's unknown if Pokémon Mansion will function the same as it does in game, since its destruction never happened. However, some Pokémon are exclusive to it in Kanto. Additionally, quizzes and tests of character a major part of Blaine's personality, so him hiding a Gym key somewhere is still extremely fitting.**

 **-So, Amber. She's actually a canon character, and an extremely interesting one, but not one that is likely to be very well known. Amber is exclusive to the anime, but for a long time, her story never even left Japan. It was eventually released in English as an extra short on the DVD releases of the first Pokémon's movie sequel, years after Mewtwo's first appearance. The entire story was called the Uncut Story of Mewtwo's Origin. It is there that Amber finally makes an appearance in the international anime, and becomes an established character there.**

 **In the anime, Amber is Dr. Fuji's deceased daughter, dying offscreen before the movie and the main anime begins. Heartbroken, he resolves to make a clone of her in order to effectively bring her back. Dr. Fuji receives funding from Giovanni, exchange that he also make an extremely powerful Pokémon from the DNA of Mew. To test all of that, he also makes clones of the three Kanto starter Pokémon, and all the clones become friends with each other. However, Dr. Fuji's devotion to his work takes a toll on his marriage, and his wife eventually leaves him. To make matters worse, Amber and the other clones soon die right in front of Mewtwo, with nothing that scientists can do to save them. Though Amber accepts her death, Mewtwo becomes extremely upset. Soon, he begins to start dying as well, and the scientists give him something that will calm him down and make him strong enough to survive. However, it comes with the cost of erasing his memory and making him more ruthless. The subsequent destruction of the lab and deaths of the scientists ensures that Amber will never be resurrected again.**

 **-Amber's story here admittedly comes from the fact that I changed my mind about what I wanted to do with her. Originally, the Pokémon Mansion was going to serve the same purpose as it did in canon, with Amber and the other cloning experiments failing. However, I decided it would be more interesting if the clone Amber survived, with Dr. Fuji, his family, and the cloned Pokémon all receiving happy endings. Combining that with the fact that probably would not have any need to visit Pokémon Mansion, and the idea was set. However, I unfortunately had already written down that the experiment had cloning experiment had failed in one of my much earlier companion stories. Therefore, I decided to make Amber's backstory the way it was here. Canonically, Amber does have the original's memories, going to a certain place to retrieve them (which she calls her Remember Place). Despite not being very old in terms of the cloning itself, she appears as a preteen girl when speaking with the other clones. It's likely that this is the age the original Amber was when she died. Therefore, her being able to have the memories and the age of the original is not that far-fetched. In addition, the idea of keeping her identity as a clone the secret is also not implausible. The reason is that while real life cloning hasn't advanced to re-creating humans (yet), the more famous clones (such as Dolly the sheep) had to be watched and protected because of their status. Since successful human clothing would undoubtedly bring even more attention, it's not inconceivable to think that Dr. Fuji wouldn't want his daughter to be dragged into that upon the world learning she is a human clone. Finally, it's worth noting that Dr. Fuji is not funded by Team Rocket in this story, so there is no negative effects to having the clones survive the experiments.**

 **-So, Nia. I mentioned before that her back story got changed and explained significantly, so it's time to mention it here. Nia originally comes from a region called Ferrum. Ferrum is known for having many leagues where Trainers and Pokémon can test their skills. However, the battles fought in Ferrum are different than once fought in other regions. Once Pokémon enter the arena, they always fight one-on-one, and type advantages and disadvantages are eliminated. There are other differences as well, such as different Pokémon coming in a limited amount of times to offer support or extra attacks. Another difference is that Pokémon build up an attack gauge by fighting continuously. When the gauge is completely full, the Pokémon can enter something called Burst Mode. Burst Mode grants the Pokémon higher stats, a new appearance, and access to a powerful move called a Burst Attack. However, the Burst Mode itself only lasts for a limited time, and Burst Attacks can be dodged or blocked.**

 **Ferrum has a number of different battlefields the player can fight on. However, aside from being gorgeous and the background music being spectacular, the battlefields don't really add much to the region in terms of lore. This is because the player is inexplicably teleported to each one, and aside from what each battlefield looks like, there's no background information on them. So that leaves the region with little to really explore and learn about. This is the reason why Nia's home region was changed, and why Ferrum is not used in Traveler at all.**

 **One thing that does take inspiration from the original game is Nia's interest in fusion. In that game, Trainers appear on screens and have a microphone next to their mouths (like what one might see on a wireless headset). These microphones on screens are used to remotely shout commands to Pokémon. Nia also is on a screen, providing advice to Trainers. At that point, the camera shifts to the two Pokémon, and remains on them for the entire match. The Pokémon then execute rapid, varied, and sometimes consecutive attacks, all the while also defending and dodging an opponent's moves. It's both beautiful and challenging, and a type of battle style I wish would make its way into the main games. As of this writing, it has yet to do so. However, the type of fighting used in Ferrum was what I envisioned Kristine's fusion Tulip looking like if she did use it offensively. Thus, this translated to Nia being interested in fusion and trying to teach Kristine battle tactics upon finding out about the latter's condition.**

 **But despite what transferred over from Nia's home game, I needed to think about what didn't.**

 **And that meant giving her a new region to live in.**

 **Luckily, I found a full region that is very similar.**

 **Orre.**

 **And why is it similar?**

 **Because of the Shadows.**

 **-Shadows, known as Shadow Pokémon, first made an appearance in the Orre games (Pokémon Colosseum, and later, its sequel, Pokémon XD). They were Pokémon corrupted by an organization called Chipher, to be used as the organization's personal army in world domination. These Pokémon were given their name based on the dark aura they exhibit that isn't normally seen by the human eye. The Pokémon become feral, artificially turning into fighting machines. This has several effects in combat. For one, Shadow Pokémon must be taken from their Trainers through a process called Snagging. Snagging works similar to catching Pokémon normally, except the Pokémon are taken from Trainers rather than being in the wild. The next thing is that Shadow Pokémon cannot gain experience, evolve, be traded or used in the official tournaments, or learn new moves. They also have a chance of going into a state of being where they ignore orders, turn on their Trainers, and even hurt themselves. Items also cannot be used on them. In order for the Shadow Pokémon to leave that state, the player character has to call their name with a menu option in battle. However, calling the Pokémon's name also skips a turn, allowing an opponent a free chance at attacking.**

 **After capture, Pokémon only know special Shadow moves, which are usually corrupted versions of regular attacks. However, they can regain some of the moves they had before their corruption through a process known as purification. Purification usually involves battling, walking around, and using specific items. How far Pokémon is in that process is indicated by a gauge that depletes in battle. Once the gauge is completely depleted, a Pokémon can head to a designated area to complete purification and revert to a typical Pokémon. Snagging Shadow Pokémon is about the only way to get Pokémon at all in the Orre games, so purifying them is of the utmost importance. Shadow Pokémon, or any reference to corrupting a Pokémon would not appear for many years after the Orre games.**

 **That is, until Pokkén Tournament was released.**

 **-This game introduced the concept of corruption happening in** _ **people**_ **as well as Pokémon, and coming from more natural sources. Throughout the game, the player is confronted by a mysterious girl and her corrupted Mewtwo (the latter known as Shadow Mewtwo). Mewtwo appears to be extremely powerful, defeating all opponents while destroying everything in its path. However, the young girl eventually is found to be named Anne, and reveals this wasn't always the case. The Pokémon in the game battle using energy from Synergy Stones. However, sometimes corrupted ones appear, called Shadow Synergy Stones. The corrupted Mewtwo is a friend of Anne's, which is why they are seen together. However, Anne ran across a Shadow Synergy Stone one day. She was quickly at risk of being corrupted herself, but unable to escape. Just when it looked like Anne was about to succumb to the stone's corruption, Mewtwo sacrificed itself and became corrupted instead. Anne set off to try to save Mewtwo, and try to stop all the damage their corruption was causing.**

 **As far as gameplay goes, Mewtwo's corruption gives it the highest attack power in the game. However, it's a bit weak defensively, and every attack launches does damage to itself. However, this Pokémon is equipped with a healing move to try and negate the extra damage. Corruption also drastically changes Mewtwo's appearance, turning it an ominous pitch black. Furthermore, the corrupted Mewtwo becomes so powerful that it nearly stops all battles. Despite these negative connotations, the player is free to use Shadow Mewtwo in any battle not part of the main story. Mewtwo's story and what could have potentially happened to Anne is why those corrupted are simply called Shadows in Traveler, rather than Shadow Pokémon.**

 **With the problem of Shadows, corruption and the damages it does being a major theme in both the Orre games and Nia's, having her be from the former region made the most sense.**


	102. Imposter

**Hello, and welcome to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

101\. Imposter

As soon as Nia was completely out of sight, Holly snarled.

"She is so annoying! I hope we never have to see her again!"

Kristine nodded. "Indeed. But it is not worth thinking about her now. Cinnabar's Gym awaits."

Holly nodded resolutely in return.

There were more pressing things to worry about!

She let Kristine lead the way to the red roofed building that housed the Cinnabar's Gym.

However, as they were walking, Holly noticed something to her right that made her stop dead.

She narrowed her eyes and strained her vision to get a better view.

Water came into focus, and seeing that there Cinnabar was an island, that was no surprise.

However, there was something different…

This water seem to be a dark, ominous, blue, almost black, when the water around it was clear and light. Holly swore she could see waves tossing and turning, even though there was no storm. She wasn't sure where the water led, but there was something shimmering in the distance.

Holly's eyes and then went wide.

What could be shimmering like that?

Nothing that Holly knew.

Was it something that _anyone_ knew?

Kristine must have known something, because the disabled Trainer's voice sounded in Holly's head.

" _What's wrong, Holly?"_

Holly simply pointed to the dark, brooding waters, trying not to shiver.

Kristine was quick with an answer, although her voice was grave.

"That pathway leads to the Mystery Zone, where Missingno lives. It's a fearsome place, one that few Trainers dare to tread. The Mystery Zone is where Missingno got its other name, the Anomaly."

Holly nodded, gaze sharp.

Even though she knew little of Missingno, she could see why would be called the Anomaly. The one she met in Fuchsia's zoo was the most bizarre thing she'd ever seen, with a cry to match. Missingno was such a terrifying creature that it often scared people off, and it had nearly done the same to Holly.

The name Anomaly fit perfectly!

There wasn't anything normal about Missingno!

It was unsettling, to say the least!

And yet…

Holly had a hard time believing that the helpless captive she had seen in Fuchsia zoo could live in a place as intimidating as the treacherous waters…

But then, Missingno _was_ a god…

It could go wherever it wanted, Holly supposed.

Provided it wasn't locked up in a cage for others to stare at.

Holly wondered how it had even gotten there in the first place.

Obviously, Missingno hadn't been happy at the zoo…

So it mustn't have come willingly…

But who would capture such a ferocious beast and bring all the way to Fuchsia?

Holly shuddered again as she remembered Kristine's grave tone.

The disabled Trainer seem to have some disdain for Missingno, and she knew quite a bit about it…

Including the fact that it had a failed Vessel…

Holly already wondered if Kristine had been this failed Vessel…

So if she was…

Did _she_ bring Missingno to Fuchsia?

And _why?_

Out of revenge?

Anger?

Fear?

A desire to keep others from failing?

A desire never to see her own failure again?

Holly swallowed hard.

It was no use asking.

The disabled Trainer had several chances to bring up, but it seemed like she never would.

Holly was snapped from her thoughts as Kristine's voice sounded in her head again.

" _Before you go into the Gym, you should make one more Pokémon switch."_

Holly cocked her head.

" _Who?"_

Kristine replied matter-of-factly.

" _Switch in Nidoqueen. Blaine will sometimes use a technique to shut down opposing Water Types. If you have another type that's strong against fire, you'll be ready."_

Holly understood Kristine's reasoning, but kept her head cocked.

" _Who should I switch out?"_

Kristine rapidly replied.

" _Honchkrow. There's not that many Fire Types that it's strong against, and those that it is can be handled with your other Pokémon. Besides, it's done a lot of battling already, and could use a break."_

Holly nodded.

Kristine was sure right about that!

Immediately, she tossed Honchkrow's Poké Ball to the disabled Trainer, and Kristine tossed her Nidoqueen's.

Holly clipped Nidoqueen's Poké Ball to her belt, and a smile spread onto her face.

Now the next Gym Leader wouldn't stand a chance!

Yet Holly's smile faded to confusion as she stepped through the Gym's doors.

The floors had the same red tiles as the roof, although Holly could see that there were actually separate rooms with doors. There also were rectangular machines in the corners, although Holly had no idea what they were for. Holly could see another Trainer in front of the door, but it wasn't anyone she recognized. However, the Trainer was glaring at her unsettlingly, as if he was expecting something.

Holly clenched her fist.

Of course the Trainers here would be expecting as she continued working to take down the League!

They should know dirty looks wouldn't be enough to stop her!

Yet Kristine's voice could be heard in Holly's head again.

" _In order to begin the challenge in Blaine's Gym, one must first press a button on the machines in the corners. You will then be presented with a quiz question, and must shout your answer into the machine. Answering the question right opens up the door and allows you to proceed. Answering the question wrong means you must fight and defeat the Gym Trainer in the room instead. However, Blaine allows people to fight the Gym Trainers after answering the questions regardless, so those that get all the questions right but still enjoy Gym Trainer battles can still have them here. You can't challenge any Trainers before doing the quiz, though."_

Kristine paused, and Holly thought she heard a tinge of worry in the disabled Trainer's voice as she continued.

" _Be careful, Holly. Something isn't right here…"_

Holly nodded, eyes narrowed.

If something was enough to make _Kristine_ worried, then she had to be on her guard.

With that, Holly stood up to the first machine, pushing a button on the front.

A male voice came from the machine's giant speakers, although was not anything Holly recognized.

She paid attention to its words anyway as they rang through the air.

"Challenger Holly of Celadon, did you earn your Badges?"

Holly felt her blood run cold as her eyes went wide in surprise.

What sort of quiz was this?

Holly noticed Kristine had also recoiled, and there was no escaping the shock in her voice.

" _Blaine's quiz questions only ask about basic Pokémon training, not personal things. Perhaps this was meant as a deterrent…"_

Holly clenched her fist.

It would take more than a few harsh words to deter her!

She took a deep breath, and shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Of course I did!"

Holly suddenly had to cover her ears as a loud screech filled the air. It wasn't anything she'd ever heard before, but she suspected this had to be some sort of error sound.

Holy suspicions were proven correct as the room's Trainer walked over to her. He still held his cold glare as he locked eyes with Holly. The opposing trainer said nothing, only thrusting out a Poké Ball.

Holly narrowed her eyes as she screeched.

"I don't have time for you!"

She clenched her fist.

If this Gym wanted to use dirty tricks, then she could too!

She held a Poké Ball in her free hand.

Holly threw it with all her might as she screamed. "Go!"

A deafening roar filled the air as a creature erupted onto the battlefield.

There was now a blazing beast with fur resembling billowing smoke on its back. The beast towered over the trainer, trapping him its shadow.

The other Trainer could only shrink back, and Holly simply smiled.

Of course a mere Gym Trainer couldn't stand up to the might of Anabel's Entei!

Except now the proud, stoic, gaze from before was gone.

Instead, the beast's eyes were sharp, and there was a ruthless look within.

Holly nodded confidently, smile turning into a smirk.

A scream pierced the air, and Holly realized that it was coming from the other Trainer. He was now shaking, face pale as he looked like he was about to collapse on the floor.

The Trainer let out another screech, and this time, Holly could make out words.

"Open the door! Open the door!"

Holly wasn't sure to who the Trainer was speaking, but the door did open.

The Trainer let out another shrill yell.

"Go now! Please don't hurt me!"

Holly shook her head.

Anyone supporting that wretched League deserved no mercy!

Holly spoke ominously.

"I hope your Pokémon can still fight. Then again, it doesn't matter much anyway."

Holly then turned to Anabel's Entei, letting her command ring out loud and clear.

"Entei, destroy him."

Entei's roars mingled with the other Trainer's screams as Anabel's Pokémon took a step forward.

However, Holly did not stop to see the carnage as she and Kristine dashed ahead into the next room.

The disabled Trainer stood by as Holly pressed a button on the quiz machine. The machine roared to life with its question.

"Challenger Holly of Celadon, are your Pokémon truly yours?"

Holly frowned as she hid her shudders of discomfort.

This again.

She wouldn't let it scare her!

She shouted again.

"They're all mine!"

The error sound buzzed again, and Holly couldn't help wincing.

She noticed Kristine had done the same, and figured that even if one traveled a lot, it was impossible to get used to the sound.

The winces quickly faded as another icy-eyed Trainer approached.

This one did the same gesture as the last, and Holly was quick to respond.

"Go!" She yelled as she tossed a Poké Ball into the air.

Another roar filled the air as a second beast appeared.

This one was a yellow striped tiger with a purple storm cloud on its back. It still was shaped like a blue bolt of lightning, and that same lightning sparked from its body.

Holly smiled.

Anabel's Raikou.

The beast had the same rapturous gleam in its eyes that Entei carried. The Trainer also had the same high-pitched scream upon seeing the beast.

Again, Holly could decipher the message within. "Somebody stop her up ahead!"

Holly's eyes were just as cold as Raikou as she gave her command. "Raikou, take this Trainer down!"

Screams were drowned out by electricity being launched as Raikou began its assault. Once again, Holly didn't stop to see as she and Kristine sprinted forward.

Holly almost fell as she lunged towards the next quiz machine. However, she used its gigantic bulk to study herself. Kristine pulled up beside her as Holly pressed the machine's button.

The machine blared with its overpowering volume.

"Challenger Holly of Celadon, did you hurt innocents?"

Holly could feel her face redden.

She had hurt others, but none of them were innocent!

Holly screamed. "No, because no one I hurt was innocent!"

The error buzzer sounded, but this time, Holly paid no attention.

Instead she focused on the chilling gaze and almost mechanical gesture of the Trainer who approached her.

Holly responded rapidly, her own gesture coming almost instinctively as she reached for another Poké Ball.

She didn't speak a word as she tossed the capsule at her opponent.

A creature with a black body and sharp claws emerged. It was smaller than the two before it, but no less deadly as its white claws and red feathers shown pristinely in the area. The Pokémon bore the signature ruthless gleam, but Holly hardly noticed. She didn't think this Pokémon could get any more ruthless.

Because this was Anabel's Weavile.

A Pokémon belonging to a species known for its brutality.

And it certainly wouldn't spare any of that brutality now.

The other Trainer seemed to realize that, as the doors opened upon him simply mouthing words.

Regardless, Holly wasn't going to let a mere realization be enough.

Her command came out in a chilling tone. "Weavile, you know what to do."

Anabel's Weavile let out a shriek that sounded almost like a laugh before throwing itself at the Trainer.

Holly didn't wait to see the opponent's reaction as she and Kristine moved on.

She was long past the point of caring about the Gym Trainers.

All that mattered was the Leader, and taking down the League!

But getting to the Leader would not be so easy, as Holly skidded next to another quiz machine. She scowled as she threw her hand on the button.

Another question filled the air, and Holly resisted a groan.

"Challenger Holly of Celadon, did you abandon your family?"

Holly held back the urge to punch the machine.

No matter who Erika once was, the Celadon Gym Leader was her mother no more!

And Anabel is just a filthy betrayer who received her rightful punishment!

The one she claimed to be her husband, Yew, was just a dead man who probably didn't even exist!

Now Holly had only Kristine and herself to count on!

So, she shook her head and screeched.

"No, because I have no family!"

Holly whipped around before the error buzzer even went off. Her opponent walked near her, but Holly gave him no time to react.

Instead, she threw another Poké Ball, watching as the capsule opened.

Anabel's Alakazam appeared, alert and unruffled even with the power of Google's spell.

Holly couldn't help but smile.

Before Alakazam's power had been used against her…

But now…

The power was all Holly's.

The opposing Trainer said something that made the door open, but Holly barely heard him.

Instead, her mind only focused on utilizing Alakazam's power without hesitation.

Holly's voice was cold as she pointed towards her opponent.

"Alakazam, give this corrupt League supporter what he deserves."

The only thing Holly heard next was the pounding of her and Kristine's own footsteps. Alakazam didn't make any noise as it launched its deadly attack, and Holly didn't dare look back.

Instead, she focused her vision forward, heading straight the next quiz machine. She pressed the button automatically, not even flinching as the deafening voice boomed.

"Challenger Holly of Celadon, are you worthy of using the power of fire?"

Holly scowled, eyes narrowed.

The League should know the answer by now!

She screamed.

"Of course I am! I've been using the power from the start!"

The error buzzer wailed through the air, but Holly only kept her narrowed eyes and a fearsome scowl.

Holly's opponent faced her, but Holly didn't say a word.

Instead, she just threw a Poké Ball into the air.

A ferocious monster burst from the capsule, screeching deafeningly. It was a massive blue dragon, enormous red wings flapping ominously. Black eyes were fittingly ruthless as they scanned the area.

Holly nodded.

Anabel's Salamance.

The first Pokémon of the betrayer's Holly had met.

And the last sight she hoped her opponent would see.

Holly let her voice rise to a screech, as loud as the error buzzer had been.

"Salamance, rip our foes apart!"

The Pokémon let out its own screech, but that was all Holly heard as she continued her journey.

She didn't even pause to take a breath as she sped towards another quiz machine. She swatted at the button, her hand making contact with it before she even stopped running.

The sound of the quiz question was the only thing that made Holly halt.

"Challenger Holly of Celadon, are you an honest Trainer?"

Holly's eyes hardened, and she made a fist.

There was only one answer to this question!

One that everyone in the region should know!

So Holly took a deep breath and screamed.

"I am!"

The error buzzing came like a siren, but by this time, Holly tuned it out. Instead, she focused on the gleaming Poké Ball in her hand as her opponent walked towards her.

A piercing scream again exited from Holly's mouth.

"I've had enough of you all! Take this!"

With that, she used all the strength she had to toss the Poké Ball into the air.

A massive creature emerged, walking on clanking metal legs. Its body was light blue, although it also had some gray and blazing red eyes. Psychic power already orbited around it, and Holly thought she could see her opponent shrink back.

This was Anabel's Metagross.

The one that started everything.

The Pokémon responsible for Holly's earliest imprisonment.

But it wouldn't be imprisoning her now.

It wouldn't be imprisoning _anything_ now.

The door opened, but Holly didn't pay much attention.

Instead, she glanced as Metagross, and her command came out in a low growl. "Metagross, make this Trainer pay for siding with the League!"

Holly didn't take the time to notice what Metagross was doing as she and Kristine hurried to the door. Despite her rush, Holly heard Kristine's voice sound in her head.

" _That is the last of the quiz questions. Blaine awaits."_

Holly nodded sharply.

She hadn't even battled the Gym Leader, and yet she resolved that he would get what he deserved for his vile acts!

Once Anabel's Pokémon had finished taking down the Gym Trainers, they would show no mercy to their Leader!

But now was not the time to think about Anabel's Pokémon.

Instead, Holly finally skidded to a stop as she noticed another person in front of her.

The person was a man and had on a white lab coat, but Holly had never seen him among professors. Perhaps he wasn't even a real one. Either way, the person also had on dark pants and boots, the kind that Holly sometimes saw professors wearing. Holly knew what professors definitely didn't wear was a red and orange tie resembling fire. The man also had on eccentric black sunglasses with golden rims. He had no hair, instead sporting a white mustache. Holly couldn't see the man's eyes, but guessed they held the same desire to battle that she had.

She assumed this was Blaine, Cinnabar's Gym Leader.

Holly's opponent was finally in front of her, and yet, she frowned.

Why would anyone let someone who was so old he was bald run a Gym?

It only proved the League's stupidly!

Yet as Holly took a step forward, a voice filled her ears.

At first she thought it was Blaine, but the Gym Leader wasn't speaking.

Instead, the sound appeared to be coming from behind Kristine and Holly.

Holly couldn't make out any words, but she noticed the distant voice was high-pitched.

At first, she thought it was the screams and howls of the Gym Trainers.

But this voice sounded confident.

Powerful.

In control.

Yet the voice also sounded familiar somehow…

But…

There shouldn't be anyone else in the Gym at the moment, nor anyone that even had access to such a remote place...

Holly doubted Dr. Fuji and Amber could fight at Anabel's level, or Kristine would've said something…

And Courtney Hiroko, Lorelei, and Blue had chosen not to provoke Kristine and Holly any further, even though they could have traveled to the island…

And the island was so small Kristine and Holly would've seen any newcomers from other places…

So the person must've been someone who knew about the challenge against Blaine, but was already on the island…

And the only one Kristine Holly had met on Cinnabar was…

Holly's eyes went wide as Kristine finished her thought for her.

"Nia."

Holly noticed that the disabled Trainer's eyes were cold than ice, and her words had come out in a snarl.

Holly had not known how close the two had been, but Kristine had known Nia once.

Was the disabled Trainer's anger because of being betrayed again?

Holly's eyes narrowed.

Whatever the case, Nia was just an eccentric foreigner that had no right to be here!

Yet Holly was quickly drawn back to the present as she noticed Blaine nodding at Kristine.

His gaze quickly shifted to Holly.

"I thought you might try a trick like that, so I asked Nia to help out. She is a Pokémon Master, and this isn't the first time she's dealt with super-strong brainwashed Pokémon. Nia is also familiar with high-stakes battles, so she knows how to keep calm under pressure."

Holly clenched her fist, widened eyes becoming narrowed.

How could some foreign Trainer no one knew about stand a chance against Kristine's abilities and Anabel's Pokémon?

As far as Holly was aware, Anabel and Nia never battled, and the betrayer had never mentioned Nia's strength. So Nia should have no knowledge of how to deal with the Pokémon she was facing...

Furthermore, Blaine had stated that Nia had dealt with Pokémon under mind control before…

But how was that possible?

There weren't any opportunities to fight Pokémon under mind control, and from what Holly had heard, there hadn't been any in the past, either. Well, there had been Kristine's bewitched Pokémon at Saffron, but they had been too busy fighting each other to battle Nia… And with something so deadly, it's not like anyone would put Pokémon under mind control deliberately just so others could practice battling them…

So how and where had Nia learn how to counter mind controlled Pokémon? If she truly was fighting back against Anabel's, then she was no ordinary Trainer…

Blaine had mentioned she could control herself during high-stakes battles, but what Trainer could keep a completely calm composure when the lives of everyone in an entire Pokémon Gym were part of the stakes?

Who exactly _was_ Nia?

Holly shook her head.

Nia was nothing.

No matter how strong she was, she always would be!

Holly faced Blaine, rage burning in her eyes as she sneered.

"Now crazy foreigners can become Pokémon Masters? I guess anyone can."

She held out her hand, voice taking on a mocking tone. _"I_ may as well have the title now."

Blaine rapidly retorted.

"You will never become a Pokémon Master. And you can't use those crazy Pokémon against me if you have hopes of earning a Badge."

Holly nodded coldly. "I'm aware, and I'll make you pay for how you humiliated me before!"

Her voice rose to a shout as she stepped even closer. "Let's battle!"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So the Mystery Zone actually is a place in canon, but most players probably will never know about it, let alone see it. This is because it's a place that can only be accessed using glitches, cheating, or hacking. In some games, it's not accessible at all despite being programmed in, and trying to do so will cause the game to crash. The Mystery Zone first made a proper appearance in the Japanese versions of the Sinnoh games. It can be a combination of many different areas, and sometimes is a mixture of a regular area and a black void. However, in the Mystery Zone will sometimes lead to unused areas that were left in the regular games. For example, in the Sinnoh games, one can access a version of some of the sea routes pre-release and hear music that did not make it into the final game. It can also be used to access event only areas, albeit with some glitchy graphics.**

 **Although the Mystery Zone did not formally debut until Sinnoh, there were some areas similar to in earlier games. For example, in the original Kanto games, one can enter a mishmash of various areas known unofficially as Glitch City. One can also use glitches to warp from area to area, catch Pokémon they normally wouldn't be able to, and even create duplicates of themselves. Similar areas also exist in the original Johto games, such as an unused Safari Zone and a place where one can try to battle with a ghost using music from another area called the Burned Tower. With all this variety, association with glitches, and oddities as well as the general ominous tone and the fact that most people will never see it, I thought the Mystery Zone would be a perfect place for Missingno to reside. However, it is unknown at this time what the Mystery Zone will completely look like. It being near Cinnabar is based off of the original location where Missingno can be found.**

 **-Missingno being called the Anomaly is actually inspired by a fan interpretation. On the website called TV Tropes, there is a project called The Pokédex - Extended Fanon Edition. This project has pages on almost every single Pokémon, with more being added, and also has pages on several other aspects of the Pokémon world. As its name implies, it attempts to expand on aspects of Pokémon and the Pokémon world itself that are not really explored or even considered. It's also fairly lighthearted, unlike many other examples that try to do the same thing. One of the entries was on Missingno, although the creature's name is never mentioned. Instead, Missingno is only known as the Cinnabar Anomaly, what information is gleaned is said to be from rumors, many parts are left purposely empty and only stated as unknown, and the article overall acts like it doesn't officially exist. Not only did I find this an accurate portrayal of Missingno as it relates to the canon Pokémon world, I also thought the idea of calling it the Cinnabar Anomaly fit well. Therefore, I decide to use the name here. However, since the Traveler series has Missingno able to be found in places other than Cinnabar, I dropped Cinnabar from the name entirely. Thus, Missingno is only referred to as the Anomaly.**

 **-Blaine using a technique to destroy opposing Water Types is based off of the games. In a lot of the games, high-ranking Fire Type Trainers use a set of moves to counter almost all of Fire's weaknesses. This forces the player to play carefully, and a lot of times, specific Pokémon are required to beat them. Blaine sometimes uses this combination on his teams, which is why I included it here.**

 **-Blaine's Gym is one that was received many redesigns over the course of the games. The design used in the original Kanto games and its remakes is exactly as Kristine describes (although it's not explained how Trainers answer quiz questions). In the original Johto games, since Cinnabar volcano erupted, Blaine takes refuge in Seafoam Islands. The player enters a single, small, room, then forward walks a few steps to battle him. In the total remakes, the Seafoam Islands was turned into a proper Gym with Trainers and obstacles.**

 **In the Let's Go games, Cinnabar's Gym received a complete redesign. The gym now has a humorous aspect, with almost the entire thing designed in Blaine's likeness. Instead of going through a puzzle with quiz machines, the player goes straight up onto a stage. Blaine himself administers the quiz, appearing in person to do so. In the Let's Go games, the player character actually does shout enters answers a microphone placed on a stand on the stage, although the players themselves do not hear the replies. In this version of the Gym, the player's mission must collect five Blaine dolls (miniature versions of Blaine) in order to fight the Gym Leader at the end. Answering a quiz question correctly towards the player with the Blaine doll. Getting a question wrong causes a curtain to open and reveal a Trainer. The player will receive a Blaine doll when this Trainer is defeated. Unlike in the original Kanto games and remakes, the player cannot challenge Gym trainers if they get a question right. Furthermore, the player cannot save their progress until either they or the Gym Leader are defeated. Since Traveler is a more serious story and the volcanic eruption never happened there, it uses the Gym format seen in the original games and the remakes.**

 **-Blaine's Gym asking harsh quiz questions comes from a Kanto remake hack called Pokémon False Red. In this hack, the player takes the role of a boy named Fire (a name for the male protagonist in the Kanto remakes). Unfortunately, the entire region is mourning Red, and wanting him to come home after he has gone missing. It's implied that Red has died at Mount Silver, but neither the player nor the characters learn if that is indeed the case. Regardless, Fire looks exactly like Red, and is repeating his journey. As a result, almost the entire region despises Fire for completely copying Red, effectively stealing his identity, and going down the path taken before to make the latter's accomplishments his own. It is unknown if Fire is simply an innocent Trainer hated for something beyond his control, or if he arrogantly assumed he could steal Red's identity and success without caring about the grief it is causing in the region. The way that most characters act implies that it is the latter, however. Regardless, when Fire gets to Blaine, the typically lighthearted quiz questions are replaced by ones that are extremely negative and personal. It's unknown if Blaine himself programed the quiz questions, as he acts cordial when reached. However, since no one else is seen knowing how to program the quiz questions in False Red, I'd always assumed that Blaine did create them. Thus, Blaine makes the quiz questions in this story, and acts hostile to match.**

 **-So Anabel's brainwashed Pokémon finally did the battlefield here. This is because originally, I didn't know what to do with Blaine's Gym. I knew I wanted Holly to have the harsh quiz questions, and I knew I wanted her to get them all wrong. However, I also knew that this would require her to battle against all the Gym Trainers. To have each be a regular battle would involve a lot of extra details that would drag the Gym section out. Even more notable, these details would not be that important in the long run, because the main focus was the quiz questions, Holly's reaction, and the upcoming battle with Blaine. Therefore, using Anabel's brainwashed Pokémon at this point got Holly's feelings and reactions across, made the battle short enough to where they wouldn't take space and focus away from the main points of the chapter, and allow the aforementioned Pokémon to have more relevance in the story. It was also an excellent way to have Nia appear again, because she is the only one strong enough to feasibly take on the brainwashed Pokémon.**

 **-Nia even being on Cinnabar in the first place has to do with something in her home game. When the player battles Shadow Mewtwo, Nia mentions that she's read about them Mewtwo on Cinnabar Island. However, Nia only says this if the player has her voiced advice enabled. Since the player can choose to have her advice be silent or toggled off any time, it's possible to miss the line entirely. Nevertheless, thanks to the reference, I thought it would be fitting for Nia to appear on Cinnabar.**


	103. Blaze Within

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

102\. Blaze Within

Holly clenched her fists, expecting Blaine to be intimidated by her words before.

However, the Cinnabar Gym Leader didn't even flinch, only given only giving Holly a nod.

He rapidly grabbed a Poké Ball, tossing it into the air.

"Go, Magcargo!"

Bright white light filled the room as a Pokémon emerged. When the light cleared, Holly couldn't help making a face.

This Pokémon was just disgusting!

It had a red body made of bubbling lava. The bubbles on its body constantly popped even as it inched onto the battlefield. Holly could see what looked like red drool hanging from the Pokémon's cheeks, and she wondered why no one cleaned the creature up. There was a gray shell on Magcargo's back, and Holly observed a tiny flame occasionally coming out of it. The Pokémon peered at her with bright yellow eyes that seemed almost comically too large for it.

Holly made another face at the opponent.

To think such a gross creature would even exist!

Well, Holly would make sure that wouldn't be the case for long!

She snatched up her own Poké Ball, throwing it into the air as she shouted.

"Go, Politoed!"

Holly's green frog Pokémon appeared with a flash of light. It let out a croaking sound as it hopped closer to Magcargo. Politoed flashed Holly a grin, and Holly smiled back.

With Politoed's power, that hideous Magcargo stood no chance!

And it was time to let Blaine know it!

Confidence overflowed into Holly's command.

"Politoed, Surf!"

Politoed conjured up a wicked wave, leaping on top of it. Magcargo could do nothing but stare helplessly as it was engulfed in the wave's shadow. The water crashed down with a mighty roar, hiding the opposing Pokémon from view. Holly thought she heard something that sounded like coughing as Magcargo was submerged in Politoed's Surf. Politoed gracefully jumped off of the waves they started to fade. Yet as the water cleared completely, Magcargo simply lay on the ground unmoving. It didn't even cough, eyes closed and an expression of pain etched on its face.

Holly nodded sharply.

Fitting for Pokémon as pathetic as that one!

Blaine rapidly recalled his Magcargo, not even pausing as he readied another Pokémon.

Within minutes, another Poké Ball flew through the air.

"Go, Ninetails!"

A second Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, although mercifully it wasn't as ugly as Magcargo.

Rather it was quite the opposite.

Nine stunning tales waved in the air as the creature stood confidently. The tails were cream-colored, although the ends were orange. The rest of the Pokémon's fur was also cream-colored, including a tuft on its head. Pointy ears angled forward, and Holly could see that they had a bit of pink in them contrasting against the cream color on the outside. Piercing red eyes glared back Holly, reflecting fierceness they could match Holly's earlier confidence.

Yet Holly only glared back.

She wouldn't let dirty looks take her down.

Yet before Holly could even move, she heard Kristine's voice in her head.

" _Velvet…"_

Holly glanced to her right to see that the disabled Trainer had recoiled backwards, eyes full of sorrow.

Before Holly could ask what was wrong, Kristine responded.

" _Velvet… She was… She was a Ninetails just like this one, and one of my first and strongest Pokémon… But sheer strength was not enough… We were traveling through Rock Tunnel's pitch blackness… Velvet couldn't see… She became separated from the rest of my Pokémon, tripped, and then the rocks fell… By the time I've found her, it was already far too late…"_

The disabled Trainer's voice shuddered as she spoke.

" _Please, take this Ninetales down by whatever means necessary… I don't want another reminder of her…"_

Holly nodded shakily.

Kristine had mentioned Velvet's name when they had headed into Rock Tunnel… To think the disabled Trainer was referring to something so tragic…

Holly clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. She recalled the unbearable pain she felt when she glimpsed the disabled Trainer lying injured on the ground, leg mangled and useless after encountering another experience with a rockfall…

Holly herself had barely escaped one alive…

Yet Kristine had been rapidly found and healed.

Holly had managed to avoid sustaining any wounds in the first place.

But poor Velvet had never gotten either chance…

And Kristine had only discovered her Pokémon's corpse…

The disabled Trainer's pain was nothing compared to Holly's…

Yet at this moment she relived all that pain as she was forced to suffer, watching the mirror image of the Pokémon she'd lost…

But Kristine would suffer no longer, as the enemy Ninetails would be condemned to oblivion!

Yet just before another command was about to leave Holly's lips, Kristine's voice was in her head again.

" _Holly, I think Blaine will use his strategy against Water types now. Ninetails is a Pokémon he loves to do that with. So in order to avoid that strategy, switch to Nidoqueen."_

Holly nodded again, this time resolutely.

She couldn't let the past distract her from the present!

With that, Politoed disappeared in a flash of red light.

Holly wasted no time tossing Poké Ball at the battlefield.

"Go, Nidoqueen!"

Nidoqueen burst onto the battlefield with a mighty roar.

Despite not having battled in a while, Holly's Pokémon was brimming with deadly confidence as she faced Ninetails.

And Holly was determined that the confidence was not misplaced.

But before Holly could make a move, Blaine pointed at Nidoqueen.

"Ninetails, Dig!"

Ninetails pawed furiously at the ground, striking and with a fervor Holly never thought possible. It wasn't long before Ninetales was sending dirt and rocks flying in its frenzy, seemingly only focused on its task.

Holly winced and turned away, hoping not to get hit.

Luckliy, she remained unscathed, but when she looked back, Ninetails was gone.

Instead there was a giant hole across from Nidoqueen.

And Holly already knew where would lead.

Luckily, she also knew she had a means to counter enemy Pokémon hidden in holes.

Once she was sure Blaine didn't know about.

So Holly took a deep breath and shouted.

"Nidoqueen, Earthquake!"

Nidoqueen let out a scream that was drowned out by the ground trembling and rumbling violently. More rocks and dirt were kicked up. Holly thought she could see rocks falling from somewhere too, and secretly hoped it wasn't part of the building.

Regardless, she didn't know.

What she did know was that Ninetales was screeching from somewhere inside the hole. Its screech was loud enough to be heard clearly even above the shaking and noise.

Despite the opposing Pokémon's suffering, Holly only grinned.

It was obvious her secret weapon had struck home.

After a while, the ground stopped shaking and rumbling, and Nidoqueen stood waiting.

Holly also waited, wondering if Ninetails would emerge from the hole, or let out a cry.

But there was no movement.

No sound.

Nothing.

Blaine must have realized this meant defeat, as he recalled his Pokémon in a red beam of light. The hole somehow disappeared into the red light as well, leaving only empty space where Ninetails had once stood.

Holy beamed at her opponent.

Blaine should know he had no chance!

He may as well just give up now!

Yet Blaine did not share Holly smile.

Instead, there was no mistaking the suspicion and sternness in his voice.

"You shouldn't have won the last battle."

Holly's eyes narrowed as she coldly replied.

"Of course I should have! I only used a Pokémon with attacks strong against yours! That's how battles are won!"

Blaine shook his head. "That's not the only thing you did. You switched out your Nidoqueen against Ninetails, despite your Politoed having a clear advantage. It's as if you expected I would do something to your turn your Water Type's advantages against you. But there's no way for you to know that unless someone told you my strategies ahead of time. Most of the people on the island are not Trainers that are on my level, and there is no presence of other League officials here. Dr. Fuji and Amber don't usually battle against me. While Nia could have told you something, she's not the kind of person to just spill others' secrets. Which means that you should have had no way of knowing what I was going to do in battle."

Holly threw up her hands.

What did it matter?

She prepared to a fire a retort, but Blaine only continued.

"And that's not all. Nidoqueen cannot naturally learn Earthquake. The only way one can have that move is through a man-made Technical Machine. And unless you're doing the Badge challenge out of order, a trainer in Kanto shouldn't have the Technical Machine for Earthquake yet. For a while, it was only a prize from the Viridian Gym, but then it was sometimes found in Victory Road. I've heard a few of them are lying around in the Silph building, but all you did was run away."

Holly's eyes became as sharp as daggers.

What did Silph matter now?

But Blaine was already shifted his gaze away from Holly to Kristine.

Though the disabled Trainer met his gaze evenly, Blaine sternly to her.

"Which means this is all because of you. You're the only one that would have knowledge of the leaders and the access to Pokémon moves, because you're the only one that's been constantly supporting Holly and has done the entire journey around Kanto. You've been doing everything for her. You ought to be ashamed."

Holly clenched her fist.

She couldn't take any more of this!

If the Leaders were just going to attack Kristine, than Holly would make sure they couldn't speak!

She screamed.

"How dare you treat Kris like that! Why does it matter how I get stronger? Just send out your next Pokémon!"

Blaine paused for a moment, and Holly wondered what he was thinking. However, she had no time to ask before Blaine threw another Poké Ball.

"Go, Rapidash."

A sense of familiarity washed over Holly as the horse with the fiery mane burst onto the battlefield.

This Rapidash may not have been Kristine's service Pokémon, Echo, but it looked exactly the same.

And that meant it would have the same weaknesses.

But before Holly could command Nidoqueen again, Blaine shouted.

"Rapidash, Sunny Day!"

Blaine's Rapidash neighed, and its horn began to glow. A yellow beam suddenly shot from the horn, reaching into the sky. The beam formed the shape of a sun, its rays beating down on the battlefield. Holly had to avert her eyes, wondering how she would fight in the blinding light. She also wondered if this was part of Blaine's plan, but figured that Kristine would've told her otherwise. Indeed, it seemed the latter was the case as the light became less intense and Holly peered at the battlefield.

Rapidash's horn had stopped glowing, and the beam of light had disappeared. Instead, sunlight shone over the battlefield, streaming throughout the entire room.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

It would take more than sunlight to defeat her!

She shrieked.

"Nidoqueen, Earthquake again!"

For a second time, the ground shuddered and groaned.

For a second time, rocks and dirt flew everywhere.

For a second time, the opposing Pokémon screamed as it was hit.

One scream was all Rapidash could do before it collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Holly flashed a smirk.

There was no way she could lose now! Blaine must've realized that!

Yet the Cinnabar Gym leader held his stern expression.

He simply threw another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Magmortar!"

As another Pokémon burst onto the battlefield, Holly resisted the urge to laugh out loud.

The creature resembled a clown, having a round body colored like fire. The Pokémon's body looked almost too round for short stubby red legs, yet it walked perfectly fine. It had dark red ears that resembled and blazed like flames. There was something resembling a hat on its head, burning bright with yellow and red flames. The creature's hips and face were pink, contrasting oddly against the rest of its flame colored body. Black bands were on the Pokémon's arms and legs. Well, if arms that were more like open yellow cannons could still be called arms. White claws were on the end of the opposing Pokémon's feet and hands, but Holly wondered if they did anything. She was certain it could see her though, as its eyes scanned the battlefield.

Holly threw up her hands.

How could someone who was such an experienced trainer have a Pokémon so silly? This would be another easy win!

Blaine shook his head.

"Magmortar may be my last Pokémon, but it's also my strongest. You won't beat it as easily as you have the others."

"Bring it on!"

Blaine thrust out his hand.

"Magmortar, Solarbeam!"

Magmortar pointed its right cannon arm at the sunlight Rapidash had created. Within minutes, a ball of green light was forming at the edge of its arm. It rapidly pointed its arm at Nidoqueen. Holly's Pokémon had no time to react before the ball turned into a beam and shot out of Magmortar.

Nidoqueen screeched as the green beam of blinding light slammed into her head on. Holly clenched her fist as the light blocked her vision. There was no way she could see her Pokémon, or her chances of winning the fight.

At that moment, Holly heard Kristine's voice in her head.

" _That is Blaine's most powerful technique. He uses Sunny Day to gather the energy required for Solarbeam, allowing his Pokémon to utilize it immediately. And have devastating effects."_

Holly nodded shakily.

The light still had not cleared, and Magmortar showed no signs of giving up.

For all Holly knew, Nidoqueen could still be in pain.

Perhaps she had even been defeated already!

But just then, a reassuring tone entered Kristine's voice.

" _Nidoqueen is strong. She can resist the attack."_

The disabled Trainer pointed towards the battlefield, and Holly's eyes went wide at what she saw.

The light was finally beginning to fade, and Nidoqueen still stood tall. Holly could see her Pokémon was bruised and battered, but the will to fight blazed in her eyes. Sparks of light still came from her, yet Nidoqueen still walked forward threateningly.

Magmortar shrunk back, eyes wide in fear.

Yet Holly only grinned.

Now was her chance, and she wouldn't let it go!

"Nidoqueen, finish it with Earthquake!"

Once again, the earth shuddered and moaned. The familiar rocks and dirt could be seen. And the opponent's screams filled the air as Magmortar was struck by the attack. Yet there was nothing it could do, as it crashed to the floor the instant the ground stopped shaking. There was no sign of getting up, and Blaine rapidly recalled it.

It was then that Holly noticed how quiet it was.

Almost too quiet.

Why would things be that way?

Even though her match with Blaine was over, Anabel's Pokémon should have still been fighting…

And if they were done, they should have rushed over to Holly now…

Yet not a single one came.

What was going on?

Blaine rapidly responded. "So, it appears that Nia was able to get through those monsters to evacuate the Gym Trainers and their Pokémon. I should've expected no less from her."

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fists.

How could Blaine say that, when the Trainers supporting the League were the real monsters?

And what had happened to Anabel's Pokémon?

What had Nia done to them?

Yet Holly couldn't focus on the strange Trainer now. She had more pressing concerns, as Kristine was quick to remind her.

The disabled Trainer fixed Blaine with a piercing gaze.

"So, Blaine, I see even your famed strategy didn't work."

Blaine replied coldly.

"Only because Holly wasn't the one fighting."

Holly thrust her fists on front of her.

Of course she was the one fighting! Kristine wasn't earning any Badges!

Blaine suddenly stared straight at Holly, and a question left his lips.

"Challenger Holly of Celadon, are you a puppet on strings?"

Holly shook her head furiously.

Even after all this, Blaine _still_ insisted on taunting her?

How pathetic could he be?

Holly shook her head fiercely, but Blaine only threw up his hands.

"No is the wrong answer. I'd battle you again, but I have no Pokémon left."

"Just hand over the Badge!" Holly snarled.

She'd had enough of the League's antics!

If Blaine didn't give her the Badge now, she'd force it from him!

Yet there was no need, as Blaine walked over with an item that looked like a small red flame in his hand. Holly snatched it away, expecting Blaine to walk back.

Instead, the Cinnabar Gym Leader's gaze lingered on Holly.

He spoke once again in a stern tone.

"You play a dangerous game, Holly of Celadon. One which you won't win no matter what."

Holly narrowed her eyes and snapped back.

"That's what _you_ think."

Suddenly, Holly heard Kristine's voice in her head again.

" _Come on, Holly. He's not worth talking to. Google will gather our wounded. Let's just leave."_

Holly nodded. _"Let's. I'm tired of this place."_

With that, Holly felt psychic energy engulf her, as Blaine and the Cinnabar Gym faded from view.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **Earthquake countering Dig comes from the games. In the original Johto games onward, the move Earthquake can hit Pokémon that are underground via Dig. Should the move connect, its power will automatically be doubled before any other bonuses it receives (such as Type advantages).**

 **-The issue with Nidoqueen and Earthquake comes from the games. For a long time, Nidoqueen could not naturally learn** _ **any**_ **Ground Type moves** _ **at all**_ **despite being part Ground Type. Eventually, she gained the ability to learn Earth Power, a move targeting the opponent's special defenses and has a chance of lowering them. It's an entirely different move from** _ **Earthquake,**_ **which Nidoqueen currently still cannot naturally learn.**

 **-Blaine's comment about how Holly should not have Earthquake yet (or rather, the TM for it) comes from the games as well. In the original Kanto games, the player could only find the TM for Earthquake in a hidden, optional, room in Silph. In these games, the player could potentially exploit glitches to get to Saffron early. However, it is not recommended because opponents will generally be at high levels. In the remakes and the Let's Go games, Earthquake is only a prize for defeating Giovanni and earning the Badge for the Viridian Gym. However, Giovanni will always be the last Gym Leader, no matter what, so the player receives the TM very late in the game. In the Johto games and their remakes, the TM for Earthquake was in Victory Road. Victory Road itself was considered a part of Kanto, and could not be accessed until the player had gotten all eight Badges. Thus, the TM was also acquired very late in the game.**

 **-The idea of someone doing the Badge challenge out of order and potentially having access to something like Earthquake early comes from a hack called Pokémon Crystal Clear. In this hack of Pokémon Crystal, all barriers to travel had been removed. Therefore, the player can go wherever they like and collect the Badges in whatever order they wish. However, opponents' levels will scale depending on the many Badges the player has, so the player still has to think strategically about who to fight, and when. Even though getting badges out of order is not be seen in this story, I currently planning on including this idea in future ones.**

 **-The Sunny Day and Solarbeam combo (colloquially referred to as Sunnybeam) is a combo used in the games, especially by Fire Type users. The reason is that Sunny Day halves the power of all Water Type moves, and increases the power of Fire Type ones. In addition, it allows Solarbeam, an attack that normally takes a turn to charge up, to be used instantly. This combo can be pretty devastating to anyone looking to exploit the weaknesses of the Fire Type, since most of the Pokémon that have a Type advantage are extremely weak to Solarbeam. Nidoqueen, as seen in this story, as one of the exceptions. Sunny Day typically lasts only five turns, but can last longer under certain conditions. Furthermore, newer games introduced many more strategies that could be used with Sunny Day. However, since combining it with Solarbeam was the first, it is probably the one that is the most memorable.**


	104. Rendezvous

**Hello, and welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there is a new prompt! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 21 is a short waterway connecting Cinnabar to the small town of Pallet. Despite this route being composed mostly of water, there are still some areas of land that Travelers can rest on._

* * *

103\. Rendezvous

Holly popped her eyes open as she landed on solid ground.

Her eyes then went wide as she realized there was ice and cave walls all around her. The ground beneath her was hard and solid, and Holly could feel rocks and dirt being shifted around.

She shivered as cold air struck her.

And that gave Holly her hint of where exactly this was.

At the realization, she shivered even harder.

Her voice trembled as well, no matter how much she tried to stop it.

"Kristine, this place, it's…"

Kristine calmly replied.

"Seafoam Islands. Lorelei isn't here anymore, so we should be safe. This is a fairly remote part of the cave, so I doubt anyone would find us even if they did manage to stumble in."

Holly could still hear her voice shaking as she spoke.

"Anabel's Pokémon, are they…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Holly heard Yveltal's low cry echo through the cave.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and managed a weak smile.

Of course Yveltal would still be there to protect them!

Kristine smiled back as she continued.

"Google placed Anabel's Pokémon in their Balls when we fled Cinnabar. Nia did injure them, but it was nothing that Yveltal couldn't heal."

Holly's smile faded and she clenched her fist.

How dare that weird foreigner try to interfere with their plans!

Holly could barely keep herself from shouting. "Just how powerful is Nia, anyway?"

A grave tone entered Kristine's voice as she replied. "Very. She doesn't like to brag about her power, which is why no one ever sees it."

Holly thrust out her fists.

"Then we should go after her!"

Kristine shook her head. "That's not a very good idea. Eccentric though she may be, Nia is still extremely strong. You would stand no chance against her, and if you are defeated here, all our planning would be for nothing. It's not worth risking the journey stopping prematurely when we are so close to the end."

Holly nodded in agreement.

The League was within their sights! They could lose focus now!

Holly glanced at Kristine as the disabled Trainer spoke again.

"More importantly, would you like to switch out your team members? Now that Blaine has been defeated, you no longer need a team centered around defeating Fire Types."

Holly beamed.

In all the chaos, she had almost forgotten about that!

"Yes, of course!"

A joyful tone entered Kristine's voice as she replied.

"Then hand me Nidoqueen and Politoed, and then I will give you Glaceon and Honchkrow."

Holly nodded again, tossing Kristine the Pokémon she had requested. The disabled Trainer threw two more Poké Balls at Holly, and she caught them rapidly. Confidence brimmed in Holly's face as she attached the Poké Balls to her belt.

Kristine's voice filled with their own confidence as she stated.

"If you're ready, now it's time to go."

"Go where?" Holly wondered aloud.

Kristine clarified. "To Route 21, north of Cinnabar. From there, we will pass through the town of Pallet, continue heading north, and eventually arrive at Viridian. The latter is where the last Gym Badge is located, and with it, the path to the League."

A giant grin spread across Holly's face.

"I'm always ready, then! Let's head out!"

Kristine gave her own smile, and led Holly out of the cave.

Before long, Kristine had sent out Isaac, and Holly was on the Lugia's back.

This time, there was no trouble holding on, and Holly just let herself listen to the sound of the splashing waves.

They passed countless beaches without incident, with nothing else but water in their way.

It wasn't until Isaac approached a grassy area of land that Holly realized something was wrong.

There seemed to be a crowd of people there, and there were so were so many that Holly couldn't count them. Holly couldn't pick out any one person, as the people all blended into a single mass.

That is, until a figure stepped forward.

Holly's eyes went wide as she instantly recognized who it was.

Zinnia.

Zinnia, one of the highest ranked of Silver's rebels.

And if she was in front of a large crowd of people, it was likely there were more rebels here.

But why would they gather at such a desolate, remote, place?

If the rebels were focused on attacking the League and the evil teams, it didn't make sense to congregate where neither of them were…

Holly instinctively spoke through thought.

" _Kristine, look!"_

Kristine replied rapidly. _"I'm aware. It's Zinnia and some of the rebels. Let's go see why they're here. We may be able to offer each other aid."_

Holly nodded as Isaac sped off towards the grassy patch.

Within minutes, he pulled up and Holly and Kristine rapidly dismounted.

Kristine recalled her Pokémon, and the pair approached the rebels. Some shrank back, while others only gave angry looks. Still others had eyes wide with confusion, and there were a few that remained emotionless.

Zinnia had a noticeable composure as she calmly glanced at the pair, almost as though she was expecting them.

Holly tried to mimic Zinnia's gaze, but she failed spectacularly as something else caught her eye.

There was a Pokémon beside Zinnia, and that was not too unexpected.

What was unexpected was the kind of Pokémon it was.

This was clearly a dragon, but it did not have the magnificent form of a Salamance. Instead the beast appeared smaller and less flashy, flying with black wings. The edges of the wings were purple, and Holly could see the same purple color was on the Pokémon's torso. Holly noticed the rest of the creature's lithe body was black, with red claws and a forked tail. The black tail swished back and forth as the Pokémon swiveled its massive ears. Holly at first mistook the ears for eyes, realizing they had green and black patterns resembling soundwaves. The Pokémon's true eyes were yellow in color, below a red crest on its head. There was also some green on its back, flying outwards like a cape. A similar phenomenon happened with some white fur on its chest.

Holly blinked and tried her hardest not to stare.

What was a Pokémon like that doing with Zinnia?

It seemed nothing like the fearsome and powerful Salamance she had used before.

Holly heard Kristine's voice in her head.

" _That's a Noivern, a flying dragon known for its speed. Seeing Zinnia with a dragon not at all surprising, but why use this one instead of her Salamance?"_

Holly tried her hardest not to shudder, afraid to know what the answer could be.

However, words escaped her mouth before she could stop them.

"Zinnia, your Salamance…"

Zinnia cut Holly off, her eyes becoming a mixture of rage and sorrow.

"Some rouge called the Mold Breaker killed it. We had cornered some members of the League at Cinnabar, and were about to commence our attack. I was riding on Salamance, about to give the order. Suddenly, this nameless Trainer appeared out of nowhere, and launched shadow tendrils at Salamance."

Zinnia paused, gritting her teeth and clenching her fist.

"As soon as those tendrils struck, Salamance was gone. If I hadn't had Noivern over here at the ready, I would've died from falling. But that Mold Breaker didn't care. Instead, she gave us a crushing defeat unlike anything I've ever seen, and we were forced to pull back. So some of us have gathered here to figure out and plan our next move."

Holly clenched her own fist.

This sounded similar to what she and Kristine had experienced at Saffron! Zinnia had to know about that!

But before Holly could say anything, another person dashed out of the crowd.

This person was a boy around Holly's age. Blue hair matched piercing blue eyes. He had on a gray shirt, and a green bag on his side. Blue pants matched his hair and eyes, along with blue markings on his shoes. The rest of his shoes were green like his bag, although there was some white on them. Holly could see a blue band on the boy's arm, but had no idea what it was for.

However, she did know when the boy shouted.

"I remember well the Mold Breaker did! She humiliated us in front of Courtney Hiroko, one of our greatest enemies! We will never forgive her, and we want our revenge!"

At this, something that sounded like a mixture of an enraged scream and a cheer resounded from all the rebels. Zinnia did not join in, but Holly thought she could see a small smile on her face.

"You must forgive Ronald. He gets a little bit too passionate sometimes. Nevertheless, what he says is right. All of us wish for the Mold Breaker's downfall."

Kristine spoke again, although Holly thought she detected confusion in the disabled Trainer's voice.

"Ronald… I've not seen him before…"

Zinnia's eyes were narrowed as she explained.

"That's because Ronald was never as close to higher ranking members as he is now. Johan, a thief who stole from a museum in Pewter a long while back, was one of the main powerhouses among the high-ranking members. However, Johan did not make it out of the Safari Zone alive. So having been with us for some time, Ronald took Johan's place. You'll probably be seeing a lot more of him now."

Holly gritted her teeth.

To think that the formidable thief she encountered at the beginning of her journey had died so easily! She wondered if it had been from one of Kristine's attacks, but didn't dare ask.

What matters was that the rebels had lost at least one of their own at the Safari Zone, and that loss very well could have been because of the Mold Breaker!

Now was the perfect time to tell Zinnia more about the rogue Trainer!

Holly stepped forward and shouted.

"The Mold Breaker was the one that annihilated you and Team Rocket at the Safari Zone! She launched a strange attack that made everyone retreat, and won the battle while barely lifting a finger!"

Gasps of horror could be heard from the rebels, and some of them let out screams of rage.

Ronald wasted no time shouting. "Death to the Mold Breaker!"

Zinnia clenched her fist so hard Holly thought she saw it turn white.

"To think that our forces were destroyed by a nameless, faceless, Trainer…"

Kristine stepped up, eyes cold as ice, and fury blazed in her voice.

"And that's not all. The Mold Breaker attacked us as well. She defeated all my Pokémon within a single strike, using some sort of poison to drive them mad. I could do nothing as my own Pokémon turned on each other. When Holly and her Pokémon tried to defend me, the Mold Breaker used a handgun to shoot Holly's Mightyena to death. After that, she captured Holly with her wicked shadows. Holly was forced to watch as the Mold Breaker hit me with the same attack as she did your Salamance, Zinnia. Luckily, I have the ability to recover completely from fatal blows, so I was able to come back."

Gasps and murmurings came from the rebels. There was no mistaking the look of shock and almost everyone's eyes. Regardless of what was happening now, all the rebels knew of Kristine's power. A Trainer that could defeat her without even trying seemed inconceivable.

And yet…

The Mold Breaker had done just that, and Holly had seen it all.

If the Mold Breaker had her way, the rebels might see that too.

A sudden realization hit Holly with a jolt, and she tried to keep her eyes from going wide.

Kristine had mentioned being able to recover from fatal blows, but had never mentioned how or why.

Would Holly have to explain Kristine's relationship with Yveltal to Zinnia?

What would she say?

And how would Zinnia react?

Would Kristine mention the attack at Silph?

What would Zinnia say if she found out Kristine and Holly had led Team Rocket run free?

Thankfully, Zinnia did not ask any questions, simply staring straight ahead with sharpened eyes.

Kristine took that as a cue to continue, meeting Zinnia's gaze head-on.

"We had almost the entire League at our mercy, yet the Mold Breaker snatched that all away."

Zinnia nodded resolutely.

"So you have turned against them, then. It seems the rumors were true."

Kristine nodded back.

"Yes we have, and they are."

Holly stepped forward, shouting.

"The League's tyranny has gone far enough!"

Zinnia nodded again, a gleam of realization in her eyes.

"Looks like we have a common foe, and that we are allies now."

She held out her hand invitingly.

"Let's join forces, then."

Holly and Kristine took Zinnia's hand simultaneously, and the rebel awkwardly shook it.

Holly beamed, glee ringing in the air as she spoke.

"Gladly!"

Kristine held a similar smile.

"It will be just like the old times, Zinnia."

A gigantic grin spread on Zinnia's face as he replied.

"Indeed."

By now, several of the rebels had copied Zinnia's grin, including Ronald.

The passionate rebel shouted again.

"Together, we will destroy the League and the Mold Breaker, for the sake of all regions!"

The rebels once again erupted into a cheer, and Holly was sure the deafening sound could be heard everywhere.

Yet three words prevented her from joining in.

The Mold Breaker.

No one here knew much about her.

And yet…

A question rattled in Holly's head, and it quickly left her lips.

"That spell the Mold Breaker used in the Safari Zone on you, Team Rocket, and the other rebels, Zinnia… What was it, exactly?"

The cheer died down, and some rebels shrank back. Still others had pale faces, and some even looked like they were going to be sick.

Zinnia's eyes hardened.

"It wasn't anything I'd ever seen. In fact, it wasn't anything _anyone_ could see. It was definitely something we could feel, though."

"What could you feel?" Kristine asked softly.

Zinnia's gaze hardened, and Holly's blood ran cold at her next words.

"Pain. Intense, indescribable, unimaginable pain. The likes of which I've never felt before, and hope to never feel again. It was like my body was being frozen, burned, and shocked all at once. At the same time, it felt like countless tiny bugs were crawling on my skin, eating every inch of me alive. The pain would start in one area and radiate down others, mostly extremities like legs or arms. It wasn't long until was everywhere. Even with all this, there were times when I felt like I couldn't feel anything, as if my limbs were not even attached to my body. And the spell would alternate between this and the pain without a care."

Holly gritted her teeth, and noticed that Kristine had done the same.

How could the Mold Breaker conjure up such a spell? Something with pain that no one ever heard of, but so powerful that it could take down armies in one fell swoop?

The pain probably wasn't even something that could actually exist, and yet somehow she could create it perfectly…

Holy clenched her fist.

What kind of vile person would create a spell like that, just to torture countless people?

Yet Holly's fist clenched even tighter as Zinnia continued.

"That's not even the worst of it, though. The pain was so great that many of us were completely paralyzed. There were some that could move, but barely. I wasn't surprised some of us were injured and even died from that spell. However, there was still just enough movement left for us to escape. I'm guessing it was the same for Team Rocket."

Kristine rapidly replied.

"How did you escape, Zinnia?"

Zinnia's eyes became even sharper as she responded.

"I was one of the ones that could move, hardly. It was more of a curse than a blessing, though. Every muscle in my body was on fire, and at the same time I felt like I was weighted down by a mass of rocks. Even the smallest twitch was a chore, and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Worse yet, I realized that the spell is beginning to spread from the center area to the other ones, and is probably wasn't long before the entire Safari Zone was engulfed. My poor Goodra found that out when it got caught in the spell trying to rescue me, despite the fact that was it was in one of the furthest areas from the center. Thankfully, once we got out of the Safari Zone, things were normal again, but we didn't dare go back in. The members of the League retreated too, probably trying to cut their losses after taking so much damage."

Zinnia shut her eyes, speaking in a grave tone.

"I may not know what that spell was, but I do know it's something I'll never forget."

Holy thrust her fists on front of her, howling.

"The Mold Breaker must be destroyed, for the sake of everyone!"

Holly's voice trailed off as she realized something.

"But… can we stand up to her attacks? Can _anyone_ stand up to her attacks?"

Before any of the rebels could answer, Kristine stepped up.

There was no missing the concern in the disabled trainer's voice.

"The Mold Breaker is stronger than anything anyone has ever seen, and who knows when she will appear again. What will we do if she does?"

Zinnia smiled, confidence clear in her voice.

"We've an answer for that."

At Zinnia's words, another person stepped out of the crowd.

At this, Holly's eyes went wide.

The person was certainly imposing, sweeping his grave gaze over Kristine and Holly. The person had grayish black hair that fell over one eye, but Holly could see that the other was light green. His clothing was a dark red, giving off a professional air.

Holly shivered.

Who was this person, and could he really defeat the Mold Breaker?

Zinnia cast a reassuring glance, as her voice followed suit.

"Don't worry. He won't hurt you. His name is Tobias, and he is a powerful Trainer. Tobias has been deemed worthy of using the power of several legendary Pokémon, including the Lord of Nightmares, Darkari. Although he's not one of our own, Tobias chose to lend us his strength for a while. With his prowess, the Mold Breaker will surely meet her match."

Tobias redirected his gaze at Holly and Kristine. He spoke calmly, but Holly thought she could detect rage hidden beneath.

"Although I am not one of the rebels, I too despise the League. I trained long and hard to become the Vessel for Drakari, but it chose Karen of the Elite Four instead."

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Karen didn't even deserve to be a Vessel, just letting Darkari do whatever he wanted, and ignoring her duties!

Tobias had every right to take the title from her!

The other Trainer clenched his fist as he continued.

"Several legendary Pokémon have found me worthy, but the League doesn't think that. Instead, they say I am abusing the legendary Pokémons' power, and it's almost like they're out to get me. If I can get rid of one of the enemies to all Trainers, then I will prove them wrong."

Holly nodded.

Tobias sounded just like Kristine…

Despite having considerable power, rejected and ignored by the League…

Trying to take a stand, but then demonized by the League and the world at large…

Willing to do anything to prove the League's corruption…

Holly nodded resolutely.

This was someone that she could work with, someone that she _would_ work with…

No matter what, until the end…

Holly held out her hand. "Pleasure to be working with you."

Kristine did the same. "Yes."

Tobias smiled, shaking both Kristine and Holly's hands.

He stepped back, and Holly could see that Zinnia also had a smile on her face.

She flicked her gaze to Kristine, smile remaining as she spoke.

"Kristine, that man you were looking for… He is working for Cyrus of Sinnoh, correct?"

Kristine nodded. "Yes, that is true."

Zinnia quickly continued. "We've learned that Cyrus has dispatched a group to Kanto, and that they are headed for Viridian. Is that useful to you?"

Kristine's grin twisted even wider.

"Yes, perfect. In fact, could you do a few things for Holly and me there?"

Zinnia beamed. "Of course! Just say the word!"

With that, Kristine and Holly spared no details of their plans…

The rebels hung onto everything they said, interest and glee shining in their eyes.

Within minutes, Zinnia said her goodbyes, and the rebels departed.

As Holly and Kristine climbed onto Isaac, Holly was still grinning ear to ear.

The meeting had left her with an indescribable feeling, one that surpassed everything she'd known so far.

No, perhaps it was not indescribable.

Because there was one word that matched the situation perfectly.

Power.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Zinnia having a Noivern alongside her Salamance is based on the games. Although Mega Salamance is her main Pokémon, Zinnia also packs an entire team of powerful dragons. When Zinnia fights against the player, she brings the entire team to bear. Noivern is just one of these dragons, with the Goodra mentioned further down being another.**

 **-So the thief from Pewter is dead. In the original RP, he remained unnamed. However, since I gave him a more important role in the story, I decided to also give him a name, even postmortem. Originally, I left Johan's fate ambiguous after the battle in the Safari Zone, and wasn't going to bring it up again. However, I realized I had implied that he had died (or at least gotten severely injured or incapacitated to the point where he could've died). Upon adding more of the side games, I realized having Johan die not only made sense with what was implied, but also allowed me to bring Ronald into the story. Since Ronald is a passionate character in his own game, that also allowed me to shift the conversation to the Mold Breaker naturally, and talk about her more. At this point, I am unsure what Johan's fate will be in other books, or if he will even appear.**

 **-The painful spell Zinnia describes is based off of a real-life condition. The pain is exactly as Zinnia explains, and can be just as devastating as shown in the story. What condition causes that pain, and how and why the Mold Breaker can weaponize it will be revealed later on in the series.**

 **-So, enter Tobias, one of the most controversial characters the entire Pokémon series has ever seen. Tobias appears late in the Sinnoh arc of the anime. At this point, Ash is doing extremely well in the League and there is a chance that he will win it and be able to challenge the Elite Four. However, Tobias appears as Ash's opponent, and utterly crushes most of his team with Darkrai. Though Ash is able to defeat Darkrai (becoming the first Trainer to do so), his team is weakened so much that Tobias is able to defeat the rest of them with Latios. Even though Latios is defeated via a tie against Pikachu, Tobias still has four Pokémon at the end of the match, and Ash's entire team is gone. Tobias then goes on to easily clear the League and presumably challenge the Elite Four.**

 **The controversy with Tobias's character is because of several reasons. One of them is that there's almost no hint or buildup that even exists before his appearance battling Ash. The enemy does drop some subtle information about his existence, but his name and what Pokémon he has is never confirmed until he shows up as a possible opponent and starts to battle. Thus, his appearance and subsequent win seems like something out of nowhere.**

 **Another reason is that Ash is close to winning a League when Tobias appears almost out of nowhere and destroy him. Unfortunately, there is next to nothing known about Tobias's personality and his past. As a result, many people saw Tobias unfavorably as a plot device, whose role could be filled by any other Trainer with suitably strong Pokémon.**

 **-Finally, how Tobias uses legendary Pokémon flies in the face of what is typically seen in the anime. In the anime, capturing a legendary Pokémon is an honor reserved for only those that have immense power and prestige. Even then, it's acknowledged that capturing and using this Pokémon in battle can be dangerous. Examples of Trainers who have accomplished such a feat include Brandon of the Battle Frontier (uses Regirock, Regice, and Regirock and established to be a powerful and respected Trainer), and Molly Hale (has absolute power in her dream world, and uses Entei within). Other examples include Gladion (lived in the place where Silvally was created, and therefore uses it in battle), and eventually, Ash himself (was able to get Lusamine's help in training Meltan, and captures one; by then it's also been established that he communicates well with almost any Pokémon, and he had befriended it before, so it's not seen as odd). Tobias, on the other hand, is not explained to have any power and prestige. He just appears to be an ordinary, if imposing, trainer with powerful Pokémon. This makes his abilities and capture of Darkrai even more jarring.**

 **This also led to the fan theory that Tobias didn't really earn his legendary Pokémon or otherwise captured them dishonestly, even to the point of some sort of abuse. This story takes inspiration from that theory, but leaves Tobias's dishonesty ambiguous.**

 **-Cyrus is a canon character in all Pokémon media. However, he acts quite differently in this series then he does in canon. However, these differences will be explained in later books.**


	105. Contrast

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there is a new prompt. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Pallet is a tiny town in the Kanto region. The place is quiet, but still has the famous Professor Oak's Pokémon Lab. Some powerful Trainers have also started their journeys here._

* * *

104\. Contrast

The waves continued crashing, and Holly sat back leisurely during the ride.

Soon they would reach the final Badge, and then the gates of the League…

Soon their journey would be complete, and no one would stop them…

Soon the corrupt League would fall, and no more honest Trainers would suffer…

Soon all regions would know true freedom…

And Kristine and Holly would make sure that nothing like the League could ever rise again…

Holly closed her eyes, a smile creeping onto her face.

Soon, everything would fall into place and there would be no resistance who dared fight them…

Yet Holly was suddenly interrupted from her thoughts when Kristine's voice sounded in her head.

" _Holly, look."_

Holly opened her eyes and peered ahead.

At first, it seemed like there was just another landmass. However, Holly could slowly make out the faint shapes of houses, and even a larger building.

She didn't hide the confusion in her voice as she spoke. _"What's that? A town?"_

Kristine nodded. _"It is, and our next destination. We'll be disembarking soon."_

Holly nodded, although confusion still remained within her eyes. This town certainly wasn't Viridian, nor did it resemble anything else Holly had heard of.

Why did Kristine want to stop here?

Holly decided she wouldn't question what the disabled Trainer was thinking.

Certainly Kristine would explain.

A few minutes more, and Isaac had pulled up beside the town.

Holly dismounted from Kristine's Lugia, stepping forward onto the ground. The disabled Trainer recalled her Pokémon as she did the same.

Now Holly could finally get a better view of the town.

Not that there was much to see.

The town actually made Holly feel sleepy, roofs and sidewalks painting everything in a sea of gray. Holly was sure the tiny houses that people living in them, but she didn't see a single one out on the streets. There seemed to be occasional flickers of movement in the larger building near the bottom of the town, but only for a few seconds. Even then, no one came out to speak to them.

Holly spoke through thought without hesitation.

" _Kristine, where are we?"_

Kristine calmly replied.

" _This is Pallet. Many Kanto Trainers start their journeys here. Those who don't often pass through on their way to Viridian, and usually, the final step in their travels. Pallet is most notably the hometown of the famous Red and Blue, as well as the researcher Prof. Oak."_

Holly snorted.

" _So Red and Blue grew up in this drab dump? It suits them perfectly!"_

Before Kristine could answer, Holly finally heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Within minutes, another person stood across from them.

The person was female, and she had a stern expression. It was almost as if she could tell what Holly and Kristine were saying before. However, Holly didn't see the presence of any psychics or power, so she doubted that. Regardless, the other person had green clothing and a matching headband. Long brown hair tumbled down her back, although her headband kept it from obscuring her vision. Holly thought she saw something familiar in the person as said person gazed with her brown eyes. However, Holly couldn't figure out what that familiarity was.

At least until Kristine spoke.

"Daisy Oak. Granddaughter of the renowned Professor Oak, older sister of Blue Oak. And a powerful Trainer who did nothing as the region was imperiled. You and Red share some similarities, it seems."

Daisy's voice was cold, although Holly could detect the fury blazing beneath.

"Don't you dare insult Red here. He couldn't help what happened to him. And you know I don't fight unless I have to, and that Pallet was much too far away for me to do anything."

Holly stepped up, yelling. "Of course you'd say that! You're just another Trainer brainwashed by the League! And now you're just making up excuses!"

Holly expected Daisy Oak to retaliate immediately, but instead the woman just shook her head.

She continued with her tranquil fury.

"I heard everything from my brother. You are the ones that are brainwashed, blinded by your own selfishness."

Kristine wasted no time responding, filling the air with her icy calmness.

"Come to stop us here, then? Perhaps to make things easier for your nephew, Azure? Or perhaps the Champion Scarlet is too cowardly to come down and fight?"

Daisy Oak did not seem distressed by Kristine's words, only keeping her cold tone.

"Azure is waiting at the Viridian Gym. He knows he is one of the last Trainers standing between you and the League. As for Scarlet, she is safe within the League. It's too dangerous for her to head into public, with all the Trainers out for the League's blood."

Holly scowled and clenched her fist.

The Trainers had every right to go after the league, and Daisy Oak's words only proved that Scarlet was a coward!

Holly was only drawn away from her thoughts as Daisy Oak spoke again.

Her latent fury was gone, replaced by unmistakable sorrow, and the same sorrow was reflected in her eyes.

"Scarlet is too young, too soft, too naïve. She should have never become Champion. Even after all that happened, she still doesn't believe you and Holly did anything, or that you were even in control of yourselves, Kris."

Holly threw up her hands and screeched.

"So the allies of the League would insult their own Champion. Just despicable! And of course Scarlet doesn't believe we did anything wrong, because we didn't!"

Kristine stepped up, eyes blazing with her own chilling fury.

"You should be more grateful that my training allowed Scarlet to be the Champion."

Daisy's eyes narrowed, and her response came out as a snarl.

"Don't you mean your manipulation? Filling her head with dreams of grandeur, when the reality is that she is but a child!"

Daisy Oak suddenly took a deep breath, as if to calm herself down.

Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide.

Kristine had mentioned knowing the Champion personally, but had never mentioned _how…_

Holly simply assumed it was through the disabled Trainer's connections to Red…

But to think that Kristine had bonded with her through training, and had helped her become the Champion…

Holly would have one formidable opponent to take down in the League, as Kristine's former student faced off against her current one.

Or perhaps the current one got rid of the other's corruption.

But then…

If Scarlet didn't think Kristine Holly did anything wrong…

Perhaps she could see sense?

Would she even be willing to help them?

Lorelei had said Scarlet's position of Champion was very recent, so perhaps the League didn't completely have her under its spell…

Holly was snapped back to the present as Daisy Oak spoke again in her sorrowful tone.

"Those countless Trainers they go on their journeys… They are all but children, knowing and seeing nothing… I can only hope those new laws are eventually passed…"

"What new laws?" Holly screeched.

Daisy Oak's eyes narrowed and she replied sternly. "The new laws for underage Trainers. These laws would not allow those under the age of 18 to undertake journeys without some supervision by an honest adult, and they would undo do the current laws that allow underage Trainers to get away with almost anything. Trainers under the age of 18 also cannot become Champions, even if they do get to the League and defeat the previous one. From what I've heard, that restriction may be made even higher, considering even most 18-year-olds don't know how to govern a region."

Kristine's eyes blazed fiercer than Holly had ever seen, Holly couldn't help herself from screaming at the top of her lungs.

"That's just discrimination and ageism! Besides, Red and Blue were fine as Champions!"

Daisy Oak's voice remained stern as she stated. "No, they weren't. Despite all their power, they couldn't avoid being attacked and hurt by Team Rocket. And even when they were Champions or otherwise held high positions in the League, they relied on the Elite Four and other adults a lot. In the end, no matter how strong they were, my brother and Red were children, just like the countless Trainers that travel every day."

Kristine stepped forward, eyes still blazing.

She made no attempt to conceal her rage as she spoke.

"All absurd laws like that will be struck down. They already have been struck down by many Trainers. No matter what, the traditions will never change."

Daisy Oak's eyes burned with her own rage as she retaliated.

"That only proves the point that the tradition _should_ change. I only wish that someone would break this vicious cycle…"

Holly scowled again, not giving Daisy Oak a chance to finish as she screeched.

"You're nothing more than a mad woman, Daisy Oak! People like you are the reason Silver's rebels take up arms!"

At this, the flames of fury blazed fiercer than ever in Daisy Oak's eyes. Her voice dropped dangerously low as she spoke again.

"Silver's rebels think they're fighting against the League, but in reality, they're only fighting against themselves. By committing acts of terror, they're only convincing people that the League is in the right, and that child Trainers cannot be trusted. Even if some of them are not children anymore, almost all of them were children when they started out, and the League is not quick to forget that. So in the end the system will change, and it will be brought down because of their actions, just like they want. But the new system will be _against_ them, with restrictions _opposite_ of what they believe they are fighting for. The League will continue to prosper, and evil like the rebels will be unable to do anything about it. Because they will finally be treated like the spoiled children they are."

Holly screamed again. "You're just a filthy liar!"

Kristine spoke with the deadly calmness. "You don't know what you're talking about, Daisy Oak."

Yet Daisy only shook her head again, responding with her own enraged tranquility.

"I shouldn't expect someone that treats Pokémon like tools to understand."

Holly screeched. "How can you say that we are treating Pokémon like tools when that's exactly what the League does?"

Daisy Oak shook her head again.

Her tranquil fury continued as she replied.

"Neither of you have truly bonded with your Pokémon. They don't follow you because they _want_ to, but because they feel like they _have_ to."

Holly let her voice ring through the air as she howled.

"My starter Pokémon, Incinaroar, died protecting me! And my Lucario chose to follow me after I saved it at the beginning of my journey and told it what was happening now! There's no greater bond than that!"

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her,

Surely Daisy Oak had to see sense!

Yet the woman still shook her head.

"And yet both of them are raised by other people, League officials. Both of them also knew you before you sided against the League. They must have known that what you were doing was wrong, and that you were headed down a dark path. Even if they didn't, they would probably recognize that your personality had changed, and that something wasn't right. They would have recognized that the person standing before them in the present wasn't the same one that they knew at first. Yet they didn't do any of that, didn't even try to dissuade you from what you were doing. Because you gave them no choice in following you."

Holly screeched.

"What kind of Pokémon would dissuade a Trainer from their journey? A Pokémon who does that is only disloyal!"

No, a Pokémon that those that isn't disloyal, because that's what the Mold Breaker's starter did."

Holly clenched her fist until they turned white.

She didn't want to hear about the wretched Mold Breaker! The rouge Trainer didn't have anything to do with any of this!

Yet Daisy Oak didn't care what Holly felt as she continued.

"From what my brother told me, her starter was a Porygon-Z named Levi. The duo were extremely close, becoming vigilantes together. Things looked bright for them, until an attack on a Team Rocket hideout went wrong. They were with a bunch of other vigilantes, and, despite her power, the Mold Breaker could not stop her allies from being killed and injured. It was at that point that both she and Levi realized that vigilantism held little meaning, and ultimately led to nothing."

Holly tried to keep her eyes going wide.

The story was eerily similar to Kristine's, with even the starter having the same name and species…

How could that be?

Yet Holly's eyes narrowed.

She wouldn't believe any sort of fairytale the League tried to spin!

And of course vigilantism had meaning!

It tried to make up for the incompetence of the League!

It League wasn't so corrupt, no vigilantes would get hurt and die!

Holly glanced at Kristine, noticing her eyes were also narrowed, with rage blazing.

However, the disabled Trainer didn't try to retaliate as Daisy Oak spoke again.

"Levi believed the Mold Breaker could still continue the journey and turn her life around. The two had to escape the Rockets, but their chances of doing so alive were slim. The Mold Breaker was almost too weak to continue and there were even more attacks constantly launched at them. When she was about to be gravely injured, Levi took these attacks for the Mold Breaker. As the Mold Breaker ran for her life, Levi fell further and further behind. He eventually landed in an explosion trap that someone had triggered earlier, and he knew he could not escape. Unfortunately, it looked as though the Mold Breaker would not make it out alive either, because although she was further away, she was still within the trap's vicinity."

Holly clenched her fist.

The Mold Breaker should have never made it out alive!

Any Trainer that allowed the Pokémon to suffer like that did not deserve to live!

No matter what the League said, the Mold Breaker was the _real_ abuser!

Holly thought that the Kristine felt the same, as the rage within the disabled Trainer's eyes had not calmed.

However, Holly took her focus off of Kristine as Daisy Oak continued speaking.

"Levi used the last of his remaining strength to launch the move Psychic. That attack flung the Mold Breaker through the hideout exit, getting her to safety before the explosion went off. As a result, Levi lost his life that day, but the Mold Breaker became the only Trainer to survive without serious injuries, with Levi being her only loss."

Holly shook her head.

That wasn't possible!

No one could survive something like that!

Daisy Oak needed to be called out on her lies!

But before Holly could say anything, the woman continued.

"He genuinely bonded with her, feeling she should live on despite what happened and continue her journey. Levi sacrificed himself for the Mold Breaker because he believed she had a chance at a better life, and a better future. He told her all this in his final words, and she took them to heart. She honors his sacrifice now by fighting for the League and all honest Trainers."

Holly's face twisted into a snarl.

No honest Trainer fought for the League! Anyone who did was disgracing their Pokémon!

She screeched at the top of her lungs.

"That's not honor or a genuine bond! That's murder!"

Kristine was quick to jump in, coldness permeating her voice.

"The Mold Breaker has committed a crime, and she will pay for it."

Holly stared straight at Daisy Oak, making her gaze as intimidating as possible.

There was no way Daisy Oak could deny what the Mold Breaker had done! Especially since her brother had witnessed what the rogue rainer was capable of!

Yet Daisy Oak only glared straight at Kristine, voice sterner than it had ever been.

"Funny that you are the one that would talk about murder and crimes, Kris, when you are the one that murdered that child, Wally. To think that you would stoop so low as to kill your own traveling companion…"

Rage boiled inside of Holly. What the League ever stopped accusing Kristine of absurdities?

Holly would end this!

She stepped forward, glaring at Daisy Oak as she yelled.

"And to think that you would stoop so low, Daisy Oak, to accuse someone of such a blatant lie!"

Daisy Oak didn't even flinch as she responded.

"It's no lie. Kris, you knew Wally was sick, because you took him to the hospital many times. And every time, you saw him suffer. Because you were seen as a legal adult, you had the power to stop his journey. But you didn't, and the poor boy died in agonizing pain near Hoenn's city of Fortree. Your inaction caused Wally's death, Kris, despite claiming to be his closest companion. You became a murderer even before all this happened. Because Wally's illness didn't cause his death, you did."

Before Daisy Oak could continue hurling accusations, Kristine cut in.

"There is only one true murderer, and that is the Mold Breaker. When I'm through with her, everyone in all regions will know that."

Holly wasted no time adding.

"That's right! Kristine and my Pokémon will show her what real bonds are made of, and she will be exposed for the fake she is!"

Yet Daisy Oak suddenly glanced at Holly, speaking with a chilling calmness.

"Who is the fake, then?"

Holly threw up her hands again, shouting.

"Excuse me?"

Daisy Oak's glare continued, unwavering as she spoke.

"When's the last time you ever truly played with your Pokémon, ever really interacted with them outside of battle? The last time you ever truly understood who they really were?"

Holly snarled back.

"How I train my Pokémon is none of your business!"

Holy expected Daisy Oak to stop speaking, yet her hard gaze and tone of voice only continued.

"What would you do, then, if you were in a situation that was impossible to win?"

There was no hesitation as Holly screeched back.

"I'd simply continue fighting, and failing that, train until I could win, and then beat my opponent into the ground!"

Daisy Oak did not falter, gaze only growing more narrowed as she responded.

"Really? You would do that, regardless of what effect it has on your Pokémon and your loved ones that have to watch you do this?"

Before Holly could answer, Kristine interjected with her same cold calmness.

"The purpose of Pokémon is to win battles, Daisy Oak. Anything else is secondary to that."

Holly nodded in agreement.

Someone is powerful as Daisy Oak should be able to understand that!

Yet Daisy Oak only shook her head.

"Is that all you care about, winning? What happens if that drive to constantly win is what makes you lose in the end?"

Holy thrust her fists on front of her.

There was no point in playing anymore of Daisy Oak's games!

Kristine seem to think the same as she spoke.

"I think we talked enough, Daisy Oak. Move. We must head to the route to the north."

Daisy Oak moved to the side, clearing the way without resistance. However, her glare and sharp tone of voice still remained.

"Fine. But no matter what happens, your journey will not end well."

Holly only glared back.

Daisy Oak knew nothing! She needed to stop pretending!

Yet Holly couldn't think about Daisy Oak anymore as Kristine motioned for her to move forward. Holly acknowledged the motion and Kristine sped off to the north. Holly rapidly followed, as she left Daisy Oak behind.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So the chapter was originally very different. Originally, Red was supposed to be the person Holly and Kristine met and would speak to them. This was changed for several reasons. One of them was because Red's personality is almost impossible to pin down, and it was hard to figure out how he would act in what would talk about. His daughter and his relationship with Kristine were possible topics, but not enough of Kristine's past was planned out at the time to give much to talk about. Furthermore, I knew I would have to have a scenario where Red would come down from Mt. Silver (or wherever he was) to Pallet. Since Pallet is fairly peaceful and Red would know as one of the high-ranking Trainers of the League to stay away from Holly and Kristine, I couldn't think of anything feasible. Finally, once I thought of Red and Blue's past and that Blue would appear to tell the two about it, I realize having Red at Pallet was no longer necessary.**

 **However, I also quickly thought of someone else.**

 **And that was that was Daisy Oak.**

 **Daisy Oak was first mentioned in the author's notes near the end of Fuchsia. When I realized that I mentioned her before, I realized it would make sense to give her proper appearance here. However, she is a bit different here than she was in the initial draft for appearance. In the original idea, she was just a civilian. However, I changed it to have her be a powerful Trainer. This is because what is known about Daisy in canon.**

 **Daisy Oak can tell how close the player's Pokémon are to them at a glance. It is stated that even the most ferocious Pokémon calm down around her, although that ability is never seen. However, Daisy Oak is shown to be an expert Pokémon groomer, and will groom the player's Pokémon once a day. Grooming increases a Pokémon's friendship, but also increases the beauty stat. The beauty stat can be used in Pokémon Contests, although it cannot be seen in the games Daisy Oak appears. Fittingly, Daisy Oak is also an expert in Pokémon Contests, and is stated to have won at least one on screen. In Pokémon Special, she eventually becomes a doctor, although when and if she uses Pokémon in her job is unknown. With all that knowledge and experience with Pokémon, having Daisy Oak also be a powerful Trainer was not improbable. Seeing as she also comes from family of skilled Trainers (Blue and Professor Samuel Oak), she could have easily learned how to train Pokémon in battle from them. It's worth noting that in official material, aside from her Contest abilities, it's never stated how strong or weak Daisy is. Therefore, her battling ability is left up to interpretation.**

 **-Kristine's relationship with Scarlet also was not in the chapter originally. Originally, she only knew Scarlet via being a student of Red. The bond they had was one of friendship, and they weren't even that close. However, Kristine still knew Scarlet would support her because of the relationship to Red and the friendship they did have. This was changed for several reasons. One of which was that making Kristine's student instead made the latter's entire journey and desire to have Holly take the Championship more personal. It also gave Scarlet a feasible reason to support and trust Kristine, no matter what intentions the latter supposedly had. While child Champions and do exist in the canon Pokémon media, they're treated like rare cases and exceptions. Therefore, realistically, I knew that it wouldn't be possible for Scarlet to get to the Champion position without someone helping her a lot along the way, even with the cases of child Champions canonically.**

 **-So the issues of child Champions are revealed. It's unknown if Red or any other child Champions received help from the Elite Four. However, I figured realistically they would need constant help, because no child can run a government of the place no matter how strong or informed that they are. The laws being centered around age 18 is because age 18 is when one is legally considered an adult in many places. This grants many privileges. Some of these privileges are related to government and politics, such as the ability to vote and join the military. However, there is a lot of debate as to when one is mentally and psychologically considered an adult (meaning, in terms of maturity). In some of these debates, the idea is that people do not truly reach adulthood until they're much older. Some of these arguments even claim one is not mentally and psychologically an adult until they're 25.**

 **Daisy Oak's explanations about people not being able to hold the Champion position even if there are 18 is partially based off of that. However, the idea that 18-year-olds can't govern a region is based off of something else. In the United States, in order to hold political office, one has to be much older than age 18. For example, in order to be the United States president, one of the requirements is that all candidates have to be at least 35. This privilege comes long after other privileges have been granted. Lesser US political positions (such as the US Senate) don't have such a noticeable age restriction, but some of them still require candidates to be over 18.**

 **-Wally is a canon character from the Hoenn games. He suffers from an illness, and thus is very weak. However, is strong-willed, running away from home to go on a Pokémon journey anyway. Wally then appears near the end of the games, having become one of the strongest Trainers the player has to fight. The remakes take this a step further, having Wally also appear in the optional postgame area as both a potential partner and opponent. In this area, some of the strongest Trainers in the series awaits, and these Trainers are far more difficult than anything else seen in the game. Unfortunately, the common interpretation is all the strength Wally gains is no match for the illness ravaging his body. As a result, he passes away from said illness either on his journey or after it. This story uses that interpretation, but deals with the matter bit differently than what is typically seen. A more detailed explanation of Wally and what happened to him will be given next chapter.**


	106. Whispers of Death

**Hello, and welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there's also a new prompt. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmonfan, and are being summarized with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 1 is a grassy area that connects Pallet and Viridian. Consequently, it serves as both the beginning and the end for many Trainers' journeys._

* * *

105\. Whispers of Death

Holly dashed through the next route, effortlessly keeping up with Kristine.

She felt like she could run forever. The League was so close… Only a bit more and they would be there…

Even as the long grass tickled her legs, Holly could only taste victory.

Yet that did not stop her from seeing Kristine's signal to halt.

Holly immediately complied, with the disabled Trainer pulling up right beside her.

Kristine immediately spoke through thought.

" _Azure may be a tough opponent. Not only is he the last of the Kanto Gym Leaders, but unlike the others, he doesn't specialize in a single Type. It's a trait he carried over from his time training under his father, and the latter's brief reign as Kanto's Champion. It would be a good idea to rest before we head into battle."_

Holly nodded in agreement.

She may have been eager, but she didn't want her eagerness to cause her to make reckless mistakes.

Not when her plans were so close to coming to fruition…

With that, she slowly sat down on the grass, and Kristine followed suit.

With that minute to think, a question popped into Holly's head.

She wasn't sure if it was one Kristine would answer, but she decided to ask it anyway.

" _Kristine, that Trainer Daisy Oak talked about, Wally… I know he was one of your traveling companions, but who was he exactly?"_

Kristine's eyes narrowed, and she hesitated.

Holly couldn't resist shuddering.

Had she brought up something too painful to talk about?

Yet Kristine responded, voice full of sorrow.

" _Wally was a boy with a chronic illness, and as Daisy Oak said, he had to take many trips to the hospital. Yet he chose to journey anyway, and who was I to stop him? In the end, his illness did him in, and it was no one's fault. He lived the life he wanted to live, and it was an honorable one."_

Holly tried to stop herself from shivering as she responded.

" _Chronic illness? Did he have cancer?"_

Kristine shook her head.

" _No, along with a few other medical issues, he had a rare autoimmune disease. Lupus, it was called. Wally may have been a strong Trainer, but his Pokémon could do nothing as lupus killed him. Wally was slightly younger than you when he died."_

Now, Holly couldn't stop herself from shivering.

She didn't know what lupus was, but considering it could take down even a powerful trainer, it sounded horrible.

Holly wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was, yet her thoughts formed themselves as she asked another psychic question.

" _What's an autoimmune disease? I've never heard of something like that…"_

Kristine's eyes hardened, and a seriousness filled her voice.

" _An autoimmune disease is an illness where the body attacks itself. It's like a Pokémon that's confused and attacks itself in battle. But with these diseases, the confusion never stops, and things are much deadlier. And unlike with Pokémon, there is no simple treatment, or even cures. If treatment even exist for those diseases. Wally's had a treatment, but it was not enough."_

Holly felt nausea seize hold of her body. She wondered if she would vomit here, but she quickly forced the bile back down. She tried to stop Kristine from seeing her pale face, regret taking hold of her as she silently berated herself for asking her question.

To think that someone would suffer through something so horrible, and have it cut their Pokémon journey short on top of it!

What would _she_ do if that happened to _her?_

What would _anyone_ else do?

But then…

A sharp gaze entered Holly's eyes.

She knew what she would've done.

She would have continued her journey.

No matter what the League said.

No matter what _anyone_ said.

Even if it took her to her dying breath.

That's right.

Daisy Oak claimed Kristine was responsible for killing Wally.

But that couldn't be.

Because of one thing.

Holly wasted no time voicing her thoughts.

" _The laws protecting Trainers… They prevented you from stopping Wally, didn't they?"_

Kristine nodded darkly. _"Yes. Under those laws, without definite proof of him being too weak to continue his journey, Wally was allowed to continue traveling. And the laws also allowed him to manage his own medication, so a hospital could never force him to stop or make him use certain treatments that would delay his journeying time. Many times, his lupus flared up. And every time, the hospitals treated it and sent him on his way. So long as he could keep going, no one, League or otherwise, had the legal power to stop him. Once the others and I got to Fortree, the Gym Leader there expressed concerns over his latest attack. We defended Wally's choice to keep going, and he continued. Unfortunately, that choice would cost him his life, but only because no one could object to it without being harmed by the law."_

Kristine clenched her hand in a fist.

" _The League blames me for Wally's death, but in reality, his blood is on their hands. They are the ones who stood by and did nothing, and made it so no one else could do anything either."_

Holly thought she saw Kristine's fist go white and the disabled Trainer spoke in the fiercest tone Holly had ever heard.

" _Poor Wally was just another victim of theirs, and another reason why I cannot forgive the League."_

Holly snarled.

" _If the League cared that much about Wally, they should have given him a nurse or something! I'll bet they have some of the best doctors in existence at their disposal! They could have even given him a service Pokémon, like what you have!"_

Kristine nodded.

" _Exactly. And it had try to use my service Pokémon to help, but since none of them knew how to treat lupus, my efforts were useless. I tried to keep him alive, and obeyed his wishes while abiding by the laws. Yet the League blames me when they are the ones that did nothing, and paint me as a criminal just because he died."_

Holy clenched her fist.

"All the more reason to take them down!"

Kristine nodded.

"For Wally, and for every honest Trainer!"

Kristine looked out into the distance, taking a deep breath.

Holly did the same, inhaling the sweet scent of the trees beyond.

Her face brightened into a smile, and Kristine's did the same.

The disabled Trainer spoke again, and this time she was much more relaxed.

" _To think our journey will end where it all began… To think we are not far at all from challenging the League… It's a bit difficult to take in, honestly…"_

Holly nodded eagerly.

" _It is. It seems like I just started my journey in Viridian… And it seems like I just met you... But I know that isn't true… Because now, the entire League fears our strength and are powerless to stop us… And soon, the entire region will be the same…"_

Holy smile erupted into a giant grin.

She couldn't wait for that day!

Kristine was also nodding, confidence filling her voice.

" _Yes, indeed. But in order to get to that point, we need to conserve our energy. We should make more of a point to rest here, before we continue on to our final battles."_

Holly almost flushed with embarrassment.

She had been so caught up in Kristine's story and her own confidence that she had forgotten what she came to the route for. Their plans would surely fail if there wasn't enough energy to keep going!

With that, she responded.

" _Right."_

Holly glanced down at the ground, staring at the green grass. She wasn't feeling particularly tired, but a nap might be a good idea if she was going to fight someone as tough as Azure. And she didn't want to delay going to the League any longer than she had to.

So she rapidly laid down on the grass, not taking long to find a comfortable spot. Holly closed her eyes just as quickly, and in a few minutes she was asleep.

Almost as soon as she laid down, Holly opened her eyes.

At first, she thought she'd simply woken up.

But she realized quickly that this wasn't the case.

Her eyes widened as she understood she was standing. And it wasn't in a place that looked like Viridian either.

It appeared to be a summit overlooking something, but Holly wasn't sure what. There was hard stone beneath their feet, with stairs leading to some sort of structure. The structure had more stone around it, and Holly was aware of something that looked like it could have housed a statue behind her. She thought there were mountains and water there too, but she couldn't be sure.

There was one thing she was aware of though, and that was power.

Intense, unbridled, unstoppable, power.

Power to take on anyone and anything.

Power to conquer all of the regions.

Perhaps power that had already conquered them.

Despite the unfamiliar terrain, Holly smiled.

Perhaps the dream was showing her future, her strength, her success.

And she would savor every moment, no matter how brief.

How motivating it was to have a dream to celebrate her current power, and to look forward to more!

But suddenly, the sensation was snatched away.

Holly's eyes went wide as power was replaced by weakness and helplessness.

She tried to move, but quickly realized she had become immobile as her body stood frozen in place.

Holly attempted to say _something,_ _anything,_ and to even give the slightest call for help.

Yet the only thing the game came out was a scream that she recognized as her own.

Holly's eyes were now as wide as saucers.

Kristine had to be here! Someone else had to be here!

But no person came.

Instead the only thing that arrived was another sensation.

Holly registered the sound of something ripping and tearing. No creature was attacking her, and her body remained whole.

Yet it didn't take Holly long to recognize that the ripping sounds were coming from her.

Alongside agonizing waves of indescribable pain that radiated through her entire body.

Holly could feel the color drain out of her face.

She had to get away from this!

She tried to yell for help, but discovered she had no voice.

She tried to run, but it felt like her limbs were no longer attached.

Even her surroundings were starting to blur, and soon there was nothing.

Nothing but the deafening, horrible, ripping, sound that pierced her ears.

And the unbearable, intense, pain that came with it, somehow spreading everywhere despite everything else feeling detached.

Yet whatever was attacking Holly didn't seem to care, as the ripping sound only grew louder and louder, no matter how much Holly tried to block it out.

Holly thought she would vomit but found that she couldn't, as if her stomach too had been detached.

Instead, the pain only grew worse and worse, nothing Holly could ever imagine or had experienced before.

Holly wasn't sure how much more should take, and yet it seemed as though she would feel the pain and ripping until the end of time, standing motionless and suffering.

But then…

Holly finally realized something was moving, although she wasn't sure how.

She rapidly recognized it was her mouth, and it appeared to be moving on its own.

Holly wondered if she would finally scream for help, and waited for relief.

Yet all that came out was a single, rapid, gasp, so quiet Holly was sure no one could hear.

Someone must have, though.

Because with that gasp the ripping and tearing ebbed, and Holly could register the faint sound of someone crying.

She couldn't recognize who it was, though, and she didn't have time to figure it out.

Because then even the crying sensation faded away.

Instead, Holly found herself falling faster than she ever thought possible.

She tried to move her body, to latch on to _something,_ _anything,_ that would save her from wherever she was falling to.

But her eyes widened in horror as she realized there was still nothing.

No limbs…

No scenery…

Not even any sensation…

Simply _nothing…_

Holly did still have her voice, though, and used to scream as loud as she could.

It seemed her cries went unheard, as she suddenly slammed into something.

She wasn't entirely sure what, because she still could see nothing.

However, she was aware of a man and a woman's voice. It wasn't anything she recognized, and she couldn't make out what the two were saying.

Yet, Holly quickly realized that their tone was cold.

Chilling.

Accusing.

Before Holly could ask what was going on, she was rapidly falling.

And this time, she did not hit the ground.

Instead, someone caught her, but there was still no relief.

An unfamiliar voice sounded again, different from the one she had heard before.

And this time she clearly heard what it was saying.

That she would receive her punishment, to be tortured forever…

And all Holly could do was scream.

All of the sudden, the area was gone, replaced by more screaming.

Holly thought this was yet another place to terrify her, yet rapidly realized she was lying down in a patch of grass.

The place where she'd gone to sleep.

The route north of Viridian.

She was back where she had been before…

And yet Holly couldn't stop screaming…

The feeling of nausea overwhelmed her, and Holly was sure she would vomit right there.

At least until she felt psychic power envelop her.

Holly shakily glanced up to realize that Google had bent down to her level, the same psychic power radiating Kristine's Delphox. Kristine herself had also bent down towards Holly, concern present in her eyes.

Holy felt her nausea dissipate as the psychic power grew stronger. Her screaming was replaced by deep breathing, the sound coming out calm and steady.

Google's psychic powers still radiated around Holly as Kristine spoke to her.

" _Holly, what happened? You were just napping a minute ago, and then you started screaming…"_

Holly tried their hardest stop herself from crying, but her words still came out between ragged panting.

" _I… I had a nightmare… I was hurt… And then there was someone crying, and I was falling… It was just so real… I… I…"_

Holly realized her voice had risen to a higher pitch than she ever thought possible, and wondered if she would start sobbing at any minute. Mercifully, no tears fell, and Holly suspected Google was responsible. Within another minute, Holly was taking more deep breaths, as Kristine watched, still concerned but watching intently. Eventually, the deep breathing stopped, and Google helped Holly glance straight up at Kristine.

Despite the concern in her eyes, the disabled Trainer spoke reassuringly.

"Don't worry. No matter what happens, has happened, or will happen, I will protect you. No matter how terrifying things get, you have nothing to fear."

Despite everything, Holly finally managed a weak smile.

She had gotten this far, and it was all with Kristine's help.

She had nothing to be afraid of now.

Not even the most horrific nightmare.

Because Holly was not alone.

Kristine would always watch over her.

No matter what.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The title of this chapter is a reference to Fire Emblem Heroes, specifically a song within it. This song plays as the theme of an important character, and is eventually shared by everyone associated with that character. Though the song itself is unnamed, the mission it first plays in is called Whispers of Death. Fittingly, this mission is where the concept of the afterlife and what happens to characters who die is seen and discussed for the first time. With a lot of the chapter centered around the topic of death, I figured the song and the mission in first plays in would be an appropriate reference and title for this chapter.**

 **-Speaking of death, time to really talk about what happened to Wally.**

 **So I stated before, common fan interpretation has Wally die from his illness at some point, and this story also does that. Wally's illness is never revealed in most Pokémon media, but is stated to affect his breathing. The commentary is that Wally has asthma, and Pokémon Special goes with that. Despite his asthma, Wally still manages to become strong, to the point where he is one the most powerful Trainers in the games he appears in. His condition also doesn't seem to bother him at all, despite the rigors of training.**

 **However, Wally's illness makes his story one giant mess.**

 **This is because many areas in the Pokémon world are** _ **death traps**_ **for asthmatics. A perfect example is in Wally's home region of Hoenn. About halfway through the game, the player encounters fields of volcanic ash. They must pass through them in order to obtain the next Badge. However, Wally must** _ **also**_ **pass through here, both to get all the Badges, and one of the members of this team seen near the games' finale. The problem is that running through an ash field is a good way for an asthmatic to get hurt or even** _ **killed.**_ **The games never even acknowledge this. Pokémon Special tries to explain it by saying that Wally wears a special suit allows him to breathe in areas he normally wouldn't. However, Pokémon Special doesn't deal with the possibility of Wally's suit being knocked off, destroyed, discarded or forgotten, or even just malfunctioning somehow. The remakes of the original Hoenn games instead tried to show Wally having crippling shyness. However, references to illness are still in those games, and Wally is still stated to have a strong of will to leave home without telling anyone. So even though it could be a more plausible explanation, it doesn't really work.**

 **There's also the issue of** _ **what**_ **illness is chosen.**

 **Wally's asthma is supposedly makes things significantly difficult for him. However, other than forcing Wally to move to another town at the beginning of the games, it doesn't give him any issues. Fan interpretation tries to expand on that by explaining (and sometimes even showing directly) that Wally's illness makes him going on a journey very dangerous and even fatal.**

 **The problem is that asthma typically** _ **isn't**_ **fatal.**

 **While there asthma** _ **can**_ **be fatal, the most likely scenarios for such a case would be not getting proper treatment or constantly being near be trigger with no means of escape. Either of these scenarios can happen if an individual does not know they have asthma or is not receiving adequate treatment for their attacks. Although the above scenarios** _ **could**_ **happen to Wally, they are unlikely. Wally has had his asthma for a long time, and knows he has. He's not stupid, naïve, or reckless, so he would most probably know to take whatever treatment he had with him, and what triggers to avoid. His aforementioned knowledge also makes it so that it's not feasible for him to deliberately avoid or refuse to receive treatment, or run straight into something that triggers his asthma. In the event that he could not receive treatment or ran into a trigger that he did not know about, asthma is very common. Therefore, it wouldn't be too far-fetched for someone to realize Wally was sick, get him away from any triggers, and taken to a place where he could get whatever treatment he needed. So why the idea of Wally's illness being deadly and fatal during a journey at first seems to hold weight, that is not the case if the illness is implied to be asthma.**

 **But something else works out well.**

 **And that is lupus, an autoimmune disorder.**

 **Lupus is a rarer disease to begin with and Wally's gender and age makes it even more so. Therefore, the general public would most likely not know what it is or how to treat it, even if Wally was constantly and obviously sick. Even if he was taken to a hospital, it's possible hospitals wouldn't be able to treat it either because of its rarity. Furthermore, even though lupus does have treatment and can be well-managed (enough to allow person to live a normal life), devastating flareups can still happen. These flareups can be fatal, depending on the severity of the disease. The severity also varies widely, and no two cases are the same. That's not even counting** _ **other**_ **conditions lupus can cause that can** _ **also**_ **be fatal, or even the side effects of some of the drugs used to control it.**

 **As a result, Wally having lupus makes his whole situation, and the common interpretation of it, much more believable. It also puts them in a situation where while going on a long journey alone at a young age with his condition is still possible, it is very risky (and probably ill-advised). On the other hand, the danger of his illness being fatal on the journey is much more plausible and real.**

 **It is where knowing that what other conditions Wally has (or had) besides lupus, or if said conditions are from his lupus are unknown at this time.**


	107. Swept Aside

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there is a new prompt! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All parts of the property of Wizardmonfan, and are summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Viridian is a city of green, and often the final step for many Trainers on their Kanto journeys. Just west of the city lies the path to the Pokémon League. However, in order to fully traverse that path, one must earn all eight Badges. Doing so requires winning the Badge from the Gym in Viridian, and said Gym is home to the strongest Gym Leader in the entire region._

* * *

106\. Swept Aside

Though Viridian City was only a short walk away, the horrible dream from before seemed like a distant memory.

Holly nodded curtly.

As it should be.

She couldn't let some stupid nightmare distract her from her mission.

Especially now that they were so close…

The scent of pine sharply struck Holly's nose. She inhaled deeply, knowing that scent told her exactly where she was.

For she was now enveloped in a sea of green as trees surrounded her.

Though there was clearly a city, with sidewalks, people, and buildings, it was dwarfed by the forest around it. To the north was more forest, and the west, another road leading to more buildings.

Yet Holly didn't pay that any mind.

Because only one city could be like this.

Viridian.

The place where it had all began.

She heard Kristine speak softly and through thought.

" _We're here."_

Holly nodded in agreement, whipping her gaze around the area.

Rapidly, her eyes narrowed, and her face contorted into a scowl.

A building labeled "Viridian City Pokémon Lab" had caught her eye.

Holly clenched her fist upon remembering who resided there.

Professor Pine had started her on a journey so long ago.

To think now she had betrayed her!

Professor Pine would get what was coming to her!

With Kristine's power backing her up, Holly would be sure of that!

Yet now the disabled Trainer's sounded in Holly's head.

" _Would you like to make any final preparations before heading to the Gym?"_

Holly shook her head fiercely.

" _I'm prepared to make Azure pay for siding with the League!"_

Kristine spoke cautiously.

" _Azure will most likely be your toughest foe yet. You need a strategy that will demolish any Pokémon. Luckily, I have something in mind."_

Holly could not contain her eagerness and glee.

" _Really? Tell me what it is!"_

Kristine's cautiousness changed to confidence as she stated.

"Of course."

Within a few minutes, Holly mirrored Kristine's confidence, and wasted no time displaying it as she proudly marched into the Viridian Gym with a grin on her face.

Holly noticed the Gym was dimly lit, but she still could see. There seemed to be several different colored arrows, but didn't appear to do anything when Holly stepped on them.

Before Holly could ask why, she heard Kristine mutter, through thought.

" _So Azure has disabled all of the traps in here. I suppose he figured they were useless against us. Typically, the arrow panels for someone to go a single direction until they hit another panel or an obstacle. And there are usually skilled Gym Trainers waiting to make the challenge even tougher. I don't see any of them here now, though. Azure must have dismissed them, probably to keep them safe."_

Holly snorted.

" _Or because they were too weak."_

Kristine replied matter-of-factly.

" _That also could be. Ordinary Trainers don't stand a chance against us, and Azure is well aware of that."_

Holly nodded in agreement, and the two continued forward.

The Gym was a straight path, yet Holly was aware of it becoming even darker as she entered another room.

Yet the darkness soon dissipated, thanks to several lights hanging from walls. The floor had become a red carpet, with black tile at the end. Holly thought there might've been steps there at one point, but she couldn't see any now. She did see a red design on the center of the floor, along with more lights hanging from the ceilings. A small, brown, table was near the center, and Holly could glimpse a dresser in the right corner of the room. A massive computer loomed in the background, but it currently wasn't on.

Holly wondered why anyone would make a Gym room so elaborate, but quickly decided she didn't care.

There was only one thing that she focused on.

Across from her, in an oversized black armchair, sat Azure.

The Viridian Gym Leader slowly got up, sweeping both of them with a chilling glare.

Holly glared straight back, not conceding an inch of ground.

She sneered.

"A room this shady suits you, Azure."

Azure growled back.

"It was a holdover from the time of the previous leader, Giovanni. My father found out he liked the decorations, and I felt the same. I'm not about to change anything."

Azure's eyes narrowed as he continued speaking.

"Besides, something like this is really more fitting for you two, considering everything you've done."

Before Holly could respond, Kristine stepped up.

The disabled Trainer's voice rang through the room as she responded.

"You're going to try and stop us, yes? Just get on with it. You should know words are worthless by now."

Azure clenched his fist, and Holly smirked.

Kristine could not have said things better, and Azure knew that!

Rapidly, the Viridian Gym Leader motioned for Kristine and Holly to follow him.

Holly did so, and was soon standing to the left of where Azure had been before. Kristine and Google stood beside her, both of them gazing at Azure through narrowed eyes. Holly guessed that they were prepared to retaliate against the Viridian Gym Leader should he try anything suspicious.

She figured they should be.

With stakes this high, anything could happen.

Yet Azure did nothing other than hold out a Poké Ball. He rapidly tossed it into the air.

"Go, Jolteon!"

A Pokémon burst onto the battlefield, letting out a hiss as it did so. Holly took the time to study it. The Pokémon had yellow fur that stuck out like needles. Holly noticed it had white fur that looked the same around its neck. The only place where the fur did not stick out was its sleek yellow legs. Large yellow ears with black inside pointed towards Holly. Piercing black eyes stared at her menacingly.

Yet Holly did not flinch, only meeting the gaze head-on.

She knew how to be just as menacing!

With that, she grabbed her own Poké Ball and hurled it into the air.

"Go, Naganadel!"

Holly's Pokémon appeared in the flash of light, letting out a roar.

Yet it did nothing to deter her opponent, as Azure shouted.

"Jolteon, Thunder Wave!"

Jolteon let out another hiss as it shot a bolt of blue electricity at Naganadel. However, Holly's Pokémon rapidly whipped to the right, and the attack struck nothing but the cold, gray, floor.

Holly smirked.

Now was her chance!

She thrust out her hand.

"Naganadel, Nasty Plot!"

An expression that seemed like a smirk appeared on Naganadel's face, and a black aura surrounded it. After a few minutes, the aura disappeared, and Naganadel resumed its normal, confident, expression.

Yet Azure took the opportunity to screech.

"Jolteon, try your Thunder Wave again!"

A second hiss, and Jolteon shot more blue electricity at Naganadel. However, Holly's Pokémon almost leisurely dodged to the other side, and the attack only met a wall.

A giant grin formed on Holly's face.

Azure would stand no chance now!

Confidence gleamed in her gaze as she pointed at Jolteon.

"Naganadel, Sludge Bomb!"

Naganadel let out its own screeching cry before launching a ball of sludge from its mouth. Jolteon screamed as the ball of sludge slammed into it. The opposing Pokémon didn't even have enough time to shake off the sludge before it collapsed on the ground.

Azure's face twisted in rage as he recalled his Pokémon. Holly only kept her giant grin, but was suddenly alerted to Kristine's voice in her head.

" _Look at Naganadel, Holly."_

Holly did as instructed and tried to keep her eyes going wide.

Her Pokémon now radiated with an orange glow, yet it's not flinch as the light surrounded it. Instead, Naganadel let out another cry, and Holly thought it sounded triumphant. Even as the light quickly faded, Holly could see strength in Naganadel's eyes.

Before Holly could ask what that was, Kristine answered.

" _That was Naganagel's Beast Boost. It's an ability possessed by the most of the Ultra Beasts, and is unique to them. It activates after the Beast in question defeats an opponent, and raises their highest stat regardless of whether it has been modified. Since Naganadel's highest stat is the one that powers special attacks like Sludge Bomb, that was the one that was raised. And combined with Nasty Plot to give it another huge early boost, Naganadel can take out almost any foe in one hit."_

The disabled Trainer's voice dropped to low, taunting, tone.

"And since all Naganadel knows is special attacks, there's nothing Azure can do as it annihilates each and every one of his Pokémon."

Holly's grin grew even wider.

Leave it to Kristine to use the Ultra Beasts to her advantage! She had been doing that from the start, after all!

Holly now focused on Azure. The Viridian Gym Leader now had a pale face, looking like he was going to be sick. He was shaking so much Holly didn't know how he could stand.

Yet Holly's grin never wavered.

She didn't know how much Azure understood about the Ultra Beasts, but he must have known he couldn't win!

Holly wasted no time sneering.

"You can just give up now, you know!"

Despite his condition, Azure screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Never!"

He hurled another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Lucario!"

Another Pokémon appeared in the battlefield, striking a calm, but stoic pose. Holly felt a rush of familiarity, but quickly shoved it back.

A familiar enemy was still an enemy.

Holly realized this Lucario didn't appear to have a Mega Stone, so it couldn't assume the form hers and Kristine's had.

And that made it all the easier to defeat.

She narrowed her eyes as she shouted.

"Naganadel, Fire Blast!"

Naganadel took a deep breath and launched fire from its mouth. The flames quickly took the shape of an X as they soared towards Lucario. The opposing Pokémon screamed as it was completely engulfed by the fire. After a few minutes, the flames cleared, Holly's opponent lay motionless on the ground.

Holly directed her gaze to the orange glow of Beast Boost as Azure recalled his fallen Pokémon.

Holly simply smirked.

"Can you beat that?"

Despite how he felt, Azure snarled defiantly.

"Of course!"

He did not hesitate as he threw another Poké Ball.

"Go, Hydregion!"

Emerging from the ball was a fierce, snarling, massive, dragon. And once again it was an opponent Holly recognized. This was the same species as Hercules, the terrifying Pokémon that defended the skies.

But although this Hydregion could fly, it wouldn't be defending anything now.

Confidence continued to fill Holly's voice as she shouted.

"Naganadel, Dragon Pulse!"

Naganadel took another deep breath and fired a light green stream of light at Azure's Pokémon. The Hydregion didn't even get a chance to scream as the light struck it. Azure's Pokémon was momentarily unable to be seen within the dark green light. But it wasn't long before the light cleared, and Hydregion crashed to the ground.

Azure grimaced as he recalled his Pokémon, but Holly could only beam as the orange glow of Beast Boost came again.

Azure should just surrender now!

There was clearly no way he could win!

Yet the Viridian Gym Leader said nothing more than a battle cry as he tossed a Poké Ball.

"Go, Arcanine!"

A Pokémon erupted onto the battlefield with an earsplitting howl. It was just as poised to fight as it had been back in the fight against Anabel, glare as intimidating as it was back then. A growl rose from deep within the creature's throat, and Holly was sure the entire city could hear.

But it wouldn't be growling for long.

Holly made sure her voice drowned out even the Arcanine as she shouted.

"Naganadel, Sludge Bomb!"

Holly's Pokémon let out a cry that sounded like a cackle. Before Azure or his Pokémon could do anything, Naganadel launched a ball of sludge from its mouth. Within moments, the ball of sludge smashed into Arcanine, drenching it in the poisonous substance. The large dog Pokémon could barely whimper before it slowly closed its eyes and slammed onto the ground.

The familiar Beast Boost filled Holly's vision, as a Pokémon cackled again.

Inside her head, she heard Kristine speak calmly.

" _Naganadel's attack power is maxed out, so there will be no more Beast Boosts after this. But it's not like you need the help. There's not much of a battle left."_

Holly nodded eagerly.

Soon the final Badge would be hers!

And then she could finally proceed to the Pokémon League.

Holly then glanced back at Azure, wondering what the Viridian Gym Leader would do next.

The Viridian Gym Leader managed to step away from the impact of his Pokémon's fall, and wasted no time recalling it. However, he looked paler than ever, and there was no mistaking the light of desperation burning in his eyes.

Holly only grinned at Azure's suffering.

She would extinguish all of his light, and there was nothing Azure could do!

The Viridian Gym Leader simply threw another Poké Ball, his shout now mixed with unmistakable fear.

"Go, Blastoise!"

A large Pokémon resembling a blue tortoise burst onto the battlefield. There was an enormous shell on its back, with white cannons extending from it. The cannons appeared to be near the Pokémon's shoulders, although Holly could see they were actually behind them. Regardless, the appendages didn't seem to hinder the creature's movement any as it walked steadily on short blue legs. It had a tan underside of its shell with stubby arms poking out. However, Holly could see muscles rippling underneath, as the Pokémon thrust on its hands. Red eyes surveyed the battlefield, gleaming brightly despite the situation.

Yet Holly knew she would wipe that gleam right out of its eyes.

So she shouted back about as she could.

"Naganadel, Sludge Bomb again!"

The familiar ball of sludge shot from Naganadel's mouth, crashing into the Blastoise dead on. The opposing Pokémon let out a low, long, moan of pain before it toppled backwards. Once again, Azure was quick to get out of the way before his Pokémon hit the ground. He rapidly recalled it regardless, although Holly recognized Azure was shaking so much, he almost dropped the Poké Ball.

Annoyance pricked at her, although she did her best not show it.

That big baby!

He should know that the battle was over! Considering his earlier fear, he should be relieved!

If it was troubling him that much, he should just call it quits now!

Yet there was no relief or even fear in Azure's eyes.

Instead, desperation turned to despair, and defiance to silent resignation.

It seemed as though all of the energy was sapped out of him as he threw his final Poké Ball.

"Go, Gardevoir."

The Pokémon that appeared wore a dress almost as white as the light it emerged from. It seemed to have something that resembled a red bow around its neck. Piercing red eyes rested on a white face, matching the dress. The rest of the creature's body was green, including its arms, legs, and hair.

However, Holly quickly noticed something that didn't match.

There was a piece of jewelry on the opposing Pokémon's chest, slightly above the red bow. In the jewelry was a stone that shimmered with the colors of the rainbow.

So Azure could Mega Evolve his Pokémon, too, it seemed.

Would he do that here?

Yet Azure did not raise his hand to reveal a ring or anything else. He did not even call out any orders. Instead, he only shook his head, miserably staring at the ground.

"You're not going to Mega Evolve your Pokémon?" Holly snarled.

"It's not worth it…" Azure mumbled, voice muted.

"So you are giving up. Pathetic." Holly growled.

She then wasted no time giving Naganadel one final command.

"Naganadel, finish this with Sludge Bomb!"

For the final instance, Naganadel launched a ball of sludge from its mouth.

For the final instance, it struck the opposing Pokémon.

For the final instance, Holly heard her opponent's screams as the attack drained it of its will to fight.

Holly focused her gaze to see Gardevoir falling forward, everything from its dress to its hair stained purple. The Pokémon collapsed to the ground with little impact, and Azure wordlessly recalled it.

Naganadel let out a victory shriek so loud Holly was sure the entire region could hear. Nevertheless, she still smiled at her Pokémon as she placed it back into its Poké Ball.

However, Azure was still trembling, eyes wide and face pale.

Apparently, fear had made a triumphant comeback now that he had truly lost.

But it didn't matter how Azure felt.

Holly had still won, which meant the Viridian Gym Leader had a Badge to give!

Holly was about to walk over to him, but Azure suddenly tossed an object at her. It landed with a clink on the floor, and Holly was grateful she didn't step on it.

Before she could say anything more, Azure dashed off faster than Holly had seen anyone run. Holly heard the distant sound of someone vomiting, and didn't doubt it was Azure.

But the Gym Leader's illness didn't garner any sympathy.

Instead she narrowed her eyes, growling.

"Sore loser."

Kristine responded calmly. "At least he gave you the Badge. How Azure reacts after this battle doesn't matter now."

At this, Holly walked over to grab the object shining on the ground. It appeared to resemble some sort of plant, or a leaf on a tree, but Holly wasn't sure what kind.

Regardless, she wore her biggest grin yet.

Azure's stupidity didn't matter now.

Because Holly had now gotten the final Badge.

And now she was finally coming for the League.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Viridian is one that has received several redesigns throughout the series. In the Kanto games and their remakes, is exactly as Kristine describes, sans Giovanni as the leader. In the Johto games, the Gym Trainers and most of the Gym itself has been removed, leaving only a straight shot to Blue. The remakes restored the Trainers and the Gym, complete with the puzzles from the Kanto original. However, the arrows are now in multiple different colors, whereas they were only one color in the original. In the Let's Go games, the Gym was a graphically updated version of its design in Kanto. However, this version added a back room that could be accessed once the Gym puzzle was solved. Players had to enter this room and walked down a long hallway in order to face Giovanni (and later Blue) at the end. While the design of the Gym puzzle is from the Johto remakes, the room in the back is from the Let's Go games.**

 **-There is a slight change with the room in the back, however. In the Let's Go games, Blue mentions that he** _ **dislikes**_ **the room because it makes him look like a villain. He also mentions wanting to remodel the entire thing. However, I really like the room, and thought it had an air of authority to it. Even though Blue is not necessary a villainous character, he is still a powerful and imposing Trainer. Therefore, I thought the room suited him, and later, his son. Furthermore, being a former Champion and the Kanto region's toughest and later results in Blue have a lot of authority. This makes the room even more suitable for him personally, and whoever inherits the position.**

 **-Azure's team comes directly from the RP. Long before I did this chapter, I asked what Azure's team was. Upon receiving the answer, I wrote the members down and created the battle around them. Azure not using his Mega Evolution is also inspired by the RP itself. In the esteem description, it was stated that Azure did not like using Mega Evolution unless he had to, preferring instead to win battles in straight fights. Therefore, I felt like it would be out of character for him not to use it here. The other reason as to why he doesn't use as is because it's just unnecessary description at this point, since it's clear Holly has effectively won the match by the time Azure has the option to use it.**

 **-The strategy Holly uses to win this fight is a real strategy used in competitive battles. In these fights, Naganadel is one of the deadliest Pokémon available. It uses Nasty Plot to make its already high Special Attack skyrocket. After that, it's just a matter of defeating foes and using Beast Boost to make the Special Attack stat rise even higher. After enough increases, foes cannot withstand Naganadel's attacks, with most being defeated in a single strike. The result is as shown in the story. Fire Blast is also a move that Naganadel typically knows in competitive play because they attack allows it to counter Pokémon that would otherwise withstand it (most notably, Steel Types). There is a slight change to the strategy, however. In competitive play, Naganadel typically uses the moves Sludge Wave and Draco Meteor instead of Sludge Bomb and Dragon Pulse. Draco Meteor is only available if the player fulfills very specific conditions, something that Holly was unlikely to do. Sludge Wave is weaker than Sludge Bomb, but has a much higher chance of poisoning foes. However, Holly is not really going for poisoning her opponents, so Sludge Bomb is used here instead.**


	108. The Dead Arrive

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there is a new prompt. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. All prompts are the property of Wizardmon, and are being summarized here with permission.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 22 hold the path to Kanto's Pokémon League. A few unsuspecting beginning Trainers stumble into this place, but they are turned away at League gates at the route's end. Those that do have all of the Kanto Gym Badges are allowed to travel to the end of the route and enter the gates in order to progress to the areas beyond._

* * *

107\. The Dead Arrive

New resolve filled Holly as she strutted out of the Viridian Gym.

A smile spread across her face, shining as much as the eight Badges she now held.

No person or Pokémon moved to stop her.

No one even called her name.

She could finally move unopposed, free to stop the league's tyranny.

And at last liberate all honest Trainers from their oppression!

Holly still beamed and the disabled Trainer shared Holly's expression.

Kristine's voice sounded in Holly's head.

" _The path to the League is to the west. Head down that and the gates lie ahead. From there, our final foes await."_

Holly nodded eagerly.

Soon the League would be theirs, and they would pay for all their crimes!

The streets were eerily empty as she and Kristine marched towards the west.

Holly thought it was as it should be, since the entire region must have heard about their strength.

They knew better than to resist.

However, as the paved sidewalk gave way to slightly dusty ground, Holly could see that had changed.

There was a figure in the distance, and Holly continuously walked closer.

Her eyes narrowed, and her face twisted into a snarl as she realized who it was.

Gray eyes met her ominous glare. Holly could tell that the person had a mixture of fear and desperation, but tried to stand tall and confident. The person's pink flowery clothing hadn't changed, nor had the brown hair that was somehow unruffled. The only thing that was missing was a small kitten standing near.

It might have been a long time since they last met, yet the name rolled off of Holly's tongue as she growled.

"Ivy."

Holly expected the other Trainer to cry or flinch back, yet Ivy remained standing.

However, Holly saw Ivy waver slightly, and knew her reply had hit its mark.

So she responded coldly.

"You've no business being near the League, Ivy. Get out of here."

Holly resisted the urge to smirk.

Surely the League wouldn't accept someone as weak as Ivy!

Yet Ivy shook her head fiercely.

Her voice came out steady, but Holly could see she was fighting to keep it so.

"I can't, Holly."

Eyes blazing with rage, Holly threw up her hands.

"Is this about me being your friend, Ivy? I already told you in Saffron! I'm not your friend, and I never was!"

Ivy shook her head even fiercer.

Her fearfully determined voice continued.

"No, Holly, you are still my friend. Even after all those horrible things you've done… Even after turning against almost all Trainers… That's why… That's why I have to stop you here!"

Kristine stepped up, eyes also narrowed as she spoke in a threatening tone.

"You know what will happen if you stand against us."

Holly glared even harder at Ivy.

Surely the other Trainer couldn't be that stupid!

Yet Ivy suddenly tossed a Poké Ball into the air, shouting.

"Jake, help me!"

Holly heard a cry as a Pokémon erupted from the Poké Ball. A sense of familiarity washed over her, but it did not last.

After all, Jake wasn't the innocent little Natu she had seen hopping by Ivy's side before. Instead, his white patterned wings were outstretched as he flew in the air. His piercing black eyes watched intently, green body kept well away from his adversaries.

Holly frowned.

A Xatu, like Will's. Yet Ivy couldn't be as strong as he was. Holly had nothing to fear.

But still…

How did Ivy learn to fight?

All the times Holly had met her, she has shown neither the desire nor the strength to battle…

As if sensing Holly's question, Ivy answered.

"When I get you all the things you've done, I knew I had to get stronger! So I trained and trained, hoping that one day I could stop you! And now the day is finally here!"

Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

It was only in Ivy's fantasies that such a thing was true!

Holly reached for Honchkrow's Poké Ball, but Kristine's voice sounded in a warning tone.

" _Xatu is one of many psychic Pokémon that can learn attacks strong against Dark Types. If Ivy is as strong as she says she is, then I have no doubt she's going to use that to her advantage. You're better off exploiting one of Jake's other weaknesses."_

Holly nodded in agreement as she carefully put Honchkrow's Poké Ball away.

Ivy was probably still weak, but it was not worth taking unnecessary risks.

And Holly knew exactly what other weakness she would exploit.

She held up another Poké Ball, screaming as she tossed it into the air.

"Go, Glaceon!"

Holly's Ice Type Pokémon appeared with a screech. It stared at Jake with its piercing gaze, but the opponent did not back down.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

She knew how to make Jake retreat!

With that, Holly howled.

"Glaceon, Ice Beam!"

Holly's Pokémon opened its mouth and shimmering ice appeared inside. In another minute, Glaceon shaped the ice into the deadly beam. The beam soared through the air as Glaceon fired it at its opponent.

Jake let out a scream as the beam struck him dead on. The Pokémon briefly glowed light blue as it was encased in ice. The Xatu could no longer stay in the air, his wings, frozen, and unmoving. Jake plummeted rapidly and crashed to the ground.

Ivy immediately recalled her Pokémon, not even stopping to comment on what had happened. Although Holly could see that she tried to keep her confident demeanor, Holly could also the confidence falter as Ivy still stood shaking.

Holly sent Ivy a mocking glance, and felt pleasure fill her as she registered the hurt in Ivy's eyes.

If Ivy was _that_ terrified, then she should've known never to battle in the first place!

Yet Holly couldn't help hiding her look of surprise as Ivy called out her next Pokémon.

"Go, Alex!"

Holly stepped back as another Poké Ball opened wide. She expected a timid little Litten to make a feeble attempt at battling.

Yet what appeared before her was anything but.

Instead, a red and black bipedal cat Pokémon stood at its full height. It snarled and hissed, tail lashing as its yellow eyes glared at Holly's Glaceon.

Glaceon only glared straight back, but Holly still tried her best to hide her surprise.

To think that Ivy's docile Litten has evolved into this.

It didn't seem feasible…

But come to think of it…

Holly hadn't seen Alex at all during the attack on Saffron…

Even though the Litten was usually right beside Ivy…

Could she have been training Alex even then?

Holly quickly decided it didn't matter, because she still knew her opponent was.

An Incinaroar, like Holly's starting Pokémon had been.

Yet Holly only clenched her fist.

Ivy wasn't worthy of such a Pokémon, or of the power of fire!

And Holly would show her exactly why!

With that, she thrust out her Poké Ball and immediately recalled Glaceon.

As fast as lightning, she snatched up another.

Holly threw the new Poké Ball into the air, shouting.

"Go Arcanine!"

Holly's fiery dog Pokémon burst onto the battlefield with a howl. It fiercely locked eyes with Alex, but Alex met its gaze without fear.

Yet Holly only smiled.

Ivy would regret sending Alex against her!

Holly would show that weakling how a true Trainer of Fire Types fought!

She thrust her hand out at Ivy and Alex.

"Arcanine, Close Combat!"

Arcanine let out a howl and leapt at its opponent. Before Alex could react, Arcanine knocked it to the ground. Arcanine attacked Alex in a furious flurry of scratches and bites. Alex screamed and thrashed to break free, but Arcanine did not let up. Instead, the howling from before turned into deep growling and snarling. It was so vicious that it effortlessly drowned out Alex's screams and any other futile attempts to escape.

After a while, Alex lay still, and Arcanine jumped off of it.

Holly didn't know whether Alex was alive or dead, but she did know that Ivy's confidence wavered even more. The other Trainer's face was pale and her eyes wide, hands still shaking as she recalled her Pokémon.

Holly nodded approvingly.

Perhaps Ivy had finally learned her lesson!

Yet Holly was proven wrong as Ivy tossed another Poké Ball.

"Droplet, I need your help!"

Another Pokémon appeared next to Arcanine and Holly took a moment to look closely. It had a light blue body with a tail that looked like a mermaid's. There was a darker blue part of its body that resembled scales, and Holly could see that it had white frills around its neck. The Pokémon had something that looked like fins for ears, and Holly could see that these fins were tan. There was dark blue coloring around the fins, creating another one on the top of the Pokémon's head. Black eyes observed the battlefield, focusing on Holly and her Pokémon.

Holly was alerted to the sound of Kristine's voice inside her head.

" _Vaporeon, the Water Type evolution of Eevee. It can have a lot of defensive power, so be sure to use a Pokémon that can do a lot of damage or handle longer fights."_

Holly nodded in thanks, rapidly recalling Arcanine.

She knew exactly what Pokémon she would use!

Holly tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Porygon-Z!"

The bizarre creature appeared immediately, floating lazily in the air.

Droplet cocked its head, as if it couldn't believe it was faced with such an opponent.

Holly would give it something to believe, all right!

Her voice rang through the air as she shouted.

"Porygon-Z, Thunderbolt!"

Electricity crackled in the air as Porygon-Z launched whitish yellow lightning from its body. The lightning enveloped Droplet, and it screamed as it was struck by the shock. However, when the lightning finally cleared, Ivy's Pokémon was still shakily standing. Holly could see pain in Droplet's eyes, but also resilient determination.

Holly simply smirked.

She would destroy any determination Ivy and her Pokémon had!

But before Holly could do anything, Ivy shouted a command.

"Droplet, Hydro Pump!"

Droplet took the deep breath, and a massive blast of water shot out of its mouth. Holly could see that the water was an ominous dark blue, and had white rings around it.

However, being intimidating was not enough to strike Holly's Pokémon, and Porygon-Z simply floated upwards. The attack struck nothing but air as Porygon-Z got out of the way, and Holly grinned as the powerful water became useless.

The glee carried over into her voice as she shouted.

"Porygon-Z, finish it with another Thunderbolt!"

Lightning shot out of Porygon-Z again, rapidly striking Droplet a second time. The Pokémon's screams rang through the air, and Holly was sure the entire region could hear. She expected someone to come running, but thankfully, no one arrived.

Instead, the lightning quietly cleared, and Droplet collapsed on the ground.

Holly aimed a smirk at Ivy, and the other Trainer shrank back.

Perhaps now Ivy would finally stop! She must've known she couldn't win!

But Ivy did not stop, instead throwing out another Poké Ball.

"Rosa, we have to win this!"

Another Pokémon appeared, and Holly's eyes narrowed.

It was a Raichu, specifically the Kanto variant. It stood tall and proud, tail nearly striking the ground as it faced Holly.

Holly's mind flashed back to Lieutenant Surge's Raichu.

How it had nearly destroyed her team with utmost confidence…

The harsh training Surge had subjected it to, and how it had caught her completely off guard…

How her own Raichu had fought hard to barely obtain the win…

Holly couldn't forget what Surge had done now, nor would she ever.

But she doubted someone as soft as Ivy could have put her Pokémon through what Surge did.

This Raichu was clearly weaker than his was, no matter when Holly fought!

As if on cue, Kristine's voice sounded in her head.

" _Don't worry about not having any Ground Type Pokémon here. Raichu may have high speed and decent attacking power, but its defenses are horrible. Just take it out with your strongest attack."_

Holly nodded eagerly, but Ivy was already shouting another command.

"Rosa, Thunder!"

An enormous bolt of lightning shot from Rosa's body as she hurled electricity into the air. However, the wicked lightning did not even come close to hitting as Porygon-Z sharply threw itself to the right.

Holly grinned.

Her Pokémon wouldn't fall to something predictable like that!

It was time to turn the tables!

She wasted no time yelling.

"Porygon-Z, Tri Attack!"

It had been a while since the three colored orbs appeared, but Holly still found them familiar. The orbs formed the deadly triangle, blinding light filling the area. Holly could see Ivy cringing, and knew that despite her trying to be confident, she could not hide her weakness and pain.

Holly nodded approvingly.

Ivy deserved to be in agony!

And she would soon be in even more!

Porygon-Z launched the triangle at Rosa, and the opposing Pokémon to do nothing as the attack crashed into it. Holly could briefly see the burns of fire, the crackling of electricity, and the shimmering of ice. Yet her attention was refocused as Rosa fell backwards onto the ground.

Holly could now see that Ivy's entire body was slightly shaking, and she knew it wasn't that cold out.

She resisted the urge to throw her hands.

Didn't Ivy know when to give up?

Apparently not, as she still sent out yet another Pokémon almost as soon as she recalled her last one.

"Petal, please, turn this around!"

Another creature took to the battlefield, surrounded by the Poké Ball's bright light.

As the light cleared, Holly observed the creature closely. It was a green, four-legged, dinosaur, with a long neck and a short tail. There was a red flower around its neck, and Holly could smell some sort of scent. However, it wasn't anything she recognized. The creature had yellow eyes, and something else on its head that looked like yellow seeds. It easily surveyed the battlefield using its long neck.

Holly didn't need Kristine to tell her what this Pokémon was.

Meganium, final form of Chikorita, one of Johto's starters.

One of the Grass Types Erika adored, and one of the Grass Types Holly hated.

It made sense that Ivy would gravitate toward something so weak and stupid!

However, she also knew it was rare for Trainers to own more than one species of a regional starter Pokémon.

Holly didn't know where or how Ivy had gotten her Meganium, but she knew exactly what to do with it.

Immediately, Porygon-Z disappeared in a flash of red light. Holly took a deep breath shouting as she threw another Poké Ball.

"Come back in, Arcanine!"

Arcanine appeared in its own flash of light, letting out another intimidating howl.

At this, Holly grinned.

It was only fitting that pitiful Grass Type Pokémon be destroyed with fire!

And it was only fitting that Ivy should see a demonstration here and now!

Holy let her voice ring out again as she commanded.

"Arcanine, Flamethrower!"

Arcanine opened its mouth and let loose a stream of flames.

Petal screamed the fire struck and surrounded it.

Holly could hear the crackling, the burning, and the roaring, as the fire attempted to consume Petal entirely. She knew that Ivy's Pokémon was green, yet all she could see was the red, orange and yellow colors hers produced.

Holly only had a giant grin on her face.

There was no sweeter music and no more splendid sight than a hungry fire devouring all!

And it was time Ivy understood that!

Yet clearly she didn't, as the other Trainer only let her eyes go wide in fear. As the flames finally left, Petal lay on the ground, burn marks on its entire body.

The other Trainer shivered even harder now, and she almost dropped the Poké Ball she used to recall Petal.

Holly only continued to grin.

If Ivy didn't understand the beauty of fire, then at least she understood that she was losing!

Desperation now clearly shown in Ivy's voice, as she spoke in a high pitched tone. A final Poké Ball was in her hands, and she threw her with all her might.

"Lulu, I need you to be strong now!"

Another Pokémon emerged, and Holly had to resist laughing out loud.

It looked like a giant brown rabbit, with even larger cream-colored ears. The end of the ears were like clouds, and Holly could see that lithe legs were the same color. There was the same cream-colored substance on its hands, and Holly could see some sort of markings near its ears that were similar. The Pokémon's eyes were pinkish red, and they remained focused on the battlefield.

But something caught Holly's eye more than the Pokémon's looks, and it also kept her from laughing.

Around the Pokémon's neck was a piece of jewelry, with a familiar rainbow colored stone. Holly glanced to the side, noticing a bracelet on Ivy's wrist that had most certainly not been there before.

Holly heard Kristine speak again, although her tone was sharp.

" _Lopunny. A Pokémon native to the Sinnoh region, and one with a powerful Mega Evolution. It appears Ivy intends to use that power, but one question remains. How did Ivy receive that power in the first place?"_

Holly shook her head.

How could a Trainer as weak as Ivy be able to use the power of Mega Evolution?

Moreover, who would find her worthy enough to give it to her?

Holly shook her head again.

It didn't matter now.

Hollywood show Ivy what a _real_ Pokémon Trainer with Mega Evolution was made of!

Rapidly, she recalled Arcanine, barely putting the Poké Ball away before throwing another one.

"Lucario, let's finish this!"

Lucario appeared with a snarl and a menacing glare. Its own Mega Stone matched Lulu's as it gleamed brightly.

Yet Holly had no time to concentrate on her Pokémon as Ivy held up her wrist with the bracelet. She pressed the button, and a deadly command filled the air.

"Lulu, Mega Evolve!"

Holly stood tensely, bracing herself.

No matter who it was, a Mega Evolved Pokémon was a powerful opponent! And she couldn't lose having come this far!

Yet there was no light.

No energy.

No triumphant cry or display of power.

Nothing.

Instead, Lulu just continued standing, her Mega Stone glittering uselessly.

Ivy press the button again and again, desperation permeating every inch of her voice.

"Please Mega Evolve, Lulu! You have to! We have to win this fight!"

Yet the Mega Stone did not respond Ivy's plea, still gleaming worthlessly. Lulu closed her eyes tightly, as if trying to force herself to make the transformation.

Yet there was still nothing.

Lulu's ears drooped as she opened her eyes and shook her head sadly.

Ivy sounded as though she was going to cry, her voice becoming more high-pitched than it ever had.

"No… I can't…"

Holly sneered.

"Of course you can't, Ivy! You're just too weak!"

Holy held up her own bracelet, pressing the button without hesitation.

Triumph filled her voice as she called.

"Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

Lucario let out a roar, bright white light engulfing it. Holly looked away, but it was only for a few minutes before the light faded.

Lucario fixed its opponent with a hard glare, and Lulu could only whimper. Ivy tried to hold back her sorrow, yet still looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Holly only smirked.

This only proved that Ivy was just pathetic!

Now was the perfect time to show her how a _real_ Pokémon Trainer fought!

Triumph rang in Holly's voice as she shouted.

"Lucario, finish this with Aura Sphere!"

A huge ball of light blue energy formed in Lucario's hands. It launched the ball at Lulu, and the other Pokémon didn't even try to resist the attack. Instead, she simply screeched as the ball crashed into her. Lulu staggered backward before the ball of light even cleared, collapsing to the ground motionless.

Ivy slowly recalled her Pokémon, before she herself collapsed in tears.

Holly's eyes narrowed.

How stupid could Ivy be, crying after a loss?

She brought it on herself anyway!

Yet Ivy did not cry for long, as she suddenly stood up.

Without warning, the other Trainer broke into a run, heading for the east.

Holly resisted the urge to cock her head.

Why would Ivy want to go there? There wasn't much in that direction, even if she was just going to heal her Pokémon…

Yet before Holly could even ponder the answer, Ivy stopped dead. Holly thought Ivy had done it voluntarily for some reason, but then the glow of psychic power surrounded her. Holly glanced to the side at Kristine, noticing the same power radiating around Google. The psychic power only intensified as Google brought Ivy closer to Holly and Kristine. However, Kristine's Delphox stopped when Ivy was behind Holly, but still a bit of distance away. Psychic power still radiated around the other Trainer, keeping her suspended in the air.

Holly cocked her head.

Why would Kristine stop Ivy?

She had obviously been beaten, and was finally getting out of the way… There shouldn't be any more reason to interact with her, and if Kristine wanted to talk, she would've brought the other Trainer even closer…

Yet as if sensing Holly's question, Kristine's voice filled her head.

Holly tried her hardest not to shudder at the disabled Trainer's grave tone, and even graver words.

" _What she believes it or not, Ivy led us into a trap."_

Holly couldn't stop her eyes from going wide as she cried.

" _What? What you mean?"_

Kristine voice became colder than ice as she continued.

"If Ivy continues to the east, she will reach for Viridian City. Azure may be no match for us, but Professor Pine still lives there. She may be young and new to the research field, but she is an accomplished and powerful Trainer. Professor Pine would be more than a match for us. Furthermore, if Ivy manages to get to the south, she will come across the town of Pallet. Professor Oak resides there. He is also a formidable foe, having been a Kanto Champion long ago. Both of the professors could help out, fighting back against us blow for blow."

Holly clenched her fist.

To think that Professor Pine would cause them trouble even now!

And whatever Pallet Town was, she had sorely underestimated it!

Holly wasn't about to pay the price from wrong assumptions, not when she had come so far!

Yet Holly focused back on Kristine is the disabled Trainer resumed speaking.

" _If Ivy continues down this route, she'll have the backing of everyone near or in the League. And then there are those that may come this way, wondering what happened here."_

Kristine's eyes became narrowed, her voice chilling.

" _Even after defeat, Ivy is still a threat."_

Holly rapidly replied.

" _Well, there is one way not to make her a threat anymore."_

A slight curiosity filled Kristine's voice and she responded.

" _What is your plan?"_

Holly grinned.

" _I will show you!"_

Kristine nodded.

" _Very well. Ivy was your adversary from the start, so I will let you deal with her."_

Holly nodded again in thanks.

At the same time, she heard Ivy scream.

"What are you going to do? Let go of me!"

The screaming couldn't be louder, yet Holly ignored the cry.

Still grinning, she turned to Google.

Kristine's Delphox locked eyes with her as she spoke.

"Google, put Ivy on the ground, but don't stop using the psychic power."

Google nodded, slowly lowering Ivy until her feet touched the ground. The psychic power radiated stronger than ever, and Holly could see the energy flaring around both Google and Ivy.

Yet she didn't pay much attention as she walked towards the captured Trainer.

Ivy now had tearstains all over her face, and her shaking resembled an earthquake. Her face was as white as the sheets, and she looked as though she was about to vomit. Ivy probably would have, if not for the psychic power holding her.

She stared straight at Holly, and Holly met her gaze evenly. Holly's smile twisted into a smirk. She sneered as she spoke, letting a tone of mockery permeate her voice.

"You planned to get help from Viridian or upon reaching the League, didn't you?"

Slowly, shakily, Ivy nodded.

Holly's smirk became a grin again, yet she knew was still only mockery.

That same mockery reflected clearly in Holly's voice as she responded.

"Then I'll make sure you'll never help anyone again."

Ivy's eyes went even wider, and Holly was now stepping back. She continued doing that until she was a fair distance away from Ivy.

Holly had to be, for what she was about to do.

With that, she threw a Poké Ball into the air.

Her Honchkrow appeared, alert and ready for battle.

Holly pointed at Ivy, uttering a cold command.

"Honchkrow, Night Slash her throat!"

Ivy didn't even have time to scream as Holly's Pokémon flew towards her. Honchkrow's outstretched wings turned light purple, and Holly's Pokémon veered slightly to the side. Holly could hear a tearing sound as the wings pierced Ivy's throat.

The tearing son was soon followed by gurgling as blood bubbled from a massive wound on Ivy's throat. Holly's Honchkrow flew back to her, the same blood staining its wings red. However, Holly didn't focus on that, only paying attention to Ivy.

The blood continued to flow unimpeded, and Holly could see a pool that forming on the ground. The gurgling also continued, but Holly could hear that it was growing weaker. She again glanced into Ivy's eyes, flashing a triumphant smile. Ivy clearly couldn't speak, yet her eyes conveyed more than she could ever say.

Fear.

Sadness.

Shock.

Pain.

And then…

A whiteness could be seen in Ivy's eyes as her gaze took on a glassy look. She seemed to still be glancing at Holly, yet it was impossible for her to see anything anymore.

The gurgling stopped, as the other Trainer limply stood still.

Google finally released the psychic restraints, light disappearing as quickly as it had come. Ivy slumped backwards, landing in the pool of her own blood.

Holly let out a long breath of relief, her grain growing even wider.

At last, Ivy was quiet.

Forever.

No more annoyance…

No more constant chatter about completely irrelevant things…

No more making trouble…

No more dealing with a pathetic enemy…

Because Ivy would never be coming back.

Holly resisted the urge to pump her fist in the air.

Even with everything else she done on her journey, she never felt more accomplished.

And this is with the League still remaining…

If the feeling of accomplishment was what Holly experienced when she destroyed one of the League's loyal allies…

Would that feeling be intensified when she took down the League itself?

Holly couldn't wait to find out.

Kristine stepped up, giving Holly an approving smile.

Yet she suddenly glanced toward Ivy's lifeless corpse, face turning into a frown.

Holly was about to ask what was wrong, but heard the disabled Trainer's voice in her head.

" _Her Pokémon are too weak to be worth brainwashing, but we can't let them fall into enemy hands either."_

Kristine picked up a Poké Ball, tossing it into the air.

Mallory emerged from it, the bloodthirsty Mimikyu gazing hungrily at Ivy's corpse. Google radiated with psychic power again, and the psychic power surrounded Ivy's Poké Balls as they were snatched away from her. The Poké Balls hung in the air, still surrounded by psychic power as Kristine spoke ominously.

"Mallory, head into one of the more secluded areas of this route and dispose of these enemy Pokémon. Google will open up their Poké Balls for you. They are all unconscious from being defeated earlier, so it should be easy."

Mallory let out a cackle joy as she headed into the deeper grass and bushes in the south of the route. Holly could hear the noise of leaves crackling and grass being moved around as Mallory navigated to what was probably a forest area. Even though Holly couldn't see, she knew Mallory was safe from view when the Mimikyu let out a distant cry that no one else heard. It still reached Google's ears perfectly, though. Kristine's Delphox flung the Poké Balls in the direction Mallory had taken, and Holly could hear them hitting the plants.

Within seconds, Mallory's high-pitched and gleeful cackling filled the air, accompanied by the distant sound of more things tearing.

Yet Holly could not focus on Mallory, as Kristine spoke again.

" _We just should leave Ivy's corpse here. It serves as the perfect warning."_

Holly nodded.

"Right as always, Kristine!"

Kristine smiled, and Holly wondered if they would continue.

But instead the disabled Trainer spoke again.

" _But first… Google, if you please."_

Psychic power radiated around Kristine's Delphox, and that same power surrounded Ivy's corpse.

Holly wondered what the Pokémon would do.

After all, Kristine had already stated she would leave Ivy here, and there wasn't much one could do with a dead body!

Holly expected the psychic power to dissipate eventually, but instead the psychic power around Ivy became stronger. It radiated fiercely, and remained even as Google's own psychic power faded.

Kristine nodded, glancing at Google.

" _Thank you."_

Holly couldn't help asking.

" _What did you do?"_

Kristine calmly replied.

" _I had Google put up a barrier around the body. It prevents wild Pokémon and other creatures from getting at it. When Mallory is done with Ivy's Pokémon, I will have Google do it again remotely."_

Kristine's voice took on her own sneering tone as she continued.

" _The best warnings are the ones that are clear, after all."_

Holly nodded again, responding eagerly.

" _Of course!"_

Kristine smiled as she rapidly replied.

" _It shouldn't be long until Mallory is finished. After that, we should move on."_

Holly beamed back, taking one last look at Ivy's corpse.

The League would have an obvious warning.

And if those affiliated with it didn't surrender after this, then they all deserved to die.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The title of this chapter is another reference to a song in Fire Emblem: Heroes. Eventually, the ruler of the dead sends undead forces to annihilate the living realms. Since the protagonists inhabit these realms, they decide to fight back. The song originally goes unnamed, but plays whenever the protagonists are fighting the undead forces. The first mission that the song plays in is called The Dead Arrive. Therefore, that is the name used as a reference. Considering what happens in this chapter, I found it fitting.**

 **-So, Ivy's Mega Evolution failing is based on an event in the games. In the Hoenn remakes, the player can eventually access an area called Mauville Hills. One of the events that occurs there is a man going after another one for continuously failing to pay his rent. Eventually, the man takes a Mega Evolution stone for Lopunny as payment, and gives it to the player. The man then states that a Pokémon would be miserable if it bonded with a Trainer like that, even if it could Mega Evolve. That got me thinking that the original owner** _ **couldn't**_ **bond with this Pokémon, and otherwise be too weak to wield Mega Evolution. This is hinted at when the man who doesn't pay his rent appears, and he doesn't have any of the materials for Mega Evolution despite having the stone. With Ivy constantly shown as weak and not really interested in fighting, it made sense that Mega Evolution would not work for her, even if she did have a strong bond with her Pokémon.**

 **-Which brings me to what happens to Ivy in the end. I planned for her to die from the very beginning. However, she was originally going to die later on in the series, for different reasons, and the circumstances would also be different. It may or may have not been holy that killed her, since I did not know specifically how she would die at that point. Ivy's death was moved out for several reasons.**

 **One of which was for a plot point later on in the story that was eventually given to someone else. However, the death was kept I felt truly highlighted how Ivy didn't really stand a chance in such a ruthless world against an opponent who would do anything to win, because it wasn't in her character to be ruthless back. In addition, I also felt it deconstructed the idea of weak Trainers and those were otherwise not that good at battling becoming strong enough to stand with the most powerful Trainers anyway. Realistically, if someone is not that great at battling and has no desire for it, tries to conquer that weakness without any instruction in how to do so, and can't adapt to the tactics opponents use (whether it involves being merciless or not), they will probably lose no matter what.**

 **It's worth noting that a case similar to Ivy's does show up in the canon material with Bianca in Pokémon Black and White. However, it's not really shown how Bianca is weak and has no passion to battle. This gets even more confusing because she battles the player sometimes, and is shown to be no weaker than any other Trainers that battle them. Furthermore, she eventually becomes an extremely powerful Trainer, able to fight the Champion on even ground (to the point where she was misinterpreted as being the Champion early on in the games' release). Therefore, unlike Ivy, Bianca's case makes little sense. As a result, when I thought of Ivy's character and what would eventually happen to her, I sprinkled hints about that weakness and what it would lead to. The end result was this fight. The final reason Ivy's death was moved up is because of something in the games. In all Kanto games, the player's final fight with their rival before the league takes place here. I really wanted to emphasize that, and Ivy is the closest thing Holly has to a rival. Hence, she fights Holly here. Thanks to the other reasons, she pays with her life.**

 **-Professor Oak being a former Champion comes from the games. In the original data for the first Kanto games, Professor Oak was supposed to be the Champion. For whatever reason, that idea went unused, and the player's rival is fought instead in the final version of the game. However, full data for the unused fight is still in the original games. If one uses cheats or glitches, Professor Oak can be fought just like any other Trainer. The battle can even be properly implemented using special hacking techniques. However, data for the fight against Professor Oak has never been seen in any of the Kanto remakes. Therefore, Professor Oak has yet to be officially fought in the series. The Let's Go games to make a reference to his unused battle, though. Professor Oak appears and seems to be the Champion, but the player then learns they have to fight Trace for the title instead.**


	109. Intrusion

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there is a new prompt! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Route 23 signals the start of the Badge check gates for Kanto's Pokémon League. Trainers have their Badge collections constantly examined by League officials, and only those who have earned all eight Badges can traverse the entire route. Despite being thought of as a simple gate, this route varies more than any other in Kanto. This results in a diverse landscape, and even populations of wild Pokémon that Trainers can encounter as they make their way to the ominous Victory Road._

* * *

108\. Intrusion

It wasn't long until Mallory came back with a gleeful grin on her face. Blood was smeared on her entire body, yet Kristine only smiled as she recalled her Mimikyu. Google quickly cast another barrier, and Holly followed Kristine and her Pokémon as they left the carnage behind.

It was only a short time before the two reached the imposing building that housed the Pokémon League gates. The impressive red and gray structure stood tall, casting a shadow as it loomed over everything.

Yet Holly faced it boldly, standing up just as straight.

She'd come too far to let one giant building intimate her!

Kristine's voice sounded in Holly's head.

" _Well, this is it. We are the gates of the Pokémon League. Are you ready?"_

Holly let confidence freely flow into her voice.

" _I've never been more ready!"_

Kristine asked a silly question, Holly thought.

But she supposed given all that Kristine had seen on her journeys, the disabled Trainer had to check.

Holly nodded, thrusting her fists on front of her,

Of course she was ready.

Ready to destroy the League,

Ready to end its corruption.

Ready to bring peace to honest Trainers.

And nothing would get her way.

Kristine seem to recognize that as she replied.

" _Let's go."_

With that, the doors opened easily as Kristine and Holly made their way into the building.

The center of the building was full of gray statues contrasting against a lighter colored floor. There was also a green carpet in the center and more doors leading outside somewhere. But Holly paid no attention to the scenery as she marched up to the stoic guard in the center.

She wondered why there was a guard here at all, and why he didn't flee in terror after seeing her and Kristine.

Perhaps he knew about the conditions Holly and Kristine had stated, or about the trap Professor Pine had set.

Then again, Holly supposed the guard just had to do his job, no matter who came through.

It was unfortunate that his job was babbling about Badges and saying whether or not she was ready.

There were even more of the guard's kind outside, and Holly couldn't resist rolling her eyes as they did the same thing.

Holly paid more attention to her surroundings outside, however. In the beginning, there was short green grass with a gray paved path in the center. The grass and the pavement gave way to a sandy beach and some water. The water was nothing Isaac couldn't make short work of, though, and the guards mercifully didn't mind that Holly was using someone else's Pokémon to get across.

But between the constant guards and the changing terrain, traveling seemed to take forever.

While it didn't take forever, a long time must have passed. Holly could see the sun setting as a she and Kristine stopped in an area full of taller grass and small rocks.

She was glad no one could hear as she growled through thought.

" _That took way longer than it should have!"_

Kristine nodded in agreement.

" _Most regions check for all eight Badges at once, but Kanto is infamous for checking them one by one. Needless to say, the process is unnecessarily slow."_

Holly let him a long sigh.

" _You can say that again!"_

Holly glanced around, noticing the ominous mountain that was Victory Road in the corner of her eye.

Yet Holly didn't care.

Instead, she took out a photograph.

The photograph was a bit worn, but she could still clearly identify the figure within.

Torracat.

The first Pokémon she caught on her journey.

And one that had unfortunately not lived to see the end.

But it was thanks to that sacrifice that she was here now.

That Kristine was here now.

That they had made it this far.

Holly found her voice shaking a bit as she spoke through thought.

" _Look, Torracat, I made it. I'm almost at the League. I miss you a lot, and I wish you were here with me. But I know you're watching over me from somewhere."_

Newly renewed confidence gleamed in Holly's eyes and flowed in her voice.

" _Watch me, Torracat. I'm going to take down the League. No more Pokémon will suffer like you did. No one will suffer like you did."_

Kristine responded through thought as well, an approving tone to her voice.

" _Well spoken. I suppose I should take out my good luck charm as well."_

Holly couldn't stop her eyes from going wide.

Kristine had mentioned having a good luck charm when they first visited Bill, and it was apparently something the PC inventor knew about.

But she hadn't mentioned it since, and Holly had almost forgotten it existed.

Yet now Kristine was rummaging for an item.

What she eventually held made Holly's eyes go even wider.

It was a doll, tattered and worn.

Among the constant overlapping stitches and tears, Holly could see the doll was a whitish-pink creature. The creature had a tail in the shape of a spiral, and another similar shape on its head. It was sitting down, yet Holly could see hands and feet, almost like a human. The doll had white toenails, even though the rest of the creature wasn't white. Dark pink wings were on its back, and the doll looked like it could just fly away. There were black tips on the creature's ears, and they matched its eyes.

Yet Holly still couldn't stop her own from going wide and staring.

This was a Clefable, a rare fairy Pokémon.

Certainly something Kristine knew about, and probably have.

Yet why would she carry a doll around, especially when it appeared to be old and used?

Other than when Anabel had revealed hers, Kristine had shown no interest in dolls…

The disabled Trainer smiled warmly as she replied.

" _It was given to me by Bill after he found out I had fused with Tulip. He was the first person to fuse with a Pokémon, and the Pokémon he fused with was Clefable. Although he did it on accident and later returned to normal, Clefable dolls are now given to all those who wish to attempt anything involving Pokémon fusion, and have become a way of praying for safety."_

Holly smiled and nodded.

It would make sense that someone as eccentric as Bill was involved in Pokémon fusion, especially since he had built the cell separation machine.

While Holly didn't know much about Pokémon fusion, she knew they needed both prayers and safety now.

Yet Holly couldn't stop herself from becoming tense.

Victory Road was before them, and it was said that the place could break even the toughest of Trainers.

With the all of League out for their blood, what would Victory Road do to Holly and Kristine?

Kristine must've noticed the change in Holly's demeanor, because her voice softened.

" _Relax, Holly. You still have me, and your well-trained Pokémon."_

Holly nodded.

Kristine was right.

She had nothing to be afraid of.

Another thought struck Holly, and she voiced it immediately.

" _Thank you for the training my Pokémon, Kristine! Without you, none of us would've made it this far!"_

Kristine smiled as she replied confidently.

" _Don't just thank me; thank Yveltal. With his powers to ferry others to worlds beyond this one, he can take your Pokémon to a place where they can constantly become stronger. There's only so much they can do in this world, especially without being noticed. However, without the limits here, they can train to their heart's content."_

A giant grin spread across all its face.

Of course she couldn't forget about Yuveltal and his powers!

Without them, Kristine wouldn't have survived all they'd gone through in their travels!

And many of Holly and Kristine's Pokémon would still be injured from countless attacks!

Holly would still have to deal with her own power, and all the horrible things it did!

She had as much to be grateful to Yveltal as she did to Kristine!

With that, Holly exclaimed.

"Tell Yveltal I said thank you, too."

Kristine nodded, eyes shining with her own happiness.

"I will."

The disabled Trainer gestured forward to the cave ahead.

"Come. Victory Road awaits."

Holly nodded, eager and quick to follow.

Yet suddenly, she screeched as something seized her.

Holly didn't know what that something was, only that her body felt frozen.

She tried to move, only to fall to her knees. Holly attempted to call out, only to realize she had no voice. She could hear Kristine's voice, but it sounded full of desperation and very far away.

Holly couldn't shiver, but desperately wished she could.

What was going on?

Had she been taken to some faraway place, a place that not even Kristine knew about?

Was the nightmare she dreamt of before coming true?

But that couldn't be!

There was no crying, and no sound of ripping…

But clearly, this wasn't normal…

So what was this?

All of a sudden, Holly felt her body moving again.

Yet it seemed to do so on its own, as if possessed by some invisible force.

Strangely, Holly couldn't see anything different and she might as well been just as frozen as before.

Yet she could feel her body _changing,_ _contorting,_ _twisting,_ in ways that she didn't think were possible…

And in ways that she was certain were all wrong.

And then it came.

The pain.

Intense, excruciating, pain.

The pain shot sharply through her entire body, spreading faster and radiating more than anything Holly had ever known. Holly tried to scream, but her voice had still left her. She couldn't even whimper or gasp as the relentless pain made her its helpless victim.

Yet Holly could feel her eyes going wide and her face going pale.

Who or what was doing this?

And was whatever the entity was, did it mean to kill her?

Holly wasn't sure how to answer that question as she felt another sensation.

This one felt like a pair of hands grabbing onto her roughly. Holly still didn't have a chance to cry out as the hands started tearing through her.

Or rather, what was on the outside.

It seem like they were probing her, searching through everything she owned… Holly could detect a sense of restlessness but also fierce resolve.

Whatever it was, the hands would not stop until they found they were looking for.

But what did Holly have that they wanted?

Surely nothing that something that could spawn invisible hands would want!

Yet she must've have had something, as the hands continued searching.

She could ask what they were searching for, or tell them to go away.

And it wasn't like the hands would answer.

No, they were too intent on their search to care.

Holly's voice and the rest of her body was still frozen like ice. Her face was still pale and she wished she could shiver. The pain still ran to and fro across her body, and Holly was sure she would vomit.

Yet the hands wouldn't let her.

 _The entity controlling them_ wouldn't let her.

Instead, Holly could only stare ahead helplessly at nothing.

Yet she couldn't stop the questions racing through her panicked mind.

Would she be like this forever?

Was the entity going to destroy her, and then dispose of her?

Would poor Kristine be left alone?

Would her Pokémon lose their Trainer today?

Yet Holly got her answer as rapidly as she thought of her questions.

The hands left her, seemingly and suddenly satisfied with their search.

The pain evaporated, and Holly no longer felt her body moving against her will. At the same time, the frozen feeling vanished, and a rush of color came back to Holly's face.

She registered the sensation of the tall grass beneath her, with more grass and a mouth of a cave filling her vision.

At least, they filled her vision until she saw Kristine's concerned face. The disabled Trainer focused on Holly, and though she still remained calm, Holly could see a bit of worry in Kristine's eyes.

Holly slowly got to her feet, wanting desperately to explain what happened.

Yet words wouldn't come, as if Holly still had no voice.

She tried to move her lips, but nothing came. Instead, it felt like a giant lump was choking her, and Holly wondered if she would burst into tears.

How could she explain what she had just experienced?

How could she protect Kristine and both their Pokémon from that?

How could she protect _anyone_ from that?

Yet Kristine seem to understand as she soothingly spoke.

"Don't say anything. I know. It was as if you had completely left this world. Neither my voice or Google's power could reach you."

Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide again.

To think something that could overpower and outwit even Kristine!

What exactly were they facing?

As if sensing Holly's change in demeanor, a grave tone entered Kristine's voice.

"Whatever foe did this is formidable, and they will pay. This means we must be on our guard, but it also means that we have no time to waste. As long as the League is still stands, the attacks on us will never cease."

Kristine's grave tone was replaced by a determined voice.

"Are you still ready?"

Holly nodded, clenching her fist.

"More than ever!"

Now she truly had to stop the League, before whatever assaulted her struck again!

Kristine nodded resolutely.

"Let us proceed. On to Victory Road!"

Holly rapidly followed Kristine as the disabled Trainer dashed into the cave.

Now, she couldn't help but grin.

They were taking their final steps towards freeing all honest Trainers tortured by corruption.

And crushing the League.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Kanto's Badge check process being slow comes from the games and is because of exactly the reasons Kristine describes. Most of the later games sped this up considerably by only displaying a short message before checking all eight Badges at once. The few games that return to checking one Badge at a time (aside from the remakes of Kanto) add eye-catching graphics and daunting music to make the process more interesting.**

 **-The Clefable Kristine holds and its purpose is inspired by something from the games, and an event in real life. Because of Pokemon's popularity, several companies made small dolls of them. When I was young, I enjoyed collecting small dolls in general. My parents noticed that alongside my growing interest in Pokémon, and eventually bought me a small Pokémon doll. That doll was a Clefable, looking exactly like the one Kristine carries. Unfortunately, I lost that doll many years ago, but I'd like to think that if I had held onto it, it would have resembled the one Kristine has in terms of how worn it was.**

 **Clefable being a good luck charm for people with fusion is inspired by what happens to Bill. Bill does fuse with a Pokémon, but it is unknown what species of Pokémon it is. In the original games, the overworld sprite resembles Clefairy (Clefable's pre-evolution). However, Clefairy shares its sprite with several other Pokémon in the original games, including Clefable. So it's entirely possible the Pokémon could have been Clefable. The Kanto remakes make it so Bill once again has the overworld sprite of a Clefairy, but said sprite is still similar to a Clefable. Therefore, Bill fusing with one of them is not out of the question. The Let's Go games inexplicably changed the Pokémon to a completely different species called Nidorino. Thanks to the advent of 3-D graphics in handheld games, it was clear what Bill had transformed into. However, I switched the transformation back to Clefairy (or rather, Clefable) in order for it to make sense with the real-life item and because I found it more iconic. In some Pokémon media, Bill is associated with Clefairy and Clefable (such as in the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga), so it makes fusing with one fit him even more. It's also worth noting that I was going to bring up Kristine's good luck charm much earlier, around the time her fusion was also revealed. However, since the fusion ended up having a mostly negative connotation, I realized bringing up the good luck charm was not appropriate, and decided to wait until much later.**


	110. Silent Success

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is a new area, so there's a new prompt! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and read the author's notes for details.**

 **Without further ado, the prompt!**

 _Kanto's Victory Road is the final challenge for Trainers before the Pokémon League. This ominous and giant gave seems to stretch on eternally. Many Trainers polish their battling skills here, knowing that their efforts could mean the difference between dreams being realized or crushed._

* * *

109\. Silent Success

Holly tried not to gasp upon glancing at the scenery as she entered the cave.

A vast expanse of rocks and cliffs seemed to stretch on forever. Most of the rocks were light brown, although some of the area was gray. Holly thought she saw bits of sand scattered across the gray cave floor. She wondered if there was a beach somewhere, but couldn't see any nearby. Holly guess the sand was left behind by those forced to flee this place. Or perhaps, one had to go from the top to traverse a beach and back again.

Regardless, Holly figured she would find out soon.

She took a few steps forward, but it wasn't long before she noticed Kristine wasn't following.

Instead, the disabled Trainer's eyes were narrowed as she strained ahead. Kristine had been confident before, but now there was no missing the concern in her eyes.

Holly guessed something was amiss, but wasted no time asking anyway.

"Kristine, what's wrong?"

Kristine rapidly replied. "It's quiet. Too quiet."

Holly wasted no time asking again.

"What do you mean?"

The grave tone never left Kristine's voice.

"Many Trainers practice here, training relentlessly for the day they will reach the League. Others have more sinister purposes, hoping to take down any unsuspecting rival that passes through the many areas of Victory Road. And enemy Trainers aren't the only thing to be aware of. There are also countless traps, set to deter even the most skilled battlers. But now…"

Kristine's voice became icily quiet.

"There are no other Trainers here at all. And all of the traps have been disabled… It's completely unnatural…"

Holly smiled eagerly.

"All the Trainers must have run for their lives when they knew we were coming, just like other cowards of the League! And those in charge of Victory Road probably realized that their traps or do nothing against us."

Holly continued beaming as she glanced at Kristine.

Surely the disabled Trainer would not be unnerved by a little silence!

Yet Kristine's voice remain full of worry.

"Or the League is lulling us into a false sense of security while having something horrific planned for us at the end. Don't forget, Professor Pine's trap truly goes into effect beyond this point, and the League doesn't know we have a way out of it. Even with all our plans, something formidable lies up ahead."

Determination shown in Holly's eyes and she thrust her fist out as she rapidly responded.

"We've gone through everything the League has thrown us. We've officially earned our right to enter this place! We've come too far just to fail now!"

The disabled Trainer was quick to answer, although Holly can easily detect a twinge of uncertainty.

"I sure hope you're right…"

Holly thrust her other fist on front of her as Kristine motioned for the two to continue.

It wasn't like the disabled Trainer to falter!

Yet, even without enemies and traps, Victory Road was already breaking one of the strongest Trainers ever known!

Holly had to be on her guard!

Holly had to be strong for Kristine!

She had to be strong for all on honest Trainers, so that the suffering under the League's corruption would finally end!

They trotted along without resistance, and Holly soon found boredom overtaking her.

There was simply stone after stone, cliff after cliff, and hard gray paths. Eventually, there was the sand Holly had seen before. However, there was no beach to accompany it, and that scenery was soon gone, replaced by the same one as before.

Over and over.

On and on.

Holly couldn't resist letting out a sigh of relief as boredom turned to relaxation.

Kristine's fears were truly groundless, and the League was simply on its last legs!

After all this, that was nothing to stop them!

It would make sense, given the circumstances.

After all, Kristine was known for being extra cautious.

Holly quickly wore a great grin, almost starting as she walked alongside Kristine.

Soon they would be at the League, and the Trainers there and all their allies would pay for their crimes!

Holly wasn't sure how long they had been traveling, but she did know when she saw something that that looked like an exit on the horizon.

She was prepared to dash forward, but Kristine nearly tripped her as she grabbed her arm.

The disabled Trainer rapidly shook her head, but Holly only glared.

Why would Kristine stop her here?

They were so close!

Holly was just about to ask what was going on, but Kristine pointed forward.

Holly wasted no time following Kristine's motion, and noticed shaping the distance. She took a few careful steps forward to get a better view. Kristine did not stop her, instead doing the same.

Even when she was closer, Holly had to strain her eyes.

Yet she could make out a figure near the exit.

Holly wasn't sure what or who that figure was…

But considering there were normally people training here and they had not encountered any…

This had to be another Trainer, sent by the League to stop Holly and Kristine.

Holly clenched her fist.

The other person would learn the error of their ways, and soon, so would the League!

Holly heard Kristine's in her head, voice soft but sharp.

" _There's probably another Trainer here. Be prepared for a fight."_

Holly nodded.

There could be a thousand Trainers before her and she'd still be prepared to fight!

Holly would fight any opponent she needed to, no matter what it was!

Now that she was mere steps from the League and stopping its corruption!

She couldn't help the spring in her stride as she and Kristine approached the exit and the distant figure. It was clear the figure was a person, and now Holly could see just what the person looked like.

The person was a female, older than Kristine and Holly. She wore a light blue leotard and gloves, although Holly could see a bit of dark blue on the former. The other person also had long boots dark blue with heels on them. Black rings were around the gloves and the boots, although Holly didn't know why the rings were there. She did know the person had long light blue hair tied neatly behind her with yellow bands. The person wore earrings the same color as the bands and some sort of silver round jewel around her throat. A black cape was perched on her shoulders, and Holly could see it had red underneath. Holly could not miss the fierce glare in the person's light blue eyes, eyes that matched the other's hair.

But that wasn't the only thing Holly couldn't miss.

The person's clothing exposed the skin of her legs and arms.

And on that skin was scars.

Long, angry, red scars.

The scars had long since faded, but Holly was sure that whatever event that led to them had been catastrophic. Her certainty was proven further when she noticed the other person had the slightest flicker of pain in her eyes when she walked towards them. The other was clearly trying to hide the wince, but Holly could catch it easily. She could catch it almost as easily as the person's awkwardly positioned right arm, and realized the other was holding it almost as if something was broken.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Obviously something had happened to the other, and it had been enough to leave permanent damage.

But she still came after the two anyway, probably in the League's defense.

Why would the League be stupid enough to send an injured person out to fight?

Did they want one of their own to get killed?

Regardless of the reason, the person still continued towards them with a resolute gaze.

It was then that Kristine spoke.

"Clair, former Gym Leader of Blackthorn, and current failure. Why are you here?"

Clair's face hardened, and she replied in a chilling tone.

"I came to visit my cousin Lance at the League. When I heard you were coming to take the League down, I knew I had to stop you. I can't let you harm Lance, or anyone else!"

Kristine sneered.

"You're going to fight against us with those injuries?"

Clair's eyes grew colder than ice and she snarled.

"That you inflicted?"

Holly clenched her fists.

So _this_ was the one that denied Kristine her rightful Gym Badge out of jealousy, and then made her fail some stupid dragon user challenge when she tried to rightfully claim it!

Clair had been punished, as was proper!

But of course a sore loser like her would not accept her punishment, and spew absurdities out of anger!

Kristine may have had a difficult time with Clair, but she would never hurt a Gym Leader like that without very good reason!

And if she had attacked Clair, she would have said something when she and Holly first talked about the Blackthorn Gym Leader in the Celadon secret base! Yet Kristine had not mentioned Clair as anything other than disgraced.

So Clair must've been lying!

Kristine confirmed Holly's suspicions when she calmly spoke.

"I didn't do anything to hurt you. You should know that."

It Clair only kept her fierce glare.

"You are hurt me when you let that girl Zinnia attack me! She was traveling with you at the time! You should've done something! Of the group you're with, you were the only one who could match her strength! No, you were probably even stronger than her!"

Holly tried to keep her eyes going wide.

Zinnia was the person as one of the leaders of the rebels! She must've hated the League even before she joined them, so it would make sense! Zinnia had never mentioned attacking Clair, nor had Kristine talked about what happened between them. But given how strong and aggressive Zinnia was, Holly wouldn't put it past her to strike at the formerly most powerful Gym Leader in Johto!

And to think that Zinnia could possibly match Kristine blow for blow… The rebel had certainly demonstrated the power to do in the Safari Zone… Yet even then, Kristine still an advantage, but considering how much damage the Safari Zone had taken, the advantage must have been slight…

Just out how powerful was Zinnia, and did she and Kristine travel together out of respect for each other's power?

Just whatever person did Kristine and Holly join forces with?

Holly was snapped from her thoughts as Kristine retaliated against Clair.

"I had no idea she was going to attack you. And even then, I didn't let her fight. Zinnia ran off on her own. Besides, who am I to stop a battle of pride?"

Clair threw up her hands, although Holly noticed that the movement of the right one was rather clumsy.

Regardless, the meaning of the gesture was the same as she growled.

"There was no pride to be battled for! Aside from a few outliers, the Fusubes have no rivalry with the Draconids! I didn't even _want_ to battle Zinnia, but she forced me into it! If not for her, I wouldn't have battled at all that day! And there's absolutely no honor in attacking a person with a Pokémon unprovoked! Especially with a Pokémon as strong and sacred as a dragon! You saw the aftermath of the attack, so you should have made sure Zinnia properly faced consequences! But instead, you covered for her!"

Holly blinked,

Fusubes? Draconids?

Who were they?

Obviously the names of something, and important somehow…

But why?

Perhaps Kristine would explain it later…

For now, Holly focused on the disabled Trainer again

She spoke calmly, but all he could detect the icy coldness underneath.

"There is no proof that Zinnia attacked you purposely that day. By the time I got there, the battle had already ended, so even I don't have any. From all I and the public know, Zinnia's Pokémon fired a particularly powerful attack, and you got caught in the blast and injured. Zinnia explained best she was able, and she was incredibly remorseful. There's nothing to suggest otherwise, no matter how hard you look, Clair. Even then, the four of us got you to a hospital, and your Pokémon to the Center. We handled what happened as Trainers should."

Claire slammed her left hand at her side, and her right hand followed more reluctantly.

Nevertheless, there was no mistaking the fury in her voice.

"Look at me, Kris! Look at what I've become! Can you truly call this handling things as Trainers should? Besides, there is proof, and it's right in front of you!"

Kristine's eyes narrowed, and her voice dripped within venom.

"Enlighten me, then."

The rage in Clair's eyes blazed fiercer than hardly ever thought possible.

"It's that you know Zinnia, and you witnessed the attack! And on top of that, Zinnia was the one who caused it, and she was right in front of me, a League official!"

Clair clenched her left fist, although her right hand sloppily tried as well.

"If it weren't for those asinine laws preventing people with conditions like yours and Zinnia's from having their minds searched, the entire world would've known the truth by now."

Kristine's expression darkened, sterner than Holly had ever seen.

"It's thanks to those laws that Zinnia and I are protected from monsters like you."

Holly tried not to let her own expression show surprise.

She had heard of using psychic powers in order to search someone's mind and view their memories. However, only the most skilled psychics and their Pokémon could do it, and there were still countless rules surrounding the practice. Holly never asked about the details, though. She didn't care for long and complex rules, and she couldn't wield psychic powers anyway.

But there was one thing she did remember.

Apparently, the consequences for violating these rules were disastrous. Holly had never asked what the consequences were, and had no plans to ask in the future.

After all, it was probably something she didn't want to know.

Yet now Clair was suggesting that someone search Kristine and Zinnia's minds, knowing perfectly well doing so somehow violated those rules!

She was completely crazy!

And then there was mind searching itself…

To think what it _actually_ was…

Holly shuddered as she recalled the time with Will's Xatu. The psychic Pokémon had searched her mind only for a specific memory, and the search had been very brief.

Yet she would never forget that sensation of those hands…

Tossing and tearing through her mind and memories like a child would do with a box full of toys…

Forcing her to relive something she didn't even want to see, and never even knew existed…

And that was just a single short experience…

Holly couldn't imagine something longer, searching every memory a person had…

Was Clair suggesting Kristine and Zinnia go through that unpleasant experience?

Was that Trainer truly insane?

It certainly seemed like it…

But as another thought struck Holly, she realized Clair wasn't the only insane one.

Karen had mentioned Will couldn't do something unauthorized when he searched Holly's mind with his Xatu…

The psychic Elite Four member had acted like he was taking some sort of risk…

And yet he conducted the search anyway.

So did that mean…

He was violating the rules of mind searching?

And that Holly and Kristine could punish him for it?

That the rest of the world could punish him for it?

Yet Holly quickly pushed the thought away.

Now was not the time to focus on Will.

It was time to focus on the present.

And that meant stopping Clair!

So Holly stared straight at the former Blackthorn Gym Leader and shouted.

"You're just saying this as an excuse for why you didn't give Kristine her rightful Badge!"

Holly expected the former Gym Leader to recoil, but she only fixed Holly with a gaze that was harder than stone.

"Zinnia's attack and the battle for the Gym Badge have nothing to do with each other. I didn't give Kris that Gym Badge because that psychotic Mimikyu nearly killed my entire team. And all that Pokémon did was laugh gleefully as she nearly tore my entire team's throats out. And Kris made no effort to stop her, simply saying that how her Mimikyu battled. I don't feel comfortable giving the Badge to anyone that allows their Pokémon behave like that. I don't feel comfortable allowing anyone with Pokémon like that to even be a Trainer!"

Holy clenched her fists, scowling.

Those were all just excuses, and Clair knew it!

Holly snarled.

"Don't you dare talk that way about Mallory! Besides, Kristine's Pokémon are not yours to control!"

Beside her, Holly could see Kristine nodding in agreement.

The disabled Trainer spoke in the same cold tone she had used before.

"If you had just given me my Badge, I wouldn't have been forced to take such drastic measures."

Clair's face twisted in rage.

"Drastic measures? Measures such as going into Dragon's Den without permission by forcing the guards aside? Measures like trespassing on the Dragon Holy Land, and taking the dragon user challenge without right, only to inevitably fail? Measures like threatening me with disgrace unless I gave you the Badge, then turning everything against me after I complied and getting me disgrace anyway? Measures that involved your poor Garchomp, Fang, drowning in the wild waters of the Den while trying to transport you there? Measures that caused you not to care about his death, or any of the suffering you caused me?"

Kristine did not back away, keeping her eyes a calmness as she spoke. However, Holly could still hear the rage boiling beneath as the disabled trainer shot a seething glare at Clair.

"You refused to perform your duty as a Gym Leader, which forced me into the Dragon's Den. That led to Fang's death, and it was considered a death of a challenger's Pokémon. You killed Fang and put me in grave danger. You got exactly what you deserved, Clair, and no one in the League disagrees."

Clair finally paused, and Holly tried to stop her eyes going wide.

Fang was one of the dead Pokémon Kristine had called for in Lavender!

To think that Clair's refusal to hand out her Badge had led to his death, and the incident to her disgrace…

And she had the nerve to blame Kristine for it all…

Holly didn't know anything about the Dragon's Den or the Dragon Holy Lands Clair spoke of…

But they sounded like important, yet treacherous areas…

If they held a test to prove a Trainer worthy of a Badge, they had to be…

Nevertheless, Kristine had braved these areas, relentlessly pursuing the Badge that was rightfully hers…

Yet in the process, she had lost a beloved Pokémon, and still didn't almost receive what she was after…

Even though she had completed the conditions as a Trainer to claim it…

And Clair had brushed the entire issue aside, as if nothing had ever happened!

It was only fitting that she paid the price with her disgrace, and Kristine was right in that she deserved it!

But even after all that, Clair had the nerve to paint herself as innocent, and Kristine as a monster!

Clair truly was crazy, brainwashed by the corruption of the League!

Holly was snapped from her thoughts as the former Blackthorn Gym Leader spoke again.

Clair's voice was quieter, but there was no mistaking the icy fury within.

"Lance disagrees, and he stood up for me. He didn't believe one word of your twisted tales, Kris. But just siding with me wasn't enough, and that's why I am where I am now."

Holly narrowed her eyes.

What did it matter when Lance supported Clair when his efforts obviously were not enough? And why was she telling them this, anyway? They already knew.

Clair suddenly glanced at Kristine, her gaze harder than ever.

Her voice became stronger, and her fury clearly came through.

"But you… You got away with murder just by twisting things to be in your favor and playing the victim. But that… All that ends today!"

Clair grabbed a Poké Ball, device shining in her left hand.

She tossed it into the air, although Holly noted that the throw seemed unpracticed and weak.

Regardless, Clair's intent was clear as she shouted.

"Go, Dragonair!"

Holly tensed, taking a step forward.

She expected to see a Pokémon emerge from the brilliant white light.

However, before the white light even came close to failing, it was replaced by a stream of red. The stream of red light disappeared and Clair's Poké Ball closed on its own. The ball then fell out of the air uselessly, not even bouncing as it hit the ground.

This time, Holly couldn't resist letting her eyes go wide.

Did a Pokémon just recall itself?

No, that wasn't possible.

Pokémon couldn't just throw themselves into their Poké Balls whenever they wanted!

Then no Pokémon would fight, or go into situations they didn't like!

And Trainers would never be able to bond with them, because the Pokémon would have control over almost everything!

This had to be an illusion, or a malfunctioning device, or maybe some other dirty trick of the League!

Perhaps Kristine knew something about this!

Holly rapidly glanced towards the disabled Trainer, hoping to see even a tinge of the familiarity.

But Kristine's gaze only mirrored Holly's own, unmistakable shock written in her eyes.

Holly couldn't help shuddering.

If Kristine haven't seen anything like this, then what was going on?

Holly glanced towards Clair, noting the other Trainer's face had gone white.

However, Clair quickly recovered, snatching her Poké Ball off the ground.

Her rage returned as she rapidly seized another.

Clair wasted no time shouting.

"All right then, Kingdra!"

Again, the Poké Ball soared through the air.

And again, brilliant white light illuminated the area.

Yet again, the red light returned.

And at last, the Poké Ball closed itself before plummeting to the ground.

Holly's widened eyes turned into a triumphant grin.

She may not have understood what was happening, but she knew what this meant.

Kristine knew what this meant as she took several steps forward.

Clair knew with this meant as she backed away, eyes wide and face even paler than before.

Clair's efforts to resist them were futile, because now she was defenseless.

The former Gym Leader's voice came out trembling, as her body followed.

"No… This can't be happening!"

Kristine nodded sternly as she spoke in a cold tone.

"It is, Clair. Give it up. For whatever reason, your Pokémon don't want to fight us, and won't respond to your commands. Perhaps, they know what's good for them."

Holly sneered.

"They must've been too scared to fight, or maybe just too weak! Some Trainer you are!"

Kristine kept her stern tone as she continued.

"Move, Clair. It's not worth getting yourself hurt."

Despite her fear, Clair shook her head wildly.

"Over my dead body!" She snarled.

Kristine's eyes held no sympathy as she spoke.

"As you wish."

On an unspoken command, Google radiated with psychic power. That same psychic powers orbited around Clair, and the former Gym Leader screamed as she was picked up like a feather. Clair stayed suspended in the air for a few minutes, before Google tossed her like a rag doll into a rock wall on the far left.

The former Gym Leader hit the wall with a sickening crash, and Holly wondered if the impact had knocked her out. However, Holly could still see feeble motions, as Clair attempted to get to her feet.

However, the psychic power around Google intensified, and Clair hissed as she was pinned to the ground.

Holly couldn't help smirking.

Now, Kristine would send out the bloodthirsty Mallory, and the Mimikyu would quickly take Clair's life.

She would know nothing but pain and suffering as she died at the hands of her worst nightmare!

Yet Kristine did not grab a Poké Ball.

She didn't even shout out a command.

Instead she only nodded, and Google copied the nod. Clair was still bound in her psychic restraints, but other than that, nothing changed.

Despite everything, Holly frowned.

What was the point of keeping Clair restrained like this?

However, her thoughts were turned away from Clair as she noticed something else moving above the former Gym Leader. Google's psychic power radiated around the moving object, and it wasn't long before Holly could see what it was.

It was a rock in the wall, one that Google easily yanked free. The rock floated in the air, making things eerie and silent.

Holly blinked in confusion.

A floating rock wouldn't do them any good unless Google decide to smack Clair over the head with it! And seeing as she'd just acted fine after colliding directly with a wall of them, Holly doubted that would work!

And that's when Holly heard it.

A crumbling sound.

At first, Holly thought it was the stones beneath their feet, but it seemed to be much louder. A few pebbles and dust fell from the wall, and Clair could do nothing but watch as they struck her.

And _then…_

The silence was over in an instant. Dust fell down like a waterfall, bringing more pebbles with it. These pebbles gave way to larger rocks, announcing their arrival with a rumbling roar. And even these rocks were outdone by massive boulders, leisurely beginning their destructive descent to the ground.

Holly gasped, although the sound was drowned out by raging rocks.

This was what had stolen the life of Kristine's Pokémon, Velvet…

This was what had made Kristine have a fear that could never stop…

This was what had nearly destroyed the disabled Trainer, and what had injured Holly without any resistance…

This was a rockfall.

Kristine had been so terrified of them, had watched them injure others, and had been injured herself…

And _now…_

She was using one to end Clair's life…

It proved how desperate things had become…

The roar of the rockfall had become so loud Holly wondered if she would lose her hearing. She glanced toward Clair, realizing the former Gym Leader could do nothing but stare as her psychic restraints bound her to the ground.

Clair didn't even have time to scream as the rocks hurtled in her direction. The former Gym Leader rapidly disappeared from view, the rocks relentlessly tumbling on top of her. Alongside all the thundering crashes and deafening crumbling, Holly thought she could hear the sickening snap of broken bones.

Holly tried her best not to flinch.

Even though she was an enemy, she didn't want to know what was happening to Clair.

It was too gruesome to even think about.

As if Holly could think now.

The pounding and crashing of the rocks only seemed to get louder and louder, as more and more came.

Holly thought the rocks might stop arriving eventually, but it seemed like there were endless.

She wished she could clap her hands around her ears, but it wasn't like that would do any good.

Because the sound filled the entire area, and Holly wondered if the entire region would come running.

She wondered if she would hear anything again after this.

She wondered if this was all she _would_ hear, forever.

But _then…_

The crashing stopped.

The rocks finally seemed to come to an end, as only a bit of dust and pebbles fell to the ground.

Holly could see an enormous mass of rocks where Clair had been, and there were too many in the mass to count.

The psychic power finally stopped radiating around Google, and the rock it had been holding simply landed on the cave floor.

Silence returned, yet now it felt nothing but eerie.

Kristine's voice broke the silence, the disabled Trainer speaking softly in Holly's head.

"She won't survive. That I know. She's probably already dead."

Holly only nodded shakily, transfixed by the mass of rocks.

Kristine's voice sounded again, this time carrying a tone of reassurance.

"Come on. Let's get going. The League awaits."

Holly nodded, this time more confidently.

She couldn't let a simple rockfall distract her!

The League was up ahead!

And with that, the means to end its corruption!

The spring returned to Holly's step as she followed Kristine out of the cave.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Kristine's comments about traps and Trainers in Victory Road, and her being apprehensive about the lack thereof, comes from the games. As Kristine states, there are typically many Trainers in Victory Road, with different feelings and philosophies about their training. Adding to the maze are many puzzles the player must solve to get through the dungeon. However, there are two instances where this is not the case. One is in the Johto games. Gameplay wise, Victory Road was shortened in order to allow Kanto to be visited. Story wise, Silver beats all the Trainers before the player gets there, and then fights them at the end. The remakes restored Victory Road to its original length, but kept the lack of Trainers and the story reason. The second instance is Pokémon Sun and Moon. Other than Gladion challenging the player before they enter, there are no Trainers. The reason is that the Pokémon League has just been built, and so not many Trainers have heard of it yet. Ultra Sun and Moon have word about the League spread earlier and quicker, so by the time the player reaches Victory Road, there are many Trainers waiting for them.**

 **-So, Clair. Her appearance here is based off of Silver's in the Johto games. What happens during her appearance is based off of several other things.**

 **In the Pokémon world, there are several dragon Trainer clans. However, these clans and their members never interact with each other, even on the rare occasions where members of different clans are together (such as the Pokémon World Tournament in Black and White 2). Therefore, it's hard to know how they feel about each other. However, a lot of the known members hold high positions, so it would be too improbable to say they work together, even if there is some rivalry between them. It's also not too improbable to think that some still uphold that rivalry whatever they can. Considering how aggressive, selfish, and pugnacious Zinnia is, it's plausible to see her being in the latter category. And considering her personality, having her taking that rivalry to the point of bloodshed is feasible. Thus, Clair's injuries are the direct result of that. It's also a deconstruction of what might happen if someone is hit while defenseless by powerful Pokémon attack. If said person even survived, they probably wouldn't escape unscathed. And, as Kristine mentions, even with a quick reaction and the best hospital care, the person is still likely to suffer permanent symptoms, or at least a long recovery.**

 **-I decided to make the incident with the Dragon's Den and the test something that Kristine did without permission to really demonstrate her character at that time, and the fact that she would ruthlessly do anything to win. In the games, it's impossible to get to the Dragon's Den until Clair gives the player permission to go (or at least, impossible without cheating). However, in the anime, Team Rocket heads into the Dragon's Den without permission to escape after stealing the Dragon Fang. Clair follows them, and rapidly gives everyone else permission to follow them into the Den as well. In the Pokémon Special manga, a wild Suicune enters the Den without permission. However, the Pokémon is highly respected, and allowed to roam wherever it wants. Therefore, the Pokémon inside the den allowed to enter, and Clair also respects its decision upon finding out what happened later on.**

 **-The Dragon's Den having guards comes from some of the canon Pokémon media. In the games, there is always at least one guard present. In the Pokémon Special manga, several Pokémon guard the Den. In the anime, there are no guards, and the fact that there is isn't leads to catastrophic damage. In a setting is dark as Traveler, I thought it would make sense that there would be guards.**

 **-The Dragon Holy Land is an anime exclusive location, accessible from the Dragon's Den via certain waterways. The Land is home to many wild Pokémon, including an ancient Dragonite was originally owned by the first Gym Leader of Blackthorn. Some members of the Blackthorn dragon Trainer clan train here at times, but other than that and intruders, there is no human contact. In the center of the Dragon Holy Land lies the Dragon Shrine. In the games, this is where the dragon user challenge is taken. In the animate, a relic called the Prayer Flame is there instead.**

 **-The Dragon's den having wild waters comes from the games. In all the games it appears in, the Dragon's Den features a whirlpool in its center. This whirlpool blocks the way to completing the dragon user challenge, and can only be reversed if one uses the move of the same name. It's also worth noting in every game but the Pokémon Silver remake, this is the only instance of needing to cross whirlpools in order to progress in the game (the remake of Pokémon Silver had encountering Lugia as a story requirement, and Whirlpool is needed to access the area where it is). The wild water isn't present in any other media, although Clair tells the others to be careful when they're progressing through the Den. She also mentions that not everyone finds their way out, and implies that many people gotten lost there. Ash is a bit terrified upon hearing this, but doesn't ask Clair to elaborate.**

 **-The Dragon's Den having wild water also plays into the death of Fang, Kristine's Garchomp. It's also a holdover from Kristine's character in the original version of Traveler many years ago. In this version, Kristine is forced to go to the Dragon's Den after being too violent while trying to win the badge. Along the way, she encounters the infamous whirlpools and nearly drowns. Clair figures out what happened when one of her Pokémon heads back to Blackthorn to let her know. Clair is then able to find Kristine and get her medical attention. However, Clair is extremely regretful about what happens, realizing that her actions of not conceding defeat nearly killed a challenger. As a result, she hands over her Badge, but is still reluctant. In this story, Kristine is not seen as a criminal or anything suspicious despite her violent ways. Therefore, Clair realizes she can't do anything against her, no matter what behavioral problems Kristine has. Therefore, she can only hope that these problems get better, but the situation is bleak. When the two eventually meet again, their relationship is strained, and Kristine hasn't changed at all.**

 **Since that scenario was still extremely relevant, I decide to bring it over as part of the reason why Kristine disdains Clair. However, I changed to having one of Kristine's Pokémon fatally drown, instead of Kristine's near drowning. The reason is that Kristine nearly drowning or even drowning completely wouldn't have much impact due to her condition. In addition, it would reveal the condition to Clair, and by extension, the general public. Since the secret of her condition was a major part of the story, and it wasn't something that Kristine would want to reveal, I decided that could not happen. The story was also changed so that Kristine would initiate everything purposefully, seem at fault, and would have no regret over anything because of her different background and added ruthlessness. Since Clair actually is defending herself against a perceived criminal in this version, she has no regret over not giving out her Badge.**

 **-Clair's Pokémon recalling themselves is based off of the anime. In one episode, there are some Diglett and Dugtrio impeding construction of a dam. The dam workers hire countless Trainers to try and stop the pesky Pokémon. However, when the Trainers tried to battle the wild Pokémon, their own Pokémon simply force themselves back into their Poké Balls without even appearing. The Diglett return all the Poké Balls to the Trainers, but by then most of them have given up. Ash and his group choose not to, instead deciding to try and figure out what's going on. Later on, it's revealed that the Diglett and Dugtrio are slowly trying to renovate the land themselves. Within time, the land will turn to beautiful gardens, where only dirt and rocks had existed before. The lead worker realizes that if the dam was built, the entire area would have to be flooded with water. At that point, nothing could live in it, and what was currently living in it would either be forced out or even killed. It's then realized that the Pokémon figured that out before the Trainers did. However, since they were unable to communicate directly with the Trainers, they simply refused to battle in the most noticeable way possible.**


	111. Plateau

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! This is the final area and prompt, even though there are chapters after this. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

 **Now for the final prompt!**

 _Kanto's Pokémon League, also known as the Indigo Plateau, stands proudly at the end of Victory Road. Inside is the ultimate test for many Trainers. The Pokémon League is run by five powerful opponents. Four of the opponents are collectively known as the Elite Four. The fifth opponent rules over them, and is known as the Champion. Though the Elite Four members specialize in a certain Type, the Champion uses whatever Pokémon they wish. Trainers desiring to challenge the League must defeat the Elite Four and the Champion all a row. Though challengers are allowed to heal using any items they brought with them, leaving to buy more, heal, or switch out Pokémon is forbidden. Trainers must continue with the challenge until either they or the Champion faces defeat. Trainers who succeed in defeating the Champion earn the right to become new Champions. Those who fail must redo their challenge the beginning, and anything lost, such as items, is not returned. However, the chance at glory and the coveted Champion position propels countless Trainers forward, regardless of the chances of winning._

* * *

110\. Plateau

The rock floors of the cave turned into gray pavement as Holly followed Kristine outside. Her feet pounded on the new terrain, yet she couldn't help wincing as cold air struck her. Holly realized with the jolt that night had fallen, and that the sky had become as dark as the cave had been.

To think they had spent so long traveling, and had to fight so many foes to get here…

Holly knew she was reaching the end of her journey, but never understood what meeting that goal would require…

Trainers had mentioned the journey as being long and arduous, and even though Holly didn't admittedly fight as many enemies as they did, she knew she couldn't disagree.

But now…

Now it would soon be over…

Just a few more steps…

A few more foes…

A few more battles…

And then everything she and Kristine had worked for would come to fruition…

Everything, after countless days…

Weeks…

Perhaps even months…

It all came to a head here…

And it was something Holly could not wait for.

Holly was so eager to get going that she broke into a run. However, she nearly smashed straight into Kristine as the disabled Trainer stopped dead.

Holly was about to ask why Kristine's voice sounded in her head.

" _Look, Holly."_

Holly glanced upward, and her mouth hung open. They were standing beneath a large arch, white color contrasting against the night sky. There were gray statues on both sides of the arches, but they didn't depict anything Holly recognized or cared to read. A white walkway spread out in front of them, the same color as the arches above. The sweet scent of pine and flower beds struck Holly's nose as she inhaled deeply. She could easily see the countless flowerbeds on all sides, and the giant pine trees nearby. Even more of them stood further beyond.

But none stood as tall as the building up ahead.

It towered over everything, red and white colors gleaming ominously. Its white roof was instantly recognizable against the nearly black night sky. Holly could see the doorframe and the lines on the sides of the building were the same color. The rest of the building boasted a deep, almost crimson, red. Holly especially noticed the color on two large structures that jutted out the sides. Holly didn't know what they were for, but they were just as imposing as the rest of the building as they stretched out towards the sky. A small blue door stood unassumingly in the building's center.

However, Holly didn't dare make a move toward it.

Because she knew what lay beyond the door.

All Trainers did.

The Pokémon League.

The final trial for Trainers on their journeys…

And the place where the corruption that had tormented so many would finally at last be laid to rest…

Holly could feel herself shaking, yet did nothing to stop the tremors.

To think that she had come so far…

To think that at long last, all of her dreams would be realized…

It didn't seem possible…

And yet…

Here she was.

Her final obstacle was right in front of her.

And her hopes were about to be realized.

Beaming, Holly turned to Kristine.

Kristine smiled back, nodding.

There was no mistaking the joy in the disabled Trainer's voice as she spoke.

" _Magnificent, isn't it?"_

Holly registered both her own voice and her body were trembling. However, she made no effort to stop it as her response swelled with emotion.

" _It is… Kristine… I can't believe we've made it here… I can't believe we've come this far…"_

Kristine's grin only grew even wider.

" _Believe, for you have."_

Holly stopped trembling enough to pump her fist in the air.

Of course she had made it this far, alongside her Pokémon and Kristine!

All of her training…

All of her traveling…

Everything was for this…

And now…

She had finally made it to the League…

And not even the strongest Trainers would stop her.

No matter what.

Kristine spoke in Holly's head again

" _But don't celebrate just yet. There's still the matter of the Elite Four and the Champion to deal with…"_

Holly's smile turned into a frown.

The Elite Four and the Champion…

The five strongest Trainers of the region, considered its top defenders…

No doubt they would foolishly try to get in Holly and Kristine's way.

So Holly would just have to defeat them all, one by one…

After that, she could give them a lesson in the error of their ways…

Yet still…

Questions rattled in Holly's head.

Holly shrugged.

Better to get her questions answered now, before the final confrontation.

So she voiced them without hesitation.

" _What Clair said… About how you and Zinnia should have had your memories searched, and about how the laws prevent that from happening… What did she mean?"_

Kristine's gaze became harder than anything Holly had ever seen, and her voice took on a tone more chilling than ice.

" _You know that memory searching has countless rules, right?"_

Holly nodded shakily, replying.

"Yes, but I don't know what any of those rules are."

Kristine's gaze somehow grew even harder and tone graver. Holly could not stop herself from shaking as the disabled Trainer spoke again.

" _One of the rules is that, aside from extreme situations, if a person being searched does not or cannot give consent, a psychic cannot go through their mind without legal repercussions."_

Holly was aware of her shivering stopping as their own eyes narrowed.

" _Back in Celadon City, when Will searched my and Anabel's minds, Karen mentioned that he couldn't do it unauthorized… Yet he dismissed her and did it anyway… Was that that rule what Karen was referring to?"_

Kristine nodded curtly.

" _Yes, it's one of the most basic rules of mind searching, ones that even some regular people know. Will most likely won't ever be prosecuted, with all of the corrupt League on his side. Even then, both you and Anabel could've easily given consent, and he was faced with a problem that seemingly could not be solved any other way. Will would probably be given the benefit of the doubt, and it most likely won't be seen as an infringement on your rights."_

Holly clenched her fist, rage boiling inside of her.

To think that one of the world's experts on psychic power would violate one of the most rudimentary rules!

And to think that the League, no, _all of the regions,_ would let him get away with it by pretending he did nothing wrong!

It embodied exactly what was wrong with the League, and all of the current training system!

That's why she had to take it down, no matter what!

But still…

Holly couldn't resist asking another question.

" _So what laws protect you and Zinnia then? Why can't you have your memories searched?"_

Kristine replied rapidly, yet kept her cold tone.

" _If a person has a medical condition affecting their mind, searching their memories is illegal in most cases and dangerous in all. Because of my panic attacks, I am classified as having a condition affecting my mind. So I can't be searched no matter what. Zinnia also has a condition like that, although hers is different than mine. The result is the same, however, and we are protected from people like Will."_

Holly couldn't help her eyes going wide.

To think that Kristine's horrible panic attacks would actually _help_ her for once! It was inconceivable…

And yet…

It had spared the disabled Trainer from a terrible fate, time and time again…

And those Zinnia and seemed normal enough, she apparently had a condition just as bad as Kristine's, if not even worse.

And she had been spared the same torture…

Holly clenched her fist even tighter, seen the knuckles go white.

It just proved how wrong the League was going after people like Kristine and Zinnia!

How cruel Molly Hale and Caitlin were to force Kristine to treat her anxiety, when it was one of the only things protecting her from monsters like them!

Maybe Molly and Caitlin just wanted Kristine's memories to use the information for their own nefarious purposes, continue to ruin Kristine's reputation, and further brainwash the world to believe the League's lies!

Holly could not let those tyrants win!

She _would_ not let those tyrants win!

What Kristine said next made Holly stiffen with fury.

" _There are fools that wish to change the laws, making it possible for those with mind problems to have their memories searched. Unfortunately, Clair is one of the supporters of the change. She and the other supporters are also hoping to find a way for psychics to search the memories of people with mind impediments in a way that will not be dangerous to them. Every change they've proposed has been struck down, but I do not know how much longer that will continue."_

Kristine's face twisted into a snarl, and there was no mistaking the rage in the disabled Trainer's voice.

" _Besides, if any laws like that passed, I have a feeling many psychics would much rather face jail time or worse than torture innocents. With the amount of people already rallying against the proposed changes, perhaps Silver and his group would gain a new class of rebels."_

Holly gritted her teeth, feeling their own rage burning within her.

How dare the diabolical League prey on the weak, attacking those who could not speak for themselves!

Holly know the League was corrupt, and yet she didn't think they would sink this low! She and Kristine had to stop them, here and now!

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her.

" _Let's punish all psychics, then, starting with Will!"_

Surprisingly, Kristine shook her head.

" _I love your enthusiasm, and it's true Will needs to be brought to justice for his crimes. However, we cannot punish him yet. In fact, don't do anything outside of normal battling against the Elite Four and the Champion. We don't want our plans to be revealed too soon."_

Holly nodded.

They needed to proceed with the utmost caution!

If they failed here or their enemies caught on, the entire journey would be for nothing!

And yet another thing Clair said stuck out to Holly.

So she wasted no time voicing it.

"Who are the Fusubes and the Draconids Clair mentioned before?"

Kristine's rage seemed to have calmed as she responded.

" _They're both groups that train dragons. The Fusubes are Blackthorn's dragon clan, although they are better-known simply by the name. The Draconids are based in Hoenn, and although they're not based in any one city, quite a few of them can be found near a giant cave called Meteor Falls. There are other clans as well, but those are the two most people know of. As Clair stated, the dragon clans normally live in peace with each other. However, there are some individual members that see the different clans as rivals, and go to any length to solidify their rivalry. I hear that number may be growing, though, as members fight to see who is the strongest to take on the current crises in the regions."_

Holly thrust out her fists.

" _I will be stronger than all of them!"_

Kristine's voice grew serious again.

" _Be prepared to prove it. You'll be facing a member of the Fusubes, Lance, within the League. He's one of the strongest Trainers in the clan, and the strongest Trainer in the Kanto Elite Four."_

Holly shouted.

" _Bring him on! Bring them all on! I won't let anything stand in my way!"_

Kristine nodded.

" _Well spoken. Shall we?"_

Suddenly, a thought struck Holly.

She shouted again.

" _Wait, what if the buildings here don't provide services because they know we are against them?"_

Kristine wasted no time responding.

" _There's no need to be concerned about that. The final stop at the Pokémon League cannot refuse any Trainer that has earned the right to be here. And they will be expecting us anyway, especially with Professor Pine's trap. So the League will provide us services, no matter what."_

Holly nodded again.

" _Let's go, then!"_

With that, she and Kristine marched through the doors.

Holly could see that the inside of the building was as big as the outside, but she couldn't observe much else.

As soon as Kristine marched up to the receptionist desk, a wave of fatigue overcame Holly. She tried to fight it off, but her eyes threatened to close. Holly attempted to move, but her legs felt like stone. Her entire body dropped, and she made no attempt to correct herself. A yawn filled the room, and Holly registered it has her own. Her body started to sway a bit, and she thought she would hit the ground. However, she registered the glow of psychic power as it orbited around her.

She thought she could hear Kristine saying something, but couldn't make out what it was. It must've been to Google, however, as the psychic power lifted her up. Holly did not speak, or even resist.

Instead, she finally let her eyes close, as the world faded to black.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The idea of mind searching having a lot of rules and severe consequences if someone breaks them without proper justification is my own creation. Mind searching is something that is extremely powerful, but also has a lot potential for abuse. And just like doing something that requires a lot of physical activity can be dangerous for those with any sort of physical problem, anything that involves intense mental activity could also be dangerous for those with psychological or cognitive issues. It can also be in invasion of privacy, in the most direct way possible. Therefore, the basic rules stated in this story were created. In canon Pokémon media, mind searching is rarely seen (the most notable example being Yellow from Pokémon Special and her ability to view the past memories of Pokémon). On the few occasions where it is seen, the logistics of it are never addressed. Traveler makes it more common, in addition to trying to look at how such a power would realistically function overall.**

 **-Zinnia having a condition that affects her mind and therefore prevents it from being searched is my own interpretations. In canon Pokémon media, it's not explained whether Zinnia has any mental or psychological issues. However, given how she acts in canon media, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say she does have something affecting her mentally. Therefore, Traveler is based off of this interpretation. It's worth noting that the end of the Pokémon Special manga, Zinnia does end up in a wheelchair. This is due to injuries, and said injuries are temporary. What issues Zinnia will have will not be explained in the story, and not everything about her is confirmed at this point. However, whenever issues she ends up having will be explained in greater detail in future books.**

 **-The Dragonids and the Fusubes are exactly the same in canon as Kristine describes them here, minus the rivalries also mentioned last chapter. There is a slight change, however. Canonically, Blackthorn's dragon clan goes unnamed. However, this makes it difficult to tell the clan apart from others in the Pokémon world. Therefore, I gave them the name Fusube. As for why that name is chosen, it's Blackthorn's Japanese name. Considering the clan is based in Blackthorn, I thought it was fitting.**


	112. Out of Mind

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

111\. Out of Mind

Sunlight streamed through a room, striking Holly's vision.

She winced as she opened her eyes.

Slowly, the foot of a bed came into focus, and Holly registered the soft covers she was wrapped in. Holly carefully gazed at her clothing, realizing that she now wore delicate, thin, pajamas.

Holly glanced around wildly, eyes wide as she took in the tall wall and high ceilings of a building.

Questions rattled in her mind.

Where was she, and how did she get here?

Before she could even try to answer, Holly's thoughts whisked her to the past.

She and Kristine had begun their day by defeating Azure, leader of Viridian's Gym… After that, they had earned Holly's final Badge, and the right to enter the League…

But when they headed on the pathway to the place, Ivy had tried to stop them… She had insisted on battling, and had lost horribly… But still, Ivy tried to futilely struggle by getting reinforcements… So Holly had no choice but to permanently silence her…

Yet Ivy had been the least of their troubles, as Holly and Kristine made their way through the League inspection Gates. Something had attacked Holly, and she had no way of fighting back… She still wasn't entirely sure what that foe had done, but knew that there were still enemies waiting…

And that proved to be even truer when they had gone to Victory Road and found the former Gym Leader, Clair… She attempted to battle them, but none of her Pokémon would heed her wishes to fight… So instead of stepping aside, Clair still foolishly tried to block their way… So Kristine responded by having Google cause a rockfall, ensuring that the former Blackthorn Gym Leader could never block anyone again…

Once all this was done, Holly had finally reached the outside of the League… She could only talk with Kristine for a while and stare, before fatigue overtook her…

Holly tried not to let her eyes go wide as she recalled everything.

To think she had done all that in one day… It was no wonder she had collapsed…

And to think there was still more things to do today…

Holly had to be prepared!

Even with everything that had happened yesterday, she couldn't waste any time!

If Holly and Kristine had any more delays in implementing their plans, everything would be for nothing!

Holly's mind was suddenly jerked back into the present as she heard Kristine greet her warmly.

"Good morning. I see you slept well."

Holly turned to see the disabled Trainer sitting on a bed across from her, a confident smile on her face. Google stood beside Kristine, giving a polite nod.

Holly's eyes went as wide as saucers, and she could feel her face turning bright red.

How embarrassing to think that Kristine had to put her to bed!

Holly was a full-grown Trainer now, not some little kid!

At this, a reassuring tone entered Kristine's voice.

"Don't worry. I had Google set you up in the bed over here. With his psychic powers, I figured it would be easier that way."

Holly nodded courteously, face returning to its natural color as she chirped.

"Thank you, Google!"

As Google nodded again, Holly heard a growling sound.

She blushed again as she realized it was her own stomach.

She couldn't remember when she last ate! She been so focused on getting to the League…

At that, Kristine simply smiled again.

"Of course, the first step to fighting the rest of the League is a proper breakfast! So go change your clothes and let's get some food!"

Holly nodded, and rapidly changed out of her pajamas. A final signal from Kristine, and they were on the move.

As Holly walked into the lobby, she took a moment to study her surroundings.

There was a pink nurse's station nearby, with white machines ready to heal Pokémon. She could see a PC in the corner, as white as the other machines. Multicolored chairs, tables, and even items like couches dotted a bright yellow floor. Holly could also make out a light green bookshelf in the corner, and wondered who would waste time reading at the League. On the right side of the healing center was a place filled with countless rows of shelves. Holly supposed that wasn't a waste of time, as many Trainers probably needed to make last-minute preparations. Holly's eyes wandered to a bunch of green potted plants and statues near a set of doors, but didn't bother looking at them. It was clear what purpose the doors served, the plant and the statues weren't worth investigating.

Instead, she shrugged her shoulders.

Other than the building being bigger, the lobby of the Pokémon League was just like a normal Pokémon Center.

But still…

Something was missing…

Holly narrowed her eyes as she realized what it was.

However, she didn't dare voice her thoughts out loud.

They was right in the heart of enemy territory!

No matter what the League was forced to do, Kristine and Holly couldn't trust anyone!

So instead, she spoke through thought.

" _This place… It's deserted! I could understand yesterday, because we came in the middle of the night, but now it's morning… There doesn't seem to be any reason, and yet we are the only ones here. Is that normal?"_

Kristine shook her head.

" _No it's not. There are usually countless Trainers here, all united in their desire to conquer the League. And crowds of civilians come too, streaming in and filling stands to see high-stakes battles. Yet now there is no one here besides us and the League staff. I'm guessing anyone else's has fled upon word of our approach."_

Holly's face twisted into a scowl.

" _All the less resistance, then."_ She growled.

Kristine nodded curtly.

Another question immediately popped into Holly's head.

Another thought that she wasn't about to let her enemies hear.

" _Kristine, do you think my Pokémon are ready for the League? Do I need to switch anyone out, or buy some items?"_

Kristine shook her head, although the confident gleam returned to her eyes.

" _Many of the Pokémon you have now are strong against those in the League, and those that aren't can be covered by their teammates. So you don't need to switch anyone out. As for items, I put some of mine in your supplies before you woke up. The less dealings with the League to slow us down, the better."_

Holly nodded in agreement.

They had to get going as soon as possible!

With that, Kristine found them a table and ordered some food. However, despite her earlier hunger, Holly couldn't even remember what she'd eaten.

All the food in the world didn't matter now.

What mattered was that they were finally at the League.

Finally ready to head through its inner doors.

Finally ready to destroy them once for all.

Kristine didn't comment on Holly's hurried eating, instead finishing her own food at around the same time. She commanded Google to clear the table, and as soon as the Delphox had finished with his task, Kristine and Holly stood up from the table.

Holly gazed at Kristine and nodded. Kristine rapidly nodded back.

The two glanced straight ahead as they headed through the darkness of the League's gaping doors.

The darkness seemed to last forever, although Holly knew was probably only a few minutes.

She was nearly blinded as light struck her after that. As Holly struggled to adjust to the new surroundings, she could hear the doors closing and locking by themselves.

Holly briefly wondered how that was possible, but her attention rapidly refocused.

Instead, she tried not to stare at the strange room in front of her. There was a healing machine that required a key of some sort, and Holly guessed that was in case there was a lot of challengers at once. However, the healing machine was probably the only normal thing about the room. Different shades of purple shone from somewhere, and Holly realized there were coming from tiles on the floor. Holly could see odd cubes floating above a black pit. Thankfully, a white gate prevented anyone from falling in. Holly could also see some dark blue tiles in the center, appearing to be in the shape of those she had seen in most of the Gyms.

Holly was sure the room was nothing like anything she'd ever seen.

But what truly caught her attention was the person in the center.

Will stood calmly, but his face held a stern expression. Holly still couldn't really see his eyes, but she imagine they were narrowed. His clothing was as odd as ever, but it no longer attracted Holly's attention.

Instead, she held her head high and looked into Will's eyes as she approached. Kristine did the same, walking up to standard Holly's left side.

Will's face twisted into a frown as he spoke gravely.

"I knew you'd come here eventually. Either way, I've no need to introduce myself, and you're not welcome here."

Holly thrust her fists on front of her.

"You're not welcome here either, Will! You violated the basic rules of psychic powers when you searched Anabel's and my memories without consent in Celadon! You need to be punished for your crimes!"

Holy made the fiercest expression she could muster when she glanced at Will.

He couldn't deny what he said, no matter what!

Yet Will only shot a rapid glance at Kristine, and the disabled Trainer met his glance stoically.

She didn't even flinch as he growled.

"You told her that, didn't you? Then what she's saying are your thoughts, not hers. How can you not be ashamed, with what you've made her into?"

Holly clenched her fists even tighter.

She wasn't about to let even one more person badmouth Kristine!

"Shut up, Will! You've nothing to say when you are the one that's corrupt! The entire League is, and Kristine and I will expose the corruption today!"

Will shook his head, grave tone remaining.

" _I'm_ the one that's committed crimes? _I'm_ the one that's corrupt? After everything _you've_ done?"

It took all of Holly's strength not to punch Will.

How dare Will act like the League had done nothing wrong! She should have known he would've tried to play the victim!

Yet before Holly could fire a retort, Kristine stepped up.

The disabled Trainer held a chilling glare, and spoke just as coldly.

"Regardless, it is your duty to challenge any Trainer who has proven themselves worthy of entering the League's halls. And through collecting all of the region's Badges, Holly has indeed proven herself worthy. So I trust you will perform that duty, rather than suffering a fate far worse than any defeat in battle."

Will gritted his teeth, and Holly couldn't resist the opportunity to smirk.

Corrupt or not, Will knew what was good for him!

Will gestured to the tiles resembling a battlefield, and Holly silently took her place. Will then stood across from her, cold expression never leaving. Kristine stood to Holly's right side, shooting a glare at Will. Holly did the same, but Will didn't even flinch.

Nevertheless, Holly continued staring straight at Will.

There was no more need for words.

Will seemed to understand that, as he was surrounded by an aura of psychic powers. A Poké Ball detached from his belt, flying through the air on its own.

It was only after the device soared and towards the battlefield that Will finally shouted.

"Go, Girafarig!"

The Pokémon that appeared from the Poké Ball was so bizarre Holly could barely keep from laughing. Half of its body was a yellowish orange with brown spots all over it. However, the other half was the exact opposite with a small head as a tail. Holly could see the head had yellow eyes and a mouth full of teeth, but she wasn't sure if it could do anything. The creature's actual head sported pink ears and a nose the same color. A stripe on its head was white, with something that looked like antenna the same color. Its long neck had brown spots on it, and the creature sauntered onto the battlefield with black hooves clicking on the ground. Black eyes were alert and focused as they stared straight at Holly and Kristine.

Holly only glared straight back.

She would show Will what a _real_ Trainer's Pokémon were like!

At that moment, Kristine's voice sounded in her head.

" _Don't be fooled by its appearance. Girafarig is capable of learning countless different moves, including those to counter Pokémon like Honchkrow. You're best using someone else against Will."_

Holly nodded, but rapidly noticed Will sharply glancing at her and Kristine.

Holly narrowed her eyes, and Kristine did the same.

The disabled Trainer responded back with a mocking tone in her voice.

"Yes, I know you can hear us, but we don't care. It's not like you can do anything about it, can you?"

Will shook his head, responding.

"No, I can't. But it's not like it matters anyway."

Holly nodded.

Will was realizing how helpless he was!

And Holly was going to drive that point home!

She tossed her own Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Lucario!"

Holly's Pokémon erupted onto the battlefield, letting out a snarl as it glared at its opponent. Girafarig didn't even shrink back, but Holly knew that would change.

She thrust her hand forward, rapidly pressing the button on her wrist bracelet.

"Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

Lucario let out a cry that reverberated throughout the room as it was surrounded by a blindingly bright light. As usual, Holly averted her gaze. After a few minutes, the light cleared, and Holly focused back on the battlefield.

Lucario now stood proudly in its Mega form, casting a menacing glare at Girafarig. The opposing Pokémon still looked confident, but Holly thought she could see it taking a few shaky steps back.

Holly couldn't help grinning.

She had her opponent on the ropes already, and she was just getting started!

Holly shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Lucario, Dark Pulse!"

Lucario let out a screech, and a blackish purple aura radiated from its body. After a second screech, the aura shot out in all directions. The aura turned into orbs full of darkness, mercilessly hunting their opponent.

Girafarig's screams filled the air as the orbs struck true. The Pokémon's eyes went wide as Lucario's attack mercilessly and continuously slammed into it. Girafarig staggered backwards, slowly shaking unsteadily, before collapsing to the ground.

Will recalled his Pokémon with a grimace on his face.

Holly only beamed back.

He should know better than to resist at this point!

Yet the Elite Four member did anyway, as another Poké Ball went flying into the air.

"Go, Raichu!'

Another Pokémon appeared following a white light, and familiarity washed over Holly.

The opposing Raichu was just like hers, glancing around with the same blue eyes. Its yellow ears and tail slowly swiveled around, so odd, yet also so comforting. The Pokémon slowly floated over to its place in the battlefield, and Holly couldn't help but watch.

It was just like the Raichu she'd left to train for so long…

Just like the Pokémon she'd captured at the beginning of her journey, evolving to give her one of the biggest victories there…

But now the sense of familiarity left Holly, and her eyes narrowed.

This Raichu wasn't just like hers.

Holly's Raichu would never support anyone so corrupt!

She would teach this Raichu the error of its ways!

Holy let her command ring through the air.

"Lucario, Dark Pulse again!"

Lucario let out another series of screeches as the dark aura appeared a second time. Raichu didn't even have a moment to blink as the aura turned into its deadly orbs and flew in its direction. Will's Pokémon screamed as the attack slammed into it. Raichu rapidly shut its eyes, and before it hit the ground, Will had called it back.

Holly immediately relaxed, confident smile returning to her face.

She had shown that phony psychic and his fake Raichu what a real Trainer was made of!

The rest of the battle would be easy!

Holly's prediction was proven right as she heard Will shout another familiar name.

"Go, Exeggutor!"

The tall leafed tree with its coconut heads appeared on the scene. It trunks swayed leisurely as it seemed to dance onto the battlefield.

Despite the opponent's cheery demeanor, Holly frowned.

It was just like with the Raichu.

No matter how much this Exeggutor looked like hers, it wasn't.

Because her Pokémon would never serve a cause so crooked!

Holly's frown only grew.

It was time to give Will's Pokémon what it deserved!

Holly wasted no time, and Lucario disappeared in a beam of red light.

She snatched up another Poké Ball, tossing it with all her strength.

"Go, Arcanine!"

Holly's fiery dog Pokémon erupted onto the battlefield with a howl. It gazed fiercely at its opponent, body rippling with strength.

Holly knew she couldn't give Will or his Pokémon time to formulate a counterattack.

So instead, she thrust her hand forward, shouting.

"Arcanine, Flamethrower!"

A stream of flames shot from Arcanine's mouth, red, orange, and yellow mixing beautifully as they flew towards the target. The flames crackled and burned as they scorched Exeggutor's skin. The Pokémon's screeches were cut off by coughing as the flames enveloped it. When they finally cleared, Exeggutor's eyes were closed. The smiles were replaced by a face contorted in pain. Will stepped back, letting his Pokémon topple to the ground before recalling it.

A look of rage was evident on Will's face as he stood across from Holly and Kristine.

Holly simply smirked.

Will must have been angry because he was losing!

So he was both a traitor and a sore loser!

He certainly wasn't worthy of being called one of the Elite Four!

Yet Will spoke in a grave tone.

"How dare you use the Pokémon that tried to kill me and many others inside of Celadon's Gym. You've no honor. Neither of you should be Trainers!"

Holly clenched her fist as she fired back.

"You've no honor either, Will, and you're the one who shouldn't be a Trainer! You and the other traitors deserved everything you got!"

Before Will could retaliate, Kristine stepped up, cold fury present in her eyes.

Her voice was the same as she spoke to Will.

"The time for talking is past, Will. You should know that. Send out your next Pokémon."

Holly nodded in agreement.

Will should at least be able to understand that!

And he did, for the psychic Elite Four member only gritted his teeth.

Another Poké Ball soared through the air, and Will responded.

"Go, Espeon."

Holly only narrowed her eyes as she recognized the figure taking shape on the battlefield.

First there had been Anabel's Espeon, a thorn in their side since the beginning…

And then there was Sabrina's, weakening her Honchkrow with the powerful Signal Beam and causing it to be defeated in battle.

Finally, Will's stood before her, trying to become an obstacle in bringing down the League.

An obstacle that would easily be brought down itself.

With that, Holly whipped out her Poké Ball, and Arcanine disappeared.

She grabbed another one and threw it.

"Lucario, come back out!"

Lucario let out a roar as it leapt onto the battlefield. Despite all the fighting in had done, it eyed Espeon with the same menacing glare it had when the fight started.

Holly only grinned.

Will probably thought he could outwit her with this Pokémon.

But he couldn't.

Not now.

Not ever.

Holly thrust her hand forward, confidence ringing in her shout.

"Lucario, Dark Pulse!"

The dark aura around was now as familiar as the opposing Pokémon that stood before Holly. As were the orbs as they mercilessly tore into their target. And even more familiar sight was Holly's opponent collapsing, eyes squeezed shut, as Will rapidly recalled it.

Holly couldn't help continuing to grin.

Will must be running out of steam by now!

Holly had already effortlessly defeated four of his Pokémon, so the battle couldn't go on much longer!

Indeed, Will glanced at his next Poké Ball, face betraying a sorrowful expression.

Holly guessed that this had to be his last Pokémon, and scowled at what it was.

"Go, Xatu."

Holly's scowl only grew more apparent as a bird with a green, patterned body emerged. The bird flew on white patterned wings, staring arrogantly down at Holly from its perch within the sky.

Holly clenched her fist.

This was the creature Will had called upon to search her and Anabel's memories!

And it had done so, despite knowing the action was wrong!

It has caused all sorts of trouble, and would continue to do so until the League was no more!

It deserved a painful defeat, and that was exactly what Holly would give it!

With that, Holly rapidly recalled Lucario. She seized hold of another Poké Ball, tossing it onto the battlefield.

"Go, Glaceon!"

Holly's Ice Type Pokémon hissed as it jumped onto the battlefield. Glaceon's blue eyes narrowed as it glanced at Xatu.

Holly nodded approvingly.

Will was supposed to be a strong psychic, power to be feared.

Yet he was nothing more than a gutless coward!

And his Xatu was supposed to be just as powerful, much stronger than what Holly had seen with Jake before.

Yet it was nothing, just as because Jake was.

And Holly's Glaceon was about to prove it!

Holly shouted with glee.

"Glaceon, finish this with Ice Beam!"

Ice appeared in Glaceon's open mouth, rapidly forming the shape of its signature beam. It launched the beam high in the air, straight at Will's Xatu. The opposing Pokémon did not even have time to dodge as the beam struck it head-on. Within minutes, Will's Xatu was encased in the shimmering, light blue, ice. Just like Jake, it became frozen in midair, unmoving as fell from the sky. Will recalled Xatu before it could strike the ground, but the outcome was clear.

And it was made even clearer as the psychic Elite Four member clenched his fist and shook his head.

Holly grinned wider than she ever thought possible.

Will was truly as pathetic as she expected!

Holly registered Kristine grinning beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder in congratulations.

The disabled Trainer glanced forward, and Holly followed her gaze.

A door was opening behind Will, and Holly smiled wider at the welcome sound.

She had done it!

She had truly defeated one of the Elite Four!

The other members would probably be destroyed just as easily, along with the Champion!

And after that, Holly would take down the league as they knew it, making sure no honest Trainers would ever suffer from their corruption again!

But before Holly could proceed forward, Kristine suddenly glanced at Will.

The psychic Elite Four member no longer held his stern expression, instead wearing one of sorrow. Holly thought she could see his shoulders slump, but only slightly. Will was still looking at them, but Holly still felt he was trying hard to avoid their gazes.

However, Kristine didn't give them the option to, staring straight at him.

She sneered mockingly.

"What's that? Nothing to say?"

Will suddenly glanced straight up at the both of them, his face hardening.

"Just go."

Holly couldn't resist giving her own mocking smile.

Will just couldn't admit that he lost!

Truly pathetic!

Regardless, Kristine gestured toward the newly opened door and nodded.

Holly nodded back.

She had more things to worry about than a sore loser of an Elite Four member!

Kristine seem to feel the same as she dashed towards the open door.

Without wasting a moment, Holly was quick to follow.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-The observations of the League Pokémon Center being empty when it was usually full of Trainers is based on my interpretations of the different canon Pokémon media. In the games, the player walks into the Pokémon League alone. There may be a few people in the Center, but they mostly keep to themselves, and the player must still take the challenge alone. However, in other media, such as the anime, the battles of the League are a massive spectacle. These battles draw enormous crowds, lots of lights, and are even televised. However, challengers must still battle alone, and spectators are not allowed to intervene in battles, no matter what happens. I figured it would make the most sense if the League had a lot of people watching battles. However, I also realized that having a lot of people in Kristine and Holly's area of attack, most of whom would probably be unarmed, would not be a good idea of the League's part. It would also mean using many details to describe the crowds and different people in the League, when the focus was meant to be on Kristine and Holly's battles and their future plans. Therefore, I combined the interpretations by saying the League is normally full of people, but is empty now.**

 **-The League having dark hallways in between rooms is based off of the original Hoenn games. In these games, heading through a door in the Elite Four challenge would take a player to a black, dark, hallway. This hallway was not completely without lights, as using moves to light it up was not required. However, there was a great walkway in the center, and the player had no choice but to walk forward. Once they reached another room, the doors would close automatically behind them, and they had to face the next battle. In the remakes, this was replaced by various different graphics depending on who the player was facing. In addition, the straight grey walkway was more like a bridge, and rooms were no longer dark. However, I like the ominous feeling that the original Hoenn games gave with their rooms between rooms, and decided to include it here. It's currently unknown whether I will include it anywhere other this story's Elite Four battles, however.**

 **-The locked healing machines in the corner of the room is based off of my interpretation and expansion of something that happens in canon. It's canonically shown that different challengers can face the Elite Four and the Champion in short succession (as with the case of Red and Blue). However, the Elite Four and the Champion would have to be prepared for that. It's not really explained how they would be, so I decided to include healing machines for that scenario. However, I also realized that these healing machines could be abused by challengers to illegally heal their Pokémon in between fights. Thus, the healing machines are locked to only be used by the members of the Elite Four (and by extension, the Champion), as well as anyone who they have given permission to use it.**

 **The idea of the Elite Four and the Champion carrying keys to operate these machines is based off of something in the original Pokémon Stadium. In this game, players could choose to challenge the Gym Leader Castle. In this challenge, the player fights the Gym Leaders and several of their underlings. They must do this without healing or changing teams, and the Gym Leader is always fought last. Once a Gym Leader has been defeated, they give the player a key. This key is immediately used to open up the door to the next set of Trainers and their Gym Leader. The process then repeats until the player defeats the Champion, at which point the mode is cleared. However, in order to get to the Champion, the player must receive a key from the Elite Four. This key is only acquired after being the mole, much like the Gym leaders and their Gym trainers. This specific scenario was what inspired the healing machines here in Traveler.**

 **-In all games, the Elite Four have different rooms depending on the Pokémon Types they use. Will's room is from the Johto remakes. The words he says initially is inspired by what he tells the player when they go to challenge him. Canonically, he is polite towards them, introducing himself and welcoming them to the Pokémon League. However, since he is a sworn enemy of Holly and Kristine, I thought it would be fitting for him to give a harsher version of his greeting.**

 **-Most of Will's team comes from the games. While can be fought in many different ones, and has several teams. What he has here is a mixture of those teams. The only Pokémon not on any of his teams is Alolan Raichu. This is because Will currently cannot be fought in any of the games Alolan Raichu was introduced in. However, I thought it would give some interesting introspective if Holly faced one as an enemy, so I had Will use one here.**


	113. Defining Strength

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

112\. Defining Strength

Darkness obscured Holly's vision as she entered the hallway between rooms again. However, she walked along confidently as Kristine led her to the next location. She didn't even flinch as the light from the new room blinded her. Holly no longer heard the doors lock behind her, or notice the also locked healing machine in the corner.

Instead, Holly took the time to study her surroundings.

The room was full of dull brown tiles, with railings on both sides of a narrow bridge. However, the tiles contrasted with flaming, red, bubbling, lava. The substance hissed below the tiles, and the sound was so intense that Holly momentarily thought she was facing a Fire Type Trainer.

That is, until she noticed the person standing in the center of the room.

The person was a man, and slightly tan body seemed to be pure muscle. Holly could see black rings on his wrists and legs, but she had no idea what they were for. The man didn't wear a shirt, instead only sporting short cream-colored pants that seemed to be slightly worn and tattered. He didn't wear any shoes either, and his dark black hair was tied back into a ponytail. The man's eyes matched his hair, studying Holly intensely as she continued walking up.

Yet Holly only narrowed her own eyes.

Who would dress like that? It looked so stupid!

As if sensing her thoughts, Kristine's voice sounded in Holly's head.

" _That's Bruno. Don't let his appearance fool you. He's one of the strongest martial artists in all regions, and a master of Fighting Type Pokémon. Just between you and me, I hear dumb muscle is all he's good for."_

Holly nodded.

She could certainly believe that!

This would already be an easy victory!

Holly held a glare of confidence as she marched up towards Bruno. Kristine joined Holly on her right side.

Before Holly could respond to her opponent, Bruno spoke.

"So you're the infamous Holly and Kristine. My Pokémon I will grind you down with our superior power!"

Holly rapidly snarled.

"And we will do the same!"

Kristine said nothing, but nodded briskly.

Holly barely registered walking onto a red battlefield before Bruno called out his first Pokémon.

"Go, Hitmontop!"

A Poké Ball flew through the air, and Holly focused on the creature that emerged from it.

Bruno's Pokémon spun like a toy, balancing on a horn on its head. Black eyes peered at the battlefield, and Holly wondered how the creature could see anything upside down. It must've been able to see though, as the creature's eyes were alert and focused. Blue feet flailed in the air, attached to dark brown legs. White claws gleamed on the tips of the creature's feet, although Holly didn't think it would scratch anything. Brown rounded fists also spun in the air, but Holly wasn't sure how Bruno's Pokémon would use them if it was upside down. The Pokémon had something that looked like brown hair on its head, yet it didn't seem to get in its way.

Kristine's voice sounded in her head again.

" _That is bizarre being is Hitmontop. It's a balanced fighter, but I'm sure you know a way to deal with fighters by now."_

Holly nodded, a smile appearing on her face.

She did know, and Bruno wouldn't stand a chance!

As she tossed her Poké Ball into the air, she shouted.

"Go, Honchkrow!"

Holly's bird Pokémon appeared with a cry, effortlessly flying through the air over Hitmontop.

Bruno looked unperturbed, yet Holly only grinned wider.

She had a secret move planned just for this, one that Kristine had taught her and her Pokémon.

And it was one that Bruno would never see coming!

Confidence rang clear as Holly spoke.

"Honchkrow, Drill Peck!"

Honchkrow's yellow beak suddenly started spinning, resembling the drill the attack was named for. The bird spread its wings wide, rapidly soaring towards Hitmontop. Before Bruno's Pokémon had time to react, Honchkrow slammed its spinning beak right into it. Bruno's Pokémon let out a scream, a large bruise marring its body.

Only a moment later, Hitmontop crashed to the ground.

Bruno rapidly recalled his Pokémon, and Honchkrow returned to Holly's side.

Holy beamed, expecting Bruno to send out another Pokémon.

Yet instead, the Elite Four member had a stern expression on his face.

He spoke accusingly at Holly.

"You didn't train that Honchkrow. You couldn't of. Honchkrow are very slow. They can't out-speed most Fighting Types."

Holly clenched her fist.

How dare he tell her that she didn't train her own Pokémon! Was Bruno going to spew more lies like all the others? She was in no mood to listen to that!

Yet before Holly could retaliate, Kristine stepped up.

Her eyes blazed with cold fury as she faced Bruno.

"They can if they are trained move quickly. As an Elite Four member, you should know that."

Holly nodded, smiled turning into a smirk.

Bruno was just showing off his idiocy, like Will before him.

Yet the Elite Four member only responded with his own rage.

"Training a slow Pokémon to fight is not something a child like Holly would know how to do. If she did, you and she would be famous for something other than ruining people's lives! I'm not fighting her at all, am I?"

Holly clenched her fist.

Another member of the League spewing filthy lies!

Of course Bruno was fighting her! She was right in front of him!

And how dare he say that she and Kristine were ruining people's lives, when that's exactly what the League did!

Who was Bruno to say what Holly did and did not know? It wasn't like he accompanied her on her journey!

Holly focused on Kristine as the disabled Trainer continued speaking in her icy tone.

"How Holly trains her Pokémon is no business of yours. Continue the match, or face consequences."

Holly wasn't sure what consequences Kristine was talking about, but it mustn't have been anything Bruno wanted to risk.

He readied another Poké Ball, tossing it into the air.

"Go, Hitmonlee!"

A creature let out a low cry as it burst onto the battlefield in a flash of white light. It had long legs that seemed to stretch to proportions Holly never thought possible. The legs were cream-colored, with designs that reminded Holly of straws. The Pokémon's feet were brown, with white claws and yellow dots. The creature's body was brown as well, with tiny hands looking the same as the long legs. Black eyes gave Bruno's Pokémon sight, and it wasted no time focusing them on Holly and her Pokémon.

Holly heard Kristine's voice in her head again.

" _Hitmonlee, a rare Fighting Type Pokémon known for its kicking attacks. It's more offensively oriented than Hitmontop, but it still shouldn't stand a chance."_

Holly nodded with a grin.

Rapidly, she shouted.

"Honchkrow, Drill Peck again!"

For a second time, Honchkrow's beak spun as it became the deadly drill. Hitmonlee couldn't do anything but scream as Honchkrow flew forward and smashed into it. A long angry wound slashed down Hitmonlee's body. The opposing Pokémon squeezed its eyes shut before toppling forward onto the ground.

Once again, Honchkrow returned to Holly's side, and once again, Bruno recalled his Pokémon.

He still held an enraged, accusing, expression but did not say anything more.

Holly couldn't resist smirking.

Kristine could keep even the powerful Elite Four quiet!

No, _Kristine and Holly_ could keep the Elite Four quiet!

They just showed them how helpless they were!

And Bruno definitely realized that, as the only sound was another command with a Poké Ball being tossed into the air.

"Go, Hitmonchan."

Holly heard a high-pitched cry as a Pokémon erupted onto the battlefield. This Pokémon ran into its place, eyes restlessly searching for opponents. Immediately, Holly understood why, knowing it was not just the excitement and adrenaline of performing in the League.

The reality was that the Pokémon could not seem to stop moving. It jittered and hopped around so much it almost looked like it was dancing. It constantly thrust out fists wearing red boxing gloves, punching at some invisible foe. The opposing Pokémon had limber brown limbs, and Holly could see the muscle rippling beneath. However, Holly tried hard not to laugh out loud at the Pokémon's bright purple clothing and shoes. She wasn't sure what type of clothing it was, or why it was there, but it sorely contrasted against the rest of the Pokémon's brown body.

Holly didn't get the chance to laugh, as Kristine spoke again.

"Hitmonchan, another rare Fighting Type Pokémon that is often seen alongside Hitmonlee. As you can probably guess, it attacks with powerful punches. Hitmonchan boasts a wide variety of moves, and is more defensively oriented. It still shouldn't pose a problem, though."

Holly nodded and pointed towards her opponent.

"Honchkrow, you know what to do!"

Holly's Pokémon let out a triumphant screech, zooming towards Hitmonchan with its wings spread wide. Honchkrow flew above Hitmonchan's furious fists, striking the foe straight in the forehead. Bruno's Pokémon simply shrieked in pain before falling backwards. It showed no signs of getting up, even after several minutes passed. With a flash of red light, Hitmonchan was gone from the battlefield.

Honchkrow let out another cry of triumph as it circled back to Holly. Holly beamed at her Pokémon, and flashed the same grin at Bruno.

He must've known the battle wouldn't last much longer at this rate! Bruno should just give up!

Yet the Elite Four member shared no joy, nor did he show any sign of surrender.

Instead, he simply threw another Poké Ball.

"Go, Heracross."

Holly narrowed her eyes at the mention of the name.

Her gaze became even harder as a dark blue bug with a giant horn and yellow eyes appeared before her.

This was one of the first Pokémon she'd met on her journey.

One that was both rare and powerful, matching her Pokémon blow for blow…

It gave her a battle she'd never forget…

She never got to finish the battle, though, having the chance snatched away from her by another Trainer…

Now the chance was finally there again…

At last, she could turn the tables, and claim victory over this beast!

Kristine seemed to sense Holly's familiarity as she spoke again.

" _I see you are already acquainted with Heracross, so I won't bore you with explanations. Instead, I'll just say that Heracross is very weak to Flying Type moves, so winning the battle here is assured."_

Holly grinned and thrust out her hand.

"Honchkrow, give it a taste of your Drill Peck!"

Holly barely had time to register her Pokémon flying off before its brutal beak hit Heracross's chest. Heracross screamed, collapsing backwards to reveal a bruising, massive, mark on its chest. Bruno's Pokémon made a few feeble motions to get up, before finally closing its eyes.

Holly didn't think her grin could get any wider as Heracross disappeared in a red flash of light.

She aimed her confident grin at Bruno, hoping she could at least unnerve him.

There was no way he could beat her now!

What was the point in fighting?

But apparently, Bruno still had an answer to that question, as he solemnly threw another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Machamp."

Another creature burst onto the battlefield, and this one, Holly did not recognize.

So she took a moment to study it.

The Pokémon was light blue, muscles bulging from every area. It stood on two sturdy feet, but what caught Holly's attention most was its arms. Bruno's Pokémon had four of them, and it had no trouble thrusting them all out in front of Honchkrow. The Pokémon had some sort of black belt with a golden center around it, but Holly had no idea what it was for. Bruno's creature also had something that resembled brown hair, and a yellow mouth. Red eyes gleamed confidently despite the situation, and the Pokémon appeared to have a smile on its face.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

That Pokémon had nothing to smile about!

She would make it knew that!

At the same time, Holly heard Kristine's voice inside her head.

" _Machamp. This is Bruno's strongest Pokémon, so it's probably his last. Just finish it like all the others."_

Holly's relaxed into a nod and a grin.

She thrust out her hand.

"Honchkrow, end this with Drill Peck!"

Honchkrow shrieked and soared towards the opponent, spinning beak at the ready. Machamp had no time to react as Honchkrow smashed its beak into its chest. Bruno's Pokémon groaned and staggered backward, before it slowly began to fall. Luckily, Bruno did not need to brace for impact, calling back his Pokémon before it even hit the ground.

Holly beamed, grin growing even wider. Honchkrow flew back to her one last time, as she rapidly recalled it.

She then flashed her grin at Bruno, wondering what he would say.

Would he acknowledge that she'd won?

Would he be angry that he lost?

Would he simply call her weak, and her victory unearned?

Yet Bruno did none of those.

Instead, he turned to the right, silently standing as the door behind him opened.

Bruno's expression was unreadable, but Holly imagined he was just going to sulk.

It was only fitting that the Elite Four acted like that, after all!

They were so weak that they couldn't accept their losses!

Yeah Holly didn't have time to ponder this anymore, as Kristine gestured forward.

Holly nodded in confirmation, and Kristine did the same.

Without another look back, the two rapidly ran forward into the dark hallway beyond.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, like Will, the appearance of Bruno's room is based off of its appearance in the Johto remakes. Kristine's comment about him being only good for dumb muscle is because the games seemed to portray him that way, with him seemingly valuing physical strength above all else. Pokémon Special also follows suit, with him weak enough to be mind-controlled by Agatha most of the time. Of the original Kanto Elite Four, Bruno is the only one that does not start out as malicious. Instead, he enjoys worthy foes and satisfying battles. Bruno only displays harmful and even murderous intent when placed under Agatha's mind control. Furthermore, all of the abilities he has relate to physical power, implying that he has weak mental resistances as a result.**

 **However, Bruno does not rely on physical force as much in the anime. He is able to emphasize with Pokémon so well that he is able to calm a rampaging giant Onix without battling at all. Bruno then uses his abilities to figure out what's wrong with the Pokémon without damaging it or himself. In addition, Bruno was revealed to be a bit of a trickster, duping ash and his friends into doing some chores for him. When Brock tries to test Bruno's abilities by causing a surprise attack, Bruno is nearly knocked unconscious. So while Bruno's physical attributes are far from his only trait in the anime, they are what is emphasized the most.**

 **-Like Will, Bruno is another Elite Four member that can be fought with many teams in multiple games. Also like Will, his Pokémon are combination of those teams. However, like with Will, there is a slight change. In most of his appearances, Bruno has the Rock Type Onix (or in some cases, its evolution, Steelix). However, I chose not to have Bruno use one here because it doesn't fit with his Type theme as a Fighting Type master.**

 **-Bruno's comments about Honchkrow's training and abilities comes from various canon media. Honchkrow is indeed very slow. This means that most other Pokémon will attack before it, and most likely do damage before it can strike. However, I didn't want to spend most of this battle having Honchkrow dodging or continuously taking little damage from attacks. Therefore, I decided to have Honchkrow out-speed opponents. Gameplay wise, this is possible using two ways. The first way is if Honchkrow is given a massive level advantage over opponents. The second way involves using several different mechanics to raise Honchkrow's speed over almost any other attribute. However, these mechanics are hidden and extremely complicated, so it's unlikely a new or younger player would be able to find and use them (at least, without looking up specific parts of a guide).**

 **Even with knowledge of these mechanics, there's not that much benefit to raising Honchkrow's speed anyway. However, another hidden mechanic allows players to reset stats that have been raised using the other latent mechanics. This means they can start over and raise new stats as many times as they wish. This mechanic is also very difficult to find, and not even available without going on a long chain of subtle side quests. In addition, there's no hints that unlocking the feature will be the player's reward. So while it is possible to do something unusual, like raise Honchkrow's speed, without consequence, the process for doing so is probably not something new or younger players would figure out. Since Holly is a younger and relatively inexperienced Trainer, it's not that far-fetched to think that she wouldn't be able to figure all of that out on her own.**


	114. Stage Set

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

113\. Stage Set

This time, Holly wasn't sure where the darkness of the hallway ended and the next room began. Because the pathway only led to more darkness, as Holly's feet touched a purplish black floor. Holly could see golden decorations shining on the floor, so at least there was some light. The golden decorations were next to light blue crystals that glittered eerily below a black pit. Dark blue railings prevented anyone from falling in the pit, although Holly could barely see them as they blended in with the room. Purple walls matched the room's floor, and Holly could see a purplish blue door in the center. The white locked healing machine stood out like a sore thumb, contrasting noticeably against the room's colors.

However, Holly didn't focus on that.

Instead, she was drawn to a pair of magenta stage curtains that were neatly drawn back.

And there was a person that stood below them.

Karen.

The female Elite Four member made no attempt to conceal her anger, rage burning in her glaring eyes as Kristine and Holly approached.

Holly only threw a smirk right back at her.

Karen could be as angry as she wanted!

It didn't change the fact that she was a traitor, and a threat to all honest Trainers!

A threat that Holly would take down right here and now!

Yet before Holly could say anything, Kristine strode up.

A mocking grin was on her face, and that same tone permeated through her voice.

"Well, Karen, are you going to use Darkari to drag us off to the depths of hell? Oh wait, you can't. That would be against League rules."

An indignant gaze flashed Karen's eyes, and she snarled.

"Be grateful that you are considered rightful challengers to the League. Otherwise, neither of you would be leaving this room alive."

Holly expected Kristine to respond with rage, but instead the disabled Trainer began to laugh.

"So now you're making death threats? Is this what a proud Elite Four member has been reduced to?"

Karen's glare only grew fiercer as she replied.

"Why shouldn't I when you're the people who tried to kill my husband and me several times? You're nothing more than monsters!"

Holly could feel a smirk crossing onto her face.

So Will and Karen were married! That would explain the rings that two had when they first met Kristine and Holly, and why they were often seen together!

It seemed that traitors were attracted to each other!

Fitting, as the only things they could count on were themselves!

Holly sneered.

"I pity anyone stupid enough to marry you, Karen! You don't even deserve any relationship!"

Kristine followed up, continuing her mocking tone.

"Fools flock together, I suppose. Now, Karen, prove you can back up your threats, and battle."

Holly expected Karen to fire another retort, but the Elite Four member said nothing.

Instead, she walked towards a purple and blue battlefield in the center. Karen rapidly took her place there, and waited for Holly to do the same. Holly stood across from the Elite Four member, with Kristine on her left side.

As soon as that was done, one of Karen's Poké Balls flew through the air.

The Elite Four member wasted no time shouting.

"Go, Umberon!"

A hissing Pokémon leapt onto the battlefield as it emerged from its Poké Ball. Holly glared straight back at her adversary, taking a moment to study it.

The Pokémon was black, with yellow rings all over its body. It also had yellow stripes on its tail and ears. Holly wasn't sure if the creature was more like a cat or a fox. However, she was sure that the red eyes gazing forward pictured nothing more than a defeated opponent.

Holly clenched her fist.

She'd change that perception quickly!

As soon as that thought entered Holly's head, Kristine spoke.

" _Umbreon, the Dark Type evolution of Eevee. Fitting that Karen would lead with that, considering how popular that Pokémon is in Johto and Kanto. There aren't that many Dark Type species native to those regions, though. So you'll probably see Pokémon from other regions in this fight."_

Holly nodded curtly.

It didn't matter what Dark types Karen used, because Holly knew exactly how to deal with them!

She tossed her own Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Lucario!"

Holly's own Pokémon appeared with a snarl, glaring menacingly at its opponent.

However, a look of disdain entered Karen's eyes, and she shook her head sternly.

"Oh look, the Pokémon you didn't raise. How shameful of you to bring it out against me."

Holly clenched her fists tightly.

How dare the League call her shameful when they were the shameful ones!

They would suffer the consequences of their hypocrisy!

Holy yelled at the top of her lungs.

"You're wrong! I have raised Lucario, and I'm still raising it now! I will show you just how strong it is!

Holly rapidly pressed the button on her wrist bracelet, shouting even louder.

"Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

Lucario let out a resounding howl as it was surrounded by bright white light. Holly looked away from the blinding light, but in a few moments, the light had cleared.

Holly's Pokémon now glared down at its opponent, not a shred of mercy in its gaze. Karen's Umbreon let out a hiss, but the sound was subdued.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Now, her opponent would go silent!

She thrust her hand out, screeching.

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

Holly's Pokémon formed a huge light blue ball of energy in its hands. Lucario launched the ball at Umbreon. Karen's Pokémon could do nothing as the ball smashed into it, and its screams rang through the air. When the ball of energy cleared moments later, Umbreon closed its eyes painfully, before collapsing to the ground.

It was impossible to miss the look of rage on Karen's face as her Pokémon disappeared in a flash of light.

However, Holly only beamed.

Confidence filled her voice as she spoke.

"Now do you see that I raised it?"

Holly expected Karen to answer affirmatively, but the Elite Four member only shook her head.

Her rage from before filled her voice as she responded.

"That last battle doesn't mean anything!"

Before Holly could retaliate, Karen tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Weavile!"

A Pokémon sprinted onto the battlefield with a shriek. Its black body contrasted with its gleaming white claws. There was a crown of red feathers that stood tall on its head, and even more on the rest of its body.

Holly narrowed her eyes.

Weavile was one of the Pokémon Anabel used.

It was powerful, rapid, ruthless…

And something Holly knew exactly how to deal with.

She wasted no time snarling.

"Lucario, Aura Sphere again!"

Another light blue energy ball formed in Lucario's hands. Weavile didn't even have time to move before Lucario threw the ball at it. Weavile could only screech as the energy ball struck it head on. The light from the energy ball didn't even clear before Weavile lay unmoving on the ground.

Karen scowled as she recalled Pokémon.

Holly only smirked.

Karen was just a sore loser that didn't know when to give up! She was as pathetic as the rest of the Elite Four!

Holly could help letting a mocking tone enter her voice.

"You can't beat me, can you? You shouldn't even bother trying!"

"This isn't over!" Karen roared.

She threw another Poké Ball with more strength than Holly ever thought possible.

There was no missing her shout.

"Go, Tyranitar!"

At Karen's command, a Pokémon erupted on the battlefield with a roar. The Pokémon stood taller than almost anything Holly had ever seen, and she wondered how tall it really was. It had a hard light green body, with black designs on its hips and chest. White claws shone on the tips of its hands and feet. There was a blue shape on the Pokémon's torso, and Holly thought it resembled a diamond. A vicious green tail whipped around, and spikes jutted out of the Pokémon's back. Black eyes glared, narrowed and menacing.

Lucario did not back down, meeting its opponent's gaze squarely.

At that moment, Holly heard Kristine's voice in her head.

" _Tyranitar, a Dark type Pokémon that also has Rock Type properties. However, it also can learn several moves that Lucario is weak against. Usually, it summons a sandstorm when it goes into battle, but this one appears not to have that power. Regardless, it should be too slow to get any attacks in."_

Holly nodded curtly.

She would make sure of that!

Holly pointed at Karen's Tyranitar, an enthusiastic command leaving her lips.

"Lucario, take it down with Aura Sphere!"

Yet again, the enormous light blue ball of energy formed in Lucario's hands.

Yet again, it shot the ball at its opponent.

Yet again, the deadly strike was dead on as it hit Tyranitar square in the chest.

Karen's Pokémon let out a low, long, groan as the light blue ball of energy struck its target. Before the light even cleared, Tyranitar was falling towards the ground. Karen recalled her Pokémon before it collapsed on the floor, but it was clear the outcome was obvious.

However, Karen did not even acknowledge the loss.

Instead, she did not hesitate to throw out another Poké Ball.

"Go, Spiritomb!"

Holly had to keep her eyes from going wide as the oddest Pokémon she'd ever seen appeared before her. The Pokémon had a giant grin on its face that made it look like it was laughing, even though Holly was certain there wasn't anything funny. The smile and the laughing face contrasted with the frown below the Pokémon. It didn't seem like the Pokémon itself was frowning, but rather, the frown was coming from some little stand. Holly wasn't sure how a stand could frown. After all, stands weren't alive.

But the smiling and laughing creature coming out of the stand clearly was. It spun around and around, green orbs glowing on the edges of its body. The mouth and eyes were the same color as its orbs, with black spirals granting the strange creature sight. It sported light purple on the rest of its body, and Holly could see that the purple was in the shape of a circle.

Yet she still tried to keep herself from staring.

Truly, what kind of bizarre Pokémon was that?

Why would an Elite Four member use something that strange?

As if sensing Holly's question, Kristine responded.

" _That's a Spiritomb. It's a rare Pokémon, one of the rarest of all Dark Types. Perhaps, one of the rarest Pokémon in existence. However, it is also part Ghost. The Type combination means it's only weak to fairies, none of which are in your team. Spiritomb also has good defenses, so battles can end up going for a long time. But if you can break through the defenses, Spiritomb doesn't stand much of a chance. And with Lucario's power, doing that should be easy."_

Holly nodded, a confident smile forming on her face.

The confidence flowed through her next command.

"Lucario, Flash Cannon!"

Holly's Pokémon open its mouth, and a massive beam of silver light shot out of it. The light slammed straight into Spiritomb's face.

Karen's Pokémon barely let out a whimper before its spiral eyes became unfocused. Its spinning finally stopped, and the smile from before had vanished. The Pokémon's face had now contorted in pain, and the expression made no attempt to leave.

It only left when a red flash of light engulfed Spiritomb, and Karen's Pokémon disappeared from the battlefield.

There was no mistaking the glare in Karen's eyes as she faced Holly. The Elite Four member looked as though she could burn the entire room down.

Yet Holly only smirked.

To think that the Elite Four member would take a loss that badly! She wasn't worthy of that title!

Holly could help shouting.

"If the fact that you are losing makes you that angry, you should just give up!"

Karen's eyes burned with a rage Holly never thought possible.

There was no mistaking her conviction as she snarled.

"Never!"

Karen threw another Poké Ball, screeching.

"Go, Houndoom!"

A deafening howl pierced Holly's ears as a Pokémon burst onto the battlefield. It resembled a dog, but it was nothing like Holly's Arcanine. This Pokémon had black fur, with white designs resembling bones around its head and neck. It had something that looked like a black eyed skull on its chest. There were white markings that seemed to be some sort of bracelets around all of its legs, but Holly didn't know what they were for. A black tail lashed back and forth, forked like that of a devil. Two white horns sat on top of the Pokémon's head, looking like they could pierce anything. The creature had a red nose and torso, with red eyes to match.

The creature stared at Lucario and Holly's Pokémon simply stared back.

At the same moment, Holly heard Kristine speak.

" _Houndoom, a Dark Type Pokémon that also skillfully wields the power of fire. It is fast, and it's typing also means that it is a slight advantage over Lucario. Your Pokémon is quicker, though, so you can use your own advantages to earn the win."_

Holly's eyes narrowed.

Someone like Karen didn't deserve to use the power of fire!

She would destroy Karen's fire here and now!

Yet before Holly could make a move, she noticed Karen glaring sharply at Kristine.

The Elite Four Member's voice became cold, yet Holly could still detect the fury boiling beneath.

"I have heard about what you do, Kris, winning Holly's battles for her. I suppose you would know how to deal with Houndoom, because it would be familiar to you. After all, this Pokémon is the same species as the one you left to die."

Holly could feel her own rage blazing, directing the fiercest glare she could at Karen.

Kristine didn't own a Houndoom!

Otherwise she would've mentioned it, or Holly would've seen it at Saffron!

Besides, Kristine would never leave a Pokémon to die!

That was something only dishonest Trainers, like those of the League, would do!

Kristine's eyes were harder than stone as she replied.

"My Houndoom, Shadow, died of an illness. It had nothing to do with me. In fact, the event was so tragic that I have not owned another Houndoom since."

Rage appeared in Karen's eyes again, and the Elite Four member threw up her hands.

"That illness was completely preventable, and that Pokémon suffered needlessly! All because you neglected it by refusing to take it to a hospital! Even when you knew it was gravely ill! You did it all because of some fabricated fear! A load of lies, just like the rest of your existence! There was nothing tragic about that death, because you didn't care what happened!"

Kristine's eyes became even harder and she spoke a single word.

"Enough."

Holly clenched her fist, prepared to defend Kristine from Karen's accusations.

Yet she was stopped when Kristine spoke two words in her head.

" _Finish this."_

Holly nodded.

Actions would defend Kristine better than words ever could.

Holly stepped forward, hoping Karen would take the hint.

However, she didn't wait to see if that was the case as she shouted.

"Lucario, end this with Aura Sphere!"

Neither Karen nor her Houndoom had time to react as a massive light blue ball of energy appeared in Lucario's hands. Lucario sent the ball flying and Houndoom howled even louder as the attack connected with it. In a few minutes, the light faded, and Houndoom collapsed. Karen's Pokémon shut its eyes before lying motionless. The Elite Four member grimaced as she recalled it.

Holly clenched her fist before recalling her own Pokémon.

Karen should've known better than to insult Kristine and Holly like that!

Yet rage still burned in Karen's eyes as she walked closer to them.

Her voice took on a chilling tone as she spoke.

"Such a shame that such strong Pokémon would follow a weak Trainer… But then, considering the circumstances, perhaps there were not strong at all…"

Rage boiled inside Holly as she screamed.

"How dare you call my Pokémon and me weak after we defeated you so easily! You're nothing more than a tyrant, just like when I first met you!"

Kristine stepped forward, her own eyes still blazing.

"Accept your loss, Karen. And never dishonor my dead Pokémon again."

Karen's face was still hard, and she still looked as though she could burn the world down.

However, she quickly moved out of the way as the door in front of Holly and Kristine opened.

Holly didn't take one look back as she and Kristine sped through the door and into the blackness of the hallway.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Like the other Elite Four members faced, the design of Karen's room changes depending on the game she's fought in. This design used in the story comes from the Johto remakes. Just like the others, Karen can be fought in multiple games. As a result, her team is a mixture of the ones she uses when she is fought. However, it's worth noting that in Karen's debut games, there were not many Dark Type Pokémon. As a result, she did not use a proper team of all Dark Type Pokémon until her rematch in the Johto remakes. As a result, most of her Pokémon come from there. One exception is that she uses the Murkrow line in the majority of her fights. However, she doesn't use it here in order to avoid confusion with the Honchkrow Holly currently has.**

 **-So Karen and Will are finally revealed to be married. When I first paired them together, I couldn't decide whether they would be married or engaged. I eventually went with married because it would be difficult to plan or even have a wedding with the situation is dire as it is. Furthermore, the idea of them being married and probably for quite a while makes the situation a bit more personal. Interestingly, early drafts of Karen's fight would've had to reveal that she was** _ **pregnant**_ **at that time, and mentioning that Holly and Kristine could've also harmed the baby. However, this was taken out because it would've been extremely difficult for Karen to be pregnant and take an active role in stopping what was going on. Having a baby** _ **and**_ **raising a child in what was basically a war-torn world would also be extremely difficult. Finally, even if Karen tries to take an active role while pregnant (e.g. it's early in her pregnancy, she doesn't have symptoms, doesn't know, or she finds out she's pregnant later), most of the things she would have to do to survive and fight back would probably make her** _ **lose the baby.**_ **And that is both a sensitive and tragic issue I decided that didn't want to deal with. However, I'm not ruling out the possibility of Karen and Will having children in future books (ideally when things have calmed down).**

 **-Spiritomb being one of the rarest Pokémon in existence comes from the games. This Pokémon as one of the most bizarre catching requirements in the entire series. In the Sinnoh games, one first had to head to the Sinnoh Underground and talk to 20 different real life people. After that, players had to travel until they received something called an Odd Keystone. Players then traveled a bit further, until they found an inconspicuous pile rocks called the Hallowed Tower. If all of the above criteria were fulfilled, the player could interact with the place and battle Spiritomb. Regardless of the outcome of the fight, the Odd Keystone would disappear, and the player would need another in order to fight Spiritomb again. However, there is typically only one per playthrough, so the only way to get the second one is by trading with someone that hasn't used theirs. What makes this so difficult is that there's hardly any hints on what the player needs to do, or even that the Sinnoh Underground is connected to Spiritomb. While the process of talking to people in the Underground can be sped up by having two different games and systems, making a base in the underground, talking to the person representing the second system, and then heading in and out of the base after closing it, it still is extremely tedious to do and almost impossible without a guide. Later games made it easier to find Spiritomb. However, it is still in very remote areas, and requires an Odd Keystone to encounter.**


	115. Elite Fourth

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

114\. Elite Fourth

Even without light, Holly was sure was she knew her way around the darkened hallways by now. After all, there wasn't much to do but go forward.

However, she didn't know her way around the room that came next.

There was a light blue green tile floor, with a multicolored part that appeared like a battlefield. The usual locked healing machine was in the corner, but it wasn't the only structure. Six statues stood on all sides of the room, towering over almost everything. Holly could see they were made of something resembling scaled structures. Green borders encircled the bottom of the statues, contrasting eerily against the dull gray. Dark black shapes that looked like dragons' fangs jutted out of the bases, and Holly wondered if they could pierce anything. Golden walls displayed their bright color in all directions. Large blue windows allowed the light to shine through and illuminate the floor.

Briefly, Holly's eyes were directed towards the light.

But then, something caught her attention more than that.

And that something was the person standing in the center.

The person was a man, older than both Holly and Kristine. He wore a black cape, with magenta on the inside. The rest of his clothing was dark, although Holly could see most of it was blue. Red sleeves and some sort of pattern also made up some part of the clothing. Holly noted a black belt and long black boots, even though it was clear the man did not need such warm clothing. Short red hair was brushed neatly, and brown eyes held a stern gaze.

Holly heard Kristine's voice inside her head, and there was no mistaking the icy coldness.

" _This is Lance, one of Blackthorn's renowned Dragon Masters, current leader of the Kanto Elite Four and of the International Police Force. Adoptive father of Silver and Leaf. And one of many who did nothing as they and others tore the world apart."_

Kristine's eyes narrowed, and her voice could rival ice.

" _Brace yourself. Lance could be your most formidable foe yet. He earned his position for a reason, and has held it for many years. And dragon Pokémon are quite strong, as you've seen with Naganadel. Lance has many, and they're all armed to the teeth. However, dragons are quite rare in Kanto, so he has gathered quite a few from other regions. Be prepared to battle a wide variety of Pokémon."_

No matter who Lance was or how many titles he held, he wouldn't intimidate her!

She'd come too far to back down now!

Holy flashed a fiery glare as she approached the center of the room.

However, Lance only kept his icy cold gaze as he spoke.

"So you're Holly, and of course, I'm familiar with Kris. I know what you did to Anabel. I know what you did to all of the region. You will meet your match here."

Holly clenched her fist.

"We know what you did too, Lance! Leading the League's tyranny and letting the chaos plaguing the entire region continue! Doing nothing as the evil teams ripped the world apart! It's time you were destroyed!"

Kristine's voice was colder than ice as she stepped up.

"You are a failure of both an Elite Four member and a police officer, Lance. You enforce the law, and yet you could not teach Silver and Leaf to do the same. The reason they joined the rebels was because of you, and your incompetence."

Holly smirked, expecting Lance to flinch back at Kristine's accusation.

But the Dragon Master remained unruffled, only shooting a hard glare.

"In the end, Silver and Leaf made their own choices. No one could stop them, no matter what. Besides, you have no right to criticize the law enforcers. Not when neither of you follow up any laws."

Lance's eyes narrowed, and he focused his glare on Kristine.

"Especially you. I will never forgive you for what you did to Clair."

Kristine's face twisted into a smile, although Holly could detect the cruel taunt underneath.

A mocking tone filled the air as Kristine replied without hesitation.

"Oh, Clair? You don't need to worry about her anymore. She's in a much better place now."

At this, Lance finally lost his composure.

His eyes went wide, and he stared back as though he had been struck.

The Elite Four's voice came out high pitched and loud, and there was no mistaking his fear.

"What? Clair was on her way to visit me… She was just getting close to the League…"

Lance's face went pale, his eyes even wider at the realization.

"N-no… You didn't…"

The Elite Four member stopped his own startled speech short, pausing again before speaking louder than ever.

However, fear permeated his tone, and Holly thought he was trying to stop himself from shaking.

Yet the message was still clear.

"What did you do to Clair?"

Kristine's cruel grin only grew wider.

"Beat Holly, and we'll tell you."

Holly stepped up, mimicking Kristine's expression.

Lance regained his color and composure, although now fury burned in his eyes.

Holly nodded confidently.

Her opponent's anger hadn't stopped her before, and it wouldn't stop her now!

She focused her attention away from Lance and on a Poké Ball going flying through the air. Lance's shout resonated through the area.

"Go, Dragalge!"

A creature emerged with an intimidating hiss.

Holly only narrowed her eyes.

On her way to Fuchsia, she had caught a glimpse of it…

She had fantasized about catching it…

She was promptly shot down and told she couldn't…

But now Holly could finally see the creature up close…

It didn't look much different from one she had seen splashing in the water that day near Fuchsia.

The creature still had a colorful body resembling kelp and scales. Something red still sat on top of it, mixed in with a bit of dark green. The thing matched its piercing red eyes, sizing Holly up with the world's fiercest glare.

A single Pokémon wouldn't intimidate her now!

Besides, she had the perfect response to it!

Holly rapidly tossed her own Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Glaceon!"

Holly's Pokémon burst onto the battlefield, letting out a howl. It cast its own menacing gaze onto the Dragalge, but the opponent did not flinch back.

Yet Holly knew that scenario wouldn't be for long.

She thrust her hand out and shouted.

"Glaceon, Ice Beam!"

Glistening ice appeared in Glaceon's mouth. The ice rapidly took the shape of the aforementioned beam, and Glaceon shot the attack at its opponent.

Dragalge could do nothing but scream as it was encased in the glistening, freezing, ice. Its body stood, eerily unmoving. Holly could see that it had slightly turned light blue. Before Dragalge could even fall to the ground, Lance recalled that.

Holy threw a smirk in Lance's direction, though the Elite Four member still held a blazing rage.

Yet Holly kept her smirk.

Lance could be as angry as he wanted! It wouldn't change a thing!

Mockery flowed into Holly's voice as she spoke.

"So much for the power of the mighty dragons! It's done nothing but prove how weak and stupid you are!"

Lance wasted no time snarling.

"You know nothing about the power of dragons! Not when you brainwashed that poor Ultra Beast!"

Holly howled back.

"I will show you what I know! Send out your next Pokémon!"

Lance only nodded, before tossing another Poké Ball.

"Go, Goodra!"

Another familiar Pokémon appeared before Holly.

She recognized it as one of the Pokémon Zinnia had.

And the one that had destroyed the secret house in the Safari Zone, forcing Yveltal to use his power as Kristine sacrificed herself…

Despite all this, Holly had to resist making a face.

The dragon was still large and purple, green eyes shining brightly. Yellow mucus dripped off of it, splashing onto the floor. However, the mucus mostly was easily absorbed, as it slipped away and disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Nevertheless, Holly clenched her fist.

Even though Zinnia was now on their side, her Goodra had hurt Kristine!

Despite the fact that this Pokémon was not the one that had committed the act, it was still the same species!

She would never forgive it or its kind!

Holly let rage ring through her shout.

"Glaceon, Ice Beam!"

Again, ice formed in Glaceon's open mouth.

Again, the brutal beam fired.

Again, the foe didn't even try to dodge.

Instead, Goodra let out a long and loud screech as the beam struck it head on. The ice glistened briefly, before Goodra fell forward and crashed onto the floor.

Lance's Pokémon rapidly disappeared in the beam of red light, and Holly smirked.

Lance was a failure of a Dragon Master and an Elite Four member!

It was better for him just to give up!

Yet Lance had no intention of surrendering, rage still blazing as if the battle had just started.

The Elite Four member simply threw another Poké Ball.

"Go, Dragonite!"

Holy tensed as another familiar figure appeared. The figure was an enormous orange dragon with blue wings. Brown eyes remained sharp and alert as they gazed at Holly.

Yet Holly felt that her own gaze was just sharp.

This was the same species of dragon that the Safari Zone, Kaiser, had used.

And the same species that had been completely crushed when trying to defend the Safari Zone against invaders.

This Dragonite would probably be just as weak, especially considering how pathetic Lance was!

But before Holly could utter a single command, Kristine's voice chimed in her head.

However, the disabled Trainer's voice had a wary tone to it, and a hint of concern reflected in her eyes.

" _Dragonite… Normally, that's Lance's strongest Pokémon. Usually, he sends it out last. But if Lance is using Dragonite, he must have something else up his sleeve… Be careful, Holly."_

Holly nodded in agreement.

She'd come too far to let recklessness get in her way now!

She thrust out her hand at Dragonite.

"Glaceon, just keep using Ice Beam!"

Ice launched out of Glaceon's mouth, and slammed into Dragonite's face. Lance's Pokémon roared and coughed up ice, but Glaceon kept aiming.

Holly tried not to shudder as she recalled Anabel's Silvally. The abominable creature had died choking on ice.

And now Lance's Dragonite was coughing up some too…

Would it die as well?

The League deserved everything it got, but Kristine had told Holly to battle normally…

Had she made a mistake?

Yet Holly was jerked from her thoughts as Lance's Dragonite was covered in the freezing substance.

The massive Pokémon simply staggered backward, starting to tumble in the same direction. Luckily, Lance recalled his Pokémon before it hit the ground.

The stern, cold, expression never left Lance's face, but Holly couldn't resist the urge to smirk.

 _That_ was Lance's strongest Pokémon? _That_ was nothing to worry about!

The Elite Four leader truly was pathetic! He should have known he'd have no chance!

Yet Lance clearly didn't know, as he tossed out another Poké Ball.

"Go, Flygon!"

The new dragon that burst on the battlefield looked anything but familiar, and Holly tried hard not to stare. It was an emerald green, with stripes on its tail. The end of the tail was shaped like a clover, and was outlined in red. Holly could see dark green blotches on its hips and toes, even as the opposing Pokémon fluttered in the air. Lance's Pokémon had tiny hands and feet and Holly wondered if it could use them for anything. However, there was no wondering that the arms and feet were dwarfed by giant red eyes. Light green wings looking like diamonds were spread wide. Holly could see they had the same red outline as the creature's tail. Lance's Pokémon also had something dark green that looked like hair on its head, but Holly couldn't tell for sure if that's what it was.

She could tell when Kristine's voice spoke again, though.

" _That's a Flygon, a dragon from the Hoenn region. It is strong, but very weak to ice."_

Holly couldn't stop herself from grinning.

" _I know just what to do, then!"_

She rapidly pointed to the Flygon.

"Glaceon, another Ice Beam!"

Holly's Pokémon fired the deadly beam straight at the soaring Flygon. The opposing Pokémon shrieked and tried to get out of the way. However, Glaceon's attack caught Flygon's tail. Holly's Pokémon mercilessly pointed the beam up, and Flygon froze in midair as the ice spread. Briefly, all Holly could hear was the opposing Pokémon's screeches of pain. However, those screeches stopped as Flygon became encased in glimmering ice. It plummeted from the sky, falling to the ground with a mighty crash. As rapidly as it had fallen, the Flygon disappeared.

Lance kept his cold yet tranquil fury as his Pokémon was engulfed in a flash of red light.

Yet Holly only held a mocking smile.

For the leader of the Elite Four, Lance was just a weakling!

There was nothing he could do to her now!

Lance responded with silence, with only the sound of a Poké Ball to break it.

That, and a single, icy, command.

"Go, Charizard."

A giant orange lizard erupted onto the battlefield. Flames burned brightly on its long tail. The lizard stood on two feet, with flexible arms. However, it rapidly used a pair of orange and blue wings to take off into the air. Holly could see white claws gleaming on the lizard's feet, and they matched similar fangs in its mouth. A tan torso was showing beneath, and black eyes surveyed the battlefield.

Yet Holly didn't pay much attention to the new foe.

Instead, she was drawn to a piece of jewelry around the Charizard's neck. It had a gleaming rainbow colored stone in the center.

Holly nodded and narrowed her eyes.

The stone and the jewelry could only mean one thing.

Kristine must've been thinking the same, for she copied the motion.

But still…

Something seemed amiss.

Holly knew instantly what it was, and she wasted no time speaking through thought.

" _Charizard isn't a Dragon Type Pokémon! Why does Lance even have one?"_

Kristine responded rapidly, although there was no missing the concern in her voice.

" _It may have been from his early days as a Flying Type trainer. Or perhaps a memento of those days. Charizard does have some draconic traits, so some members of the Blackthorn's clan do train it. But no matter the reason, this isn't good."_

Holly narrowed her eyes again.

But what be so bad about a Charizard?

It was a popular Pokémon of a lot of people liked and had!

And it was only the final evolution of one of the starters in Kanto!

So countless Trainers at least started off with one!

What made Kristine so concerned?

Holly was about to ask wide Kristine for the way she did, but her attention was drawn to Lance.

The Elite Four member had thrown back his cape, revealing a glimmering gray fang on his clothing. Lance's hand went to his clothing, fingering the fang.

Holly wondered what Lance was doing, but she soon got her answer.

Lance finally truly broke his silence, yelling.

"Charizard, Mega Evolve!"

Lance's Pokémon let out a roar and was surrounded by blinding white light.

Holly rapidly turned away, and she couldn't help cringing.

Of course someone as high up in the League as Lance would be able to use Mega Evolution!

But what was he using it for?

Holly got her answer as the light finally cleared.

When she glanced back, she tried not to let her eyes go wide.

In Charizard's place stood an almost completely different Pokémon. This creature had a body blacker than anything Holly had ever seen. Its underside was a dark blue, matching mighty wings. A powerful blue flame now scorched on its tail, and similar ones burned at the edges of its mouth. The new creature looked like it could fire them at any moment, yet mercifully held back. The white gleaming claws were longer and sharper, and black eyes from before were replaced by piercing red.

Holly tried hard not to let her jaw drop as Kristine spoke in a concerned tone again.

" _This is exactly what I feared. That's Mega Charizard X. It's a stronger form of Charizard that can wield the power of dragons and fire. As such, the best way to combat it is Ground and Rock Types, neither of which you have."_

Holly couldn't help howling.

" _So what should I do, then?"_

Kristine responded calmly, although her grave tone remained.

" _Dragons are weak to their own Type. So you can exploit that. Provided you don't deliver the Dragon type attacks using a Dragon type Pokémon."_

Holly's widened eyes became narrowed.

She knew just the Pokémon for something like that!

Rapidly, Holly recalled Glaceon, a gleaming Ultra Ball already in her hand.

She tossed into the air, shouting at the top of her lungs.

"Go, Arcanine!"

Holly's Pokémon howled as it bounded onto the battlefield.

With that, Holly's eyes grew even harder.

Lance wasn't worthy of the power of fire, and she would show him exactly why!

He would suffer as all the misusers and traitors did.

Holly took a deep breath and screamed.

"Arcanine, Outrage!"

Holly's Pokémon howled to the sky. It was so loud she was sure the entire League could hear it. Arcanine's eyes turned bright red and it outmatched even the Charizard. An aura the same color as its eyes surrounded it.

In a heartbeat, Arcanine leapt.

Charizard tried to fly away, but Arcanine slashed at its underbelly. The attack struck home, and Charizard tumbled downward. The opposing Pokémon landed on the ground with a deafening crash, and Arcanine stood on top of it. Lance's Charizard roared in pain, as Arcanine attacked with one-minded fury. The sounds of clawing, biting, and tearing mixed with Charizard's desperate cries.

And yet there couldn't be sweeter music to Holly's ears.

The clawing…

The biting…

The tearing…

The fear…

The pain…

The helplessness…

It had happened all before, when Anabel the betrayer had received punishment from the same move…

She had been one of the first to turn against Holly and Kristine, and they made sure she regretted it ever since…

Now was only fitting that the last of the traitors would feel the effects of the same punishment.

And Holly and Kristine would make sure he regretted everything he did!

Holly was drawn back to the battle as Arcanine let out another howl. Holly's Pokémon still stood over Charizard, eyes gleaming red. However, Charizard had gone silent and motionless, face twisted in a grimace. The Pokémon's eyes were shut tightly, and Holly could see bruises covering its broken body.

Holly grinned mockingly.

There was no coming back from that, and Lance knew it!

The Elite Four member acknowledged his defeat with a shake of his head, and held up Charizard's Poké Ball.

Holly nodded, and Arcanine jumped off of Charizard. She and Lance recalled their Pokémon, and the two faced each other.

Holly frowned.

What would Lance say or do?

Would he try to stop them, even now?

Although Lance's gaze hardened, Holly could hear latent desperation within his voice.

"Where is Clair? What have you done to her?"

Kristine walked up, a smile on her face.

However, that smile was quickly proven false, and her tone mocking.

"You didn't beat Holly. So you don't get to know."

Holly nodded in agreement.

Surely, Lance would not forget what he had promised.

Indeed, he didn't, for the Elite Four member only clenched a fist.

The rage in his eyes still burned, but he made no effort to stop them.

Kristine's smile grew even wider, and she nodded at Holly.

"Come. The Champion awaits."

Holly eagerly nodded back.

Of course! The most important battle of them all! One she had defeated the Champion, the League, no, _the entire region,_ would be theirs!

Holly broke into a sprint, wasting no time as she followed Kristine forward through the now open door.

As the darkness of hallway overtook her, only one thought was in Holly's head.

Soon, all their opposition would be obliterated!

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-Like the other Elite Four members in the story, Lance is fought in multiple different games. As a result, the room he fights in has many different designs. However, unlike the others, the room is usually fairly bland. Luckily, the Let's Go games did a fantastic redesign, so that redesign is what is used here. The one difference is that Lance has his Dragonite out of its Poké Ball, and it greets challengers alongside him. However, with this story's more serious take, he didn't make much sense for Lance to do that.**

 **-Lance being a Dragon Master comes from the games. He's explicitly referred to as such, and even calls himself that when the player challenges him. However, it has no bearing on the game otherwise. Lance being the leader of the International Police Force is my interpretation of the anime. In the anime, Lance is a member of the police force, but it's unknown what rank he is. However, what is known is that he is extremely powerful and competent. Considering he's also the highest ranked member of the International Police Force seen (being a leader of the Elite Four, and later a Champion), I thought it would make sense if he was the leader of the International Police. It's worth noting that Anabel has a higher rank (being the leader of the Battle Frontier, which is stronger than the Champion). However, canonically, she gave up her rank and does not even remember having it. In this story, even though she remembers having it, she still had to give it up. So, despite her power, Anabel has no rank when she joins. However, I'm not discounting the idea of making Anabel leader of the International Police in future books.**

 **-Like the others, Lance can be battled in many different games. However, he's a bit of an unusual case. In his debut game, Dratini and its two evolutions were the only dragons that existed. The Johto games added Kingdra, but Lance does not use it in his initial Champion team. Instead, Clair uses it as her strongest Pokémon. Therefore, it wasn't until his rematches in the Johto remakes that Lance finally got a proper team of Dragon Type Pokémon. In the matches before then and in the Let's Go games, Lance uses Pokémon that are draconic in appearance without having the Dragon Type (such as Charizard, Areodactyal, and Gyarados). Consequently, all of Lance's initial teams other than those in the Stadium games share the Flying Type. This led to many fans joking that Lance was instead of Flying Type Trainer, so him formerly being one is a reference to that. Since Traveler uses as many different regions as possible, Lance has a proper Dragon Type team consisting of many dragons from regions outside of Kanto.**

 **-Kristine's wariness about Dragonite and what happens later on in the battle comes from the games. As she states, Dragonite is typically Lance's strongest Pokémon on most of his teams. However, in the Let's Go games, that is not the case. In Lance's rematches, he uses Mega Charizard X, and has that as his strongest team member instead. Him doing the same thing here is based off of that, and just like in this story, it can be quite surprising to those who are used to seeing Dragonite.**


	116. Past, Present, Future

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

115\. Past, Present, Future

Adrenaline pumped through Holly as she rushed through the dark hallway one last time.

She easily matched Kristine's strides, and beamed even though she knew no one could see.

Soon, Holly would taste sweet victory, and she couldn't wait to savor it!

The blinding light came for a final time, and Holly did not flinch.

Instead, she studied her new surroundings.

There was a dark gray area with a blue center strap that reminded Holly of a catwalk. Perhaps it was, considering the circumstances. Regardless, golden rails stood on both sides. Blue lights were all over the floor and shining upward. They illuminated the room with an intense glow, and Holly tried hard not to stare. Golden and gray pillars lined the room, stretching so tall it seemed like they could touch the sky. The sides of the floor were dark blue, filled with more of the powerful lights. Holly could see the usual locked healing machine in the bottom corner, but the intense light almost shielded it from view. Grayish white tiles led up to light blue ones in the center. Parts of the latter titles formed the shape of a battlefield, with the red squares stretching out in all directions.

But it wasn't the battlefield that caught Holly's eye.

It was the person standing in the center.

This person was female, and appeared to be young. Holly guessed she was younger than her, since she was also shorter. The other Trainer had something that looked like a dark pink baseball cap, but Holly had no idea what it represented. Regardless, it kept the black bangs out of the female's Trainer eyes, and she was able to look them squarely. Holly could see that her black hair was long, but she couldn't tell how much. The other female Trainer had on dark pink clothing that matched her cap. One piece of clothing was a shirt that looked almost like a jacket. The other was a pair of short pants. Holly noticed the person had on gray sturdy shoes, but they looked worn.

But no matter what the other person's clothing choices, there was no mistaking the power present in her brown eyes. She did not even flinch as Kristine and Holly continued forward.

Holly nodded slowly.

Of course this other person would have power!

She was, after all, the Champion!

But Holly would put that power to the test, and triumph by proving she was the stronger one!

No matter what it took!

Yet before Holly could even make a move, Kristine stepped forward even more.

The other person's eyes flashed with familiarity, and Kristine greeted her warmly.

"Hello, Scarlet. It's been a long time."

Relief flooded the person named Scarlet's voice as she replied enthusiastically.

"Yes, Kris, it has! I'm so grateful you made it here, despite everything that has happened!"

Holly nodded eagerly, managing a genuine smile.

Finally, someone who was polite!

Finally, some who could understand them!

Yet suddenly, Scarlet's face fell, and there was no mistaking the hesitation and fear in her voice.

"Kris… I've heard what others have said… That you've hurt and killed many people to get here, and even long before you started… But you… You didn't really do any of that, did you?"

Kristine shook her head, genuinely warm smile still on her face.

"No, I didn't. There are some wicked people after me, and they are the ones who truly committed the wrongdoings. But I will tell you all about that later."

She gestured towards Holly, and Holly stepped up to face Scarlet.

"For now, I've been teaching another Trainer, Holly. She is here to challenge you for your title. So why don't you show her everything you've learned in your travels, and she will show what she has learned?"

Scarlet's eyes lit up, and Holly followed suit.

A battle against current and former student, one for the ages!

And Scarlet looked so lively and enthusiastic!

Surely she would listen them after the fight, and lead Holly to her rightful place in the Hall of Fame!

Surely Scarlet had escaped the League's corruption!

That cheer did not leave Scarlet's voice as the Champion's eyes continued shinning.

"All right! Then I will demonstrate everything you've taught me, Kris!"

Holly nodded, grin growing wider.

"And I'll do the same to you, Scarlet!"

Scarlet nodded, gesturing gleefully towards the battlefield.

"Let's go, then!"

Holly only beamed back.

She could finally have a regular battle within the League!

It was a shame her first normal battle would be her last and only, but now was not the time to dwell on that.

Instead, Holly only followed Scarlet on the battlefield.

The Champion held a Poké Ball, and tossed it into the air.

Scarlet let out an enthusiastic cry as she shouted a name Holly recognized instantly.

"Go, Dragonite!"

The same orange dragon from the battle before materialized in front of Holly.

And just like last time, the dragon let out a mighty roar.

Its brown eyes were sharp and focused, daring Holly to bring out one of her own Pokémon.

Yet Holly's own eyes only narrowed.

It may not have been the same Pokémon she faced prior, but that hardly mattered.

Because it would go down just as easily!

Holly grabbed her own Poké Ball, throwing it into the air.

"Go, Glaceon!"

Holly's Pokémon hissed as it leapt onto the battlefield. Glaceon's icy blue eyes held a piercing gaze, and it glared straight at Dragonite. Dragonite only glared back, not even close to being intimidated.

For a while, the two simply locked eyes, caught in each other's menacing gazes.

Yet Holly knew it would not be for long.

After all, she came to win a battle, not a staring contest.

With that, she shouted.

"Glaceon, Ice Beam!"

Ice formed in Glaceon's open mouth, shaping itself into the deadly beam. Holly's Pokémon launched the attack straight at Dragonite. Scarlet's Pokémon screamed as the attack struck it dead on. Within minutes, it had turned light blue, chilling ice glistening on its body. Dragonite stood frozen and unmoving, having gone eerily silent. After several minutes, Scarlet's Pokémon began to fall backward. Before her Dragonite could hit the ground, Scarlet recalled it.

Holly first avoided eye contact with Scarlet, trying her best not to tense.

Would Scarlet fly into a rage, like many others in the League had done?

Would the Champion tell her she was weak, and that she didn't raise her Pokémon?

Would she launch into a tirade accusing her of crimes, none of which actually committed?

Yet as Holly looked up at Scarlet, the Champion's face broke into a gleeful, genuine, smile.

"Wow, your Pokémon is very strong! You are a great trainer, Holly! I bet you're Kris's star student, too!"

Holly beamed and nodded her thanks.

How wonderful to finally get some honest praise, especially from someone as esteemed as the Champion!

There was no greater honor!

Yet Holly knew she couldn't let her guard down.

This smile was still on Scarlet's face, yet this time the Champion was gleaming with confidence.

Holly stood at the ready as Scarlet spoke.

"But I'll have you know I am Kris's star student too! And I'm just getting started!

Scarlet held a Poké Ball in her hand, shouting as she tossed into the air.

"Go, Ninetails!"

Holly expected a fiery fox to emerge from the ball. However, she couldn't stop her eyes from going wide as something completely different appeared.

Instead of having the silky cream-colored tails Holly had seen before, the tails all seemed to blend into one. Holly thought they resembled a pile of snow, but they were light blue instead of white. The rest of it body was light blue as well, and Holly though the entire creature could blend right into snow itself. Perhaps, this was a walking pile of snow that had somehow transformed into a fox. Whatever the case, the thing that caught Holly's attention the most was the creature's eyes. Scarlet's Pokémon surveyed the battlefield with deep blue green eyes instead of piercing red. Rather than appearing aggressive and combative, a calm and wise gaze was directed at Holly and Glaceon. If Holly didn't know better, she would say the creature was just taking a walk in a park.

Except it wasn't.

This Pokémon was in the middle of the most important battle in the League, and yet acted like it didn't have a care in the world.

Holly wasn't sure how that was possible, and resisted the urge to clench her fist.

She glanced back at the opposing Pokémon again, with the enemy keeping its calm expression.

Scarlet had said this was a Ninetails, but it couldn't be!

Ninetails were children of fire, always blazing for a battle!

Yet this one didn't seem like it was prepared for anything other than standing around, and Holly certainly didn't see any fire!

How could that be?

Was Scarlet lying?

Was this an imposter simply assuming the name of a Ninetails?

Yet as if sensing Holly's confusion, Kristine spoke through thought.

" _Scarlet's not wrong. That is a Ninetales, although not what you're familiar with. This form originates in Alola, evolving from a Vulpix that has done the same. It's rare in other regions, but is not impossible to find. This Ninetails has the power of ice and fairies rather than fire. Therefore, it should be easy to take down."_

Holly nodded in agreement.

No matter what, a Ninetails that couldn't use the power of fire was not a true one!

So Holly knew exactly what Pokémon she would use to take down this false Ninetails!

With that, Glaceon disappeared in a flash of red light.

Holly snatched up another Poké Ball, shouting as she tossed it into the air.

"Go, Lucario!"

Holly's Pokémon burst onto the battlefield with a snarl. Scarlet's Ninetails still remained serene and unruffled, but Holly knew it wouldn't be for long.

She pressed the button on her wrist bracelet, letting her voice ring through the air.

"Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

Holly's Pokémon roared and became surrounded in white light. Holly glanced away, but rapidly directed her gaze back to the battlefield as the light cleared.

Lucario glared menacingly at Scarlet's Ninetails, and the Pokémon shuffled in place.

Holly resisted the urge to pump her fist in the air.

Even the Champion's Ninetails became nervous at the sight of a Mega Lucario!

And now victory was all but guaranteed!

Cheer filled Holly's voice as she shouted.

"Lucario, Flash Cannon!"

Holly's Pokémon opened its mouth, launching silver light out of it. Ninetails screamed as the light slammed into it, and the force was enough to push Scarlet's Pokémon backwards. It stopped just short of crashing into its Trainer, instead collapsing to the ground. Scarlet's Pokémon quickly disappeared from the battlefield, as the Champion recalled in a beam of red light.

Again, there was no hatred or anger in Scarlet's eyes or voice.

Only a smile and pure joy to match.

The cheer came through as Scarlet spoke again.

"Wow, you even have a Lucario with its Mega form! You truly are a great trainer!"

"Thank you!" Holly responded, a gigantic grin spreading on her face.

At last, someone acknowledged her hard work!

No one telling her she was using a Pokémon she didn't raise!

No one saying her own Pokémon wasn't hers, or that it hadn't bonded with her!

No one saying that it didn't join her out of its own free will!

No one scolding her when she utilized its power in battle!

Instead, Scarlet only had genuine praise and admiration.

And that was truly the best thing in the world to Holly.

By the end of this, she would make another ally.

The strongest Trainer in the League would turn against them!

And the League would be able to do nothing but lament!

Holly let her thoughts drift back the present as she stared back at the battlefield.

Before she could get a new ally, she had to win this battle first!

Holly's focus returned to Scarlet as the Champion held another Poké Ball.

She didn't hesitate throwing it into the air, shouting.

"Go, Muk!"

A Pokémon slid onto the battlefield as the ball opened up. However, it was unlike anything it probably never seen.

Its body looked like a pile of goo, but the goo was in the colors of the rainbow. Holly could see yellow, blue, green, and pink, but she was sure there were even more colors somewhere. There were white shapes on the creature's body that looked like rocks, and Holly thought she could also see white fangs in its mouth. The creature wore a toothy grin, and the inside of its mouth was blue. Holly knew she couldn't underestimate the creature, as its piercing black eyes focused immediately on the battlefield.

Kristine must've felt the same, for her voice sounded in Holly's head.

" _That's an Alolan Muk. Just like Ninetails, it's a variant found in that region, and evolves from a Grimer that is the same. You're probably more familiar with the Kanto version. That variant is often used by Team Rocket in their evil schemes."_

Holly nodded, and hoped Scarlet wouldn't see her gaze harden.

She remembered well the Grimer that had attacked Silph, and knew Muk was what they would evolve into…

And though Team Rocket was temporarily allied with them now, there was no denying that they had hurt innocent civilians during the attack…

To think that the honorable Champion had the same Pokémon as criminals…

It didn't seem possible…

But then again, from what Holly had heard, Scarlet was young and naïve…

So perhaps she didn't know about Team Rocket or their crimes…

But almost every trainer knew about Team Rocket…

And going through the Kanto region, Scarlet had to know of them…

She might've even directly encountered them, and seeing as she trained with Kristine, that was likely…

Perhaps someone in the League gave her that Pokémon, or manipulated her into using it…

Maybe even Scarlet had captured it without knowing the implications…

But Scarlet's reasoning didn't matter now.

Because Holly had to defeat her Pokémon, no matter what.

But before she could even move, Holly heard Kristine's voice again.

" _The Alolan form of Muk has the powers of poison and darkness. So, Lucario has a slight advantage, but I wouldn't recommend using it here. Muk can learn fire attacks that Pokémon like Lucario are weak against. So the battle can quickly turn against you."_

Holly nodded again, eyes become narrowed and focused.

She knew she didn't have any Pokémon that was strong against Muk's Type combination.

However, she still knew what Pokémon she would use.

In a flash of red light, Lucario disappeared from the battlefield.

Holly didn't hesitate, as she threw another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Naganadel!"

The poisonous dragon appeared with a hiss, glaring menacingly at Scarlet's Muk.

Holly expected the Champion to have the same smile.

However, Scarlet's face blanched, eyes wide with fear. Her jaw hung open in horror, and she looked like she was about to vomit. Mercifully, Scarlet stopped herself from throwing up, but still staggered backward.

The confident tone she had used before was gone, replaced by a frightened, high-pitched, screech.

"So it's _true!_ You _really have done_ all those horrible things!"

Holly resisted the urge to clench her fist.

What was with the change in Scarlet's demeanor?

This was just an enemy Pokémon, and Kristine hadn't done anything horrible!

Kristine seem to feel the same, as she continued to respond calmly.

"Why the long face, Scarlet? There's no proof that I've done anything horrible."

Scarlet's face only grew paler as she screamed.

"That proof is that Pokémon! That vicious, heartless, gleam in its eyes isn't normal! It's been brainwashed! And I know you're the one that did it, Kris!"

Holly thrust her fists out in front of her, face turning into a frown.

What was Scarlet talking about?

Kristine hadn't brainwashed any Pokémon!

Even if Kristine had done something, how did Scarlet know just by looking at Holly's Pokémon?

Perhaps the Champion really was lying this time.

Kristine narrowed her eyes, although her voice still remained calm.

"How do you know that, Scarlet?"

Despite her fear, Scarlet still managed look Kristine in the eye as she shrieked.

"You always have that Delphox with you, and it can use the move Hypnosis! Although never to brainwash others, I've seen that Pokémon utilize the move before! I know you have that Ultra Beast inside of you, and therefore, you're one of the few that knows a lot about them! I've heard that Ultra Beasts like the one you have inside you can summon wormholes, and that Naganadel comes from these wormholes! So of course I know that you brainwashed that one, because you're the only one who can!"

Holy gritted her teeth, clenching her fists so tight her knuckles turned white.

Scarlet was just making educated guesses, going on what she thought rather than what was reality!

She was just spouting filth, like the rest of the League!

Holly was a fool to think the Champion could ever join them!

Even with her young age and brief reign, the League had already corrupted Scarlet!

Kristine must've thought all the same things, as her eyes narrowed even more, and a harsh tone crept into her voice.

"You _think,_ you don't _know._ You're just making educated guesses, Scarlet, but guesses have no place here. What happened to Holly's Pokémon doesn't matter now. Regardless of how you feel, you must fight."

Scarlet's face rapidly returned to its natural color, and confidence once again shown in her eyes.

However, her voice carried a tone of new hostility as she shouted.

"You're both monsters, and I'll fight to save the region from you!"

Holly didn't waste a moment as she snarled.

"You and the League are the true monsters, Scarlet! You don't stand a chance against us!"

She thrust other hand, howling.

"Naganadel, Nasty Plot!"

The familiar smirking expression appeared on Naganadel's face. A black aura once again surrounded it. However, the black aura disappeared as quickly as it came, and the smirk soon faded. With that, Naganadel returned to normal as it resumed glaring at its opponent.

Scarlet stepped back, eyes wide in shock.

At this moment, Holly couldn't resist smirking.

Scarlet now realized she had no chance!

It wasn't even worth fighting anymore!

Scarlet should just surrender!

Yet the Champion didn't think the same, as she was quick to recover.

Scarlet screamed.

"Muk, Screech!"

Muk opened its mouth and a horrible, high-pitched, noise filled the air. Holly cringed as goosebumps took over her body, and she clapped her hands over her ears. It wasn't like the latter gesture did anything however, as the noise seemed to pierce through everything. Holly thought she could see slight waves of sound in the air, but couldn't be sure.

What she could see was that Naganadel was not affected at all, and just lazily dodged to the left. Whatever Muk's attack was trying to do, it clearly hadn't worked.

Within minutes, the noise stopped. Holly took her hands off her ears, and a smile spread across her face.

Now, it was time to strike back!

Holly's smile only grew wider as she shouted.

"Naganadel, Dragon Pulse!"

Naganadel took a deep breath and fired a stream of light green energy at Scarlet's Pokémon. Muk didn't even get a chance to move as the attack struck it head on. For a moment, both Holly and Scarlet were blinded by the light. Within a few minutes, the light cleared. Muk stood with a pained expression on its face. However, that didn't last long, as Scarlet's Pokémon let out a groan before shutting its eyes and falling to the ground.

Holly saw the orange glow of Beast Boost at the same time she saw Scarlet's Pokémon being recalled.

The Champion's eyes were filled with determination, but Holly also thought she saw her tremble.

Holly's grin still remained on her face, and she tauntingly flashed the grin at Scarlet.

The Champion should be trembling!

She must have realized now that she was in way over her head!

Perhaps she would finally stop fighting!

Yet Scarlet only reciprocated by throwing another Poké Ball.

"Go, Poliwrath!"

Another Pokémon emerged onto the battlefield, and Holly took a moment to study it.

It looked a lot like the Poliwhirl she used to have. Which made sense, considering this was the other evolution Holly's Pokémon could've evolved into. Scarlet's Pokémon had the same blue body that Holly had been familiar with. The white torso with the black swirl also remained. What differed was that the white gloves from before housed muscular fists. Its black and white eyes, originally brimming with friendliness and curiosity, were now sharp and focused. Scarlet's Pokémon walked onto the battlefield with a confident athleticism in its step. Rather than retreating, it only glared back at Naganadel.

Yet Holly knew that confidence would not stay for long.

She and Naganadel would shred it to pieces!

Holly shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Naganadel. Sludge Bomb!"

Naganadel screeched to the sky before it launched a ball of sludge from its mouth. Poliwrath screamed as the ball of sludge slammed into it. The opposing Pokémon's body was briefly drenched in purple, sludge dripping from every area. Eventually, Holly could see Poliwrath stagger backwards, close its eyes, and then collapse onto the ground.

Scarlet rapidly recalled her Pokémon, and Holly noticed the Champion's face had started losing its color again.

Holly only smirked.

The Champion knew she was losing!

She should realize battling any further wasn't worth it!

Yet clearly Scarlet didn't.

As the orange aura of Beast Boost enveloped Naganadel, Holly noticed the Champion held another Poké Ball.

She rapidly tossed it into the air.

"Go, Electivire!"

A Pokémon burst onto the battlefield with a snarl. Holly thought her hair was standing on end, as electricity crackled through the air. It didn't surprise her, though, considering this was clearly an electric Pokémon. The Pokémon was yellow with black stripes that reminded Holly of a tiger. It stood on two feet with white claws. The creature had black fingers that resembled something that could be plugged into an electrical outlet. Long whip-like tails resembling wires sprouted from its back. Two yellow antennae moved constantly, as piercing red eyes gave the creature sight.

Holly nodded confidently.

Electivire was a powerful foe, but she knew exactly how to put it in its place!

Cheer overflowed in her voice as she commanded.

"Sludge Bomb again!"

Naganadel cackled as a second ball of sludge appeared. Electrivire shrieked as the sludge was hurled into its face. Again the opponent was drenched in purple, sludge dripping off of it onto the floor. Electrivire took a few wobbly steps backward, before falling on its right side. The Pokémon closed its eyes, and then lay still.

Scarlet gritted her teeth as Electrivire disappeared from the battlefield. There was no hiding her shaking now, and the Champion could barely hold another Poké Ball.

Holly only continued to smirk.

So this was who the Champion really was! It was truly pathetic!

To think that she had been one of Kristine's students! She clearly wasn't acting worthy of that distinction now!

She was truly a disappointment and embarrassment to her former teacher!

No, to the entire region!

But soon…

Soon Holly would end this all, and take her rightful place in the Hall of Fame!

After that, the League's corruption would be no more!

Holly couldn't contain the giant grin on her face as a final Poké Ball flew through the air.

Scarlet's shout rang through the air, although there was no mistaking that it was filled with fear.

"Go, Venusaur!"

Holy tensed as a familiar Pokémon appeared.

Light blue body, making it looking like a giant dinosaur…

Green leaves that twitched back and forth, with a pinkish red flower sprouting from its back…

Red eyes surveying the battlefield, with tiny ears pointed forward and alert…

This was Venusaur, one of the most ferocious battlers among Grass Type Pokémon…

And one of the Pokémon Holly had used to help her flee to Viridian…

To think that the trip with the Venusaur was the beginning of her journey, and now she was facing one at the end…

She couldn't get sentimental now, though…

This Venusaur was still an enemy, and she still had a battle to win!

But before Holly could even move, she was alerted to gray jewelry around the opposing Pokémon's neck. Even more noticeable was the shimmering rainbow colored stone in the center.

Holly knew what this meant, and her eyes narrowed. Her gaze was rapidly drawn to Scarlet, as the Champion pressed a button on a ring around her finger.

"Venusaur, Mega Evolve!"

Scarlet's Pokémon roared as it was surrounded by bright light. Holly turned away, blinded temporarily.

Within minutes, the light cleared and Holly glanced at the battlefield again.

She frowned as she saw another familiar face.

It has been a while since she had seen the creature, with flowers and leaves larger and more numerous.

Yet the resemblance was unmistakable.

This was Mega Venusaur, the same creature that had attacked Fuchsia's Safari Zone under the command of Leaf!

Even though the rebels were on Holly's side now, she could not forget what happened there!

So this one had to be destroyed!

Holly screamed as loud as she could.

"Naganadel, finish it off with a final Sludge Bomb!"

Naganadel let out a cry before a ball of sludge soared from its mouth. Venusaur let out another roar, this time in pain, as the ball of sludge smashed into its face. Scarlet Pokémon tried to shake off the sludge, but to no avail. Instead, it painfully squeezed its eyes shut, trembling slightly. The trembling soon ceased, and Scarlet's final Pokémon crashed to the ground.

There was no stopping the shaking now, and Scarlet's face went pale again as she recalled her Pokémon. Scarlet's eyes were wide, and Holly wondered again if the younger Trainer was going to vomit.

Yet Holly felt no sympathy, only casting a merciless glare as she recalled her own Pokémon.

This was how the Champion handled losses? Young or not, it was pathetic and shameful!

Holly was aware of Kristine slowly walking up to Scarlet.

The disabled Trainer's eyes were cold, and her voice was similarly devoid of any warmth.

"You know what happens next, Scarlet. Act like a Champion, and play your role."

Despite her trembling, Scarlet managed to fiercely shake her head.

"No, I won't take monsters like you to the Hall of Fame! You haven't earned that right!"

Kristine's voice retained her coldness as she continued to speak.

"Holly earned that right when she defeated you in battle. And you know I earned it long ago. Take us there."

Scarlet shook her head again defiantly. Amazingly, her reply came out steady and strong.

"No, I won't. I can't."

Kristine gave a curt nod.

"Very well then."

The disabled Trainer turned to Holly.

"Holly, we no longer need to hold back."

Holly couldn't contain her glee.

This was what she had been waiting for!

The chance to finally and truly destroy the League!

What better way to do that than to annihilate its Champion?

Still, Scarlet was a special Trainer, so she deserved to be annihilated in a special way!

With that, Holly's voice rang through the air.

"Morgana!"

On cue, Holly felt the Aegislash's sword and shield attaching to her arms. She let out a sigh of relief, a wide and relaxed grin on her face.

Never before had the sword and shield felt so perfect for her.

Her gleam of confidence contrasted against Scarlet's fearful gaze.

The Champion tried to step back, but tripped and fell into a sitting position.

Scarlet made no effort to get up as Holly continued walking towards her.

She held Morgana's blade down in front of her, pointing it at Scarlet.

As Holly drew closer and closer, Scarlet curled up while sitting on the floor.

Yet Holly held no sympathy, eyes growing colder as she continued to advance.

Suddenly, Scarlet let out an ear piercing scream so loud it was as though the entire region could hear.

Normally, such an action would cause Holly to wince, or throw her hands over her ears.

Yet now, she did nothing.

Because it didn't matter.

Screaming would save Scarlet now.

Nothing would save Scarlet now.

Because it was finally time to truly take down the League.

Starting with Kanto's Champion.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **-The Champion's room differs depending the game the Champion is fought in. However, in most of the Kanto games, the Champion's room is fairly bland. However, the Let's Go games did an excellent job redesigning it, and so this story's design is taken directly from there.**

 **-As for the Champion Scarlet herself, some of her character is taken directly from the original RP, and some of it is not. The original RP states that she is Red's daughter, that her name is Scarlet, and that she is the current Champion. Scarlet's team is also directly from the RP, with the information gotten ahead of time just like with Azure. Other than that, nothing else is known. Therefore, things like Scarlet's appearance and backstory were left wide open. While her backstory was already explained, her appearance was not. In order to create Scarlet's appearance, I looked at Red's appearance from Pokémon Special, made it a bit younger and some things more feminine (such as the pink clothing and the longer hair), and the end result was what Scarlet looks like now.**

 **-Scarlet refusing to take Holly and Kristine to the Hall of Fame because of their history as criminals is based on my own interpretation. I figured that if Gym Leaders have the right to refuse someone a Badge based on criminal activity or otherwise being unworthy, it wasn't a stretch to assume and put in that Champions could also deny a victorious Challenger access to the Hall of Fame. Canon material doesn't really address this, as no one there is a criminal (or has a criminal history) battles the Champion formally for the title. There are few criminals that do battle Champions, but they do so for different reasons.**

 **A more direct example, and one that inspired Scarlet's decision after the battle was a fan game called Pokémon Reborn. In this game, the leader of the ruthless Team Meteor, Lin, battles the Champion Amethyst. However, she quickly defeats the Champion before anyone else can intervene. Lin then brutally kills Amethyst and steals all of her Pokémon, believing these actions will demoralize and disarm the region. However, what happens is that the remaining members of the League band together. These members refuse to recognize Lin as Champion. The reasons are because she didn't go through the proper process to take the title, because she is an infamous and wanted criminal, and because she murdered the previous Champion. Instead, the remaining League members encourage the player to continue to collect Badges and become stronger, so that they and the player can eventually stop Lin.**


	117. But the Earth Refused to Die

**Welcome back to another chapter of Holly Rising! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details. A fair warning: this chapter is extremely long. The reason for the length will be explained in the author's notes, however.**

* * *

117\. But the Earth Refused to Die

She races through the hallway, darkness rendering her blind.

However, she has no need for sight, knowing in this place like her own home.

Around her, the pounding of footsteps fills her ears.

She can feel the others swarming around and behind her, like a protective circle. She knows she needs no protection, but she will not stop them from doing it anyway.

Not after what they'd seen.

Besides, they all knew that there was something else in the darkness too.

Although she couldn't see it, she knew well what it was.

The scorching sensation was unmistakable, a stream of red creating a torrent as she ran.

She could hear the blood splashing onto the ground, and wondered how much was there right now.

She wondered if the others would trip over it, or if they found it disgusting.

However, if the blood was inconvenient, no one complained.

Because now time was short, and if they didn't hurry, there would be nothing left.

She knew what lay ahead.

The scorching sensation told her just as clearly as the vision before had.

Light filled her sight, but she didn't let it blind her.

She couldn't, not when she was seeing her vision unfold in front of her.

For there, in the center of the Champion's battlefield, stood two girls.

One, an Aegislash extended in front of her, advancing threateningly towards the other.

The second was curled up into a ball on the floor, shaking. Occasionally she would glance up with wide, frightened, eyes, but she made no move to defend herself.

Behind the two a woman watched, but did nothing to stop the scene.

She heard some of the others gasping, and she thought she registered at least one person retching.

Yet she only narrowed her eyes.

She knew who the people in front of her were, and she knew this would happen.

And she knew what she had to do next.

Even before the thought crossed their mind, a purple ball of ghostly energy formed in her hands.

They threw her hand back, and hurled the ball with all their might.

The ball arced through the air in a powerful overhand toss.

The one with the Ageislash never saw it coming.

Not until she quite literally walked right into it.

The girl screamed as the hand holding the sword met the purple ball of ghostly energy.

Her screams mingled with the metallic screeching of the Aegislash, creating a noise so deafening the other girl clapped her hands over her ears.

The sword wielder tried to pull her hand away, but the Aegislash was driven so deep the Pokémon could barely be seen.

So instead, the girl's jaw dropped in more screams, face going completely pale.

The Aegislash's metallic screeching rang through the air.

The other girl clapped her hands even tighter over her ears, face twisting into a grimace as her attempt to block out the noise was in vain.

The woman still did not move, only staring grimly forward.

Odd, she thought, considering the other had a Delphox standing beside her.

Then again, maybe the other couldn't help.

After all, Delphox weren't strong against these types of attacks.

Any other Pokémon the other sent out would just get trapped themselves.

She suspected the other knew that, as nothing else appeared.

So the screaming and the shrieking continued, unhindered and only growing louder.

However, she did not pay much attention, for an aura of psychic power soon surrounded her.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the scorching sensation finally stopped, and the seemingly endless river of blood disappeared as though were nothing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at another person enveloped in psychic powers.

There was a look of concern on his face as the person asked a silent question.

She put her hand to her nose, briefly brushing it against her nostrils.

As she pulled it back, nothing was painted red.

She gave a grateful nod, and the other person returned the gesture.

The psychic power dissipated, and she quickly noted the ghostly ball of energy had also faded.

The Aegislash's eyes squeezed shut, and the Pokémon slid out of the girl's hands. The sword and shield clattered upon hitting the floor, and the Aegislash itself lay lifeless.

The other woman rapidly recalled the fallen Pokémon in a flash of red light. Though her face was stoic, there was no hiding the cold fury within her gaze.

The sword wielder's eyes were wide with shock and surprise, but the reaction was brief.

Rapidly, the girl whirled around to face her, and the woman with the Delphox did the same. Although she still looked small and helpless, the other girl could be seen behind the two as she trembled where she sat.

Both the sword wielder and the other woman narrowed their eyes.

She instantly understood why.

She and the treacherous duo were mortal enemies, as demonstrated by their encounters before.

But it wasn't just her that they were seeing.

No, there were others. Many others.

Others that she was sure the two knew.

Others that they probably thought they'd never see again.

On an unspoken cue, those others stepped slowly forward.

Janine, the young and courageous Gym Leader of Fuchsia…

Anabel, member of the International Police Force, and battler of the Ultra Beasts…

Erika, the beautiful yet powerful Gym Leader of Celadon…

Malva, member of the Kalos Elite Four, and leader of the resistance force fighting to protect all regions…

Clair, Dragon Master and former gym leader Blackthorn, completely healed of all her injuries and torment…

Will, psychic Pokémon user of the Kanto Elite Four…

Bruno, martial arts and fighting Type expert of the same…

Karen, Vessel of Darkrai and unparalleled with Dark Types…

Lastly, Lance, another Dragon Master and the leader of Kanto's Elite Four…

All enemies to the two...

All familiar to them…

Why wouldn't the two be agitated?

She supposed she should concentrate more on who they truly were…

The former sword wielder had long blonde hair and blazing green eyes. The fiery rage in her eyes matched her clothing, the latter seeming almost like it was burning with the yellow, orange, and red colors of the flames.

She remembered the girl's name.

Holly.

It was a name she'd never forget, for reasons that the sword wielder probably would never know…

It was no use dwelling on those reasons now, though…

Instead, her vision focused on the one Holly had tried to attack.

The girl huddled on the floor instantly reminded her of Red, if Red were female and wore lighter clothing. And the girl had a similar name.

Scarlet.

The name and the face brought a flash of familiar clarity, and yet she resisted the urge to frown.

From what she was used to, Scarlet was never the Champion, the wise Giselle standing in her place…

Scarlet certainly didn't seem like a Champion now, having become a pitifully trembling mess on the floor.

Perhaps she would no longer be Champion, stepping down after all this was over.

But there was no telling if that would be the case, and it wasn't worth pondering that now.

So instead, she turned to the final figure.

The woman was almost like her doppelgänger, if she had traded her shroud of shadows for a Delphox.

No, she _was_ her doppelgänger, considering she was a ghost that did not acknowledge that existence…

But then again, perhaps neither the ghost nor Holly acknowledged their own existences, considering they vehemently denied everything they had done…

The others certainly acknowledged those existences though.

Janine stepped forward even more, eyes blazing and fists clenched in rage.

That rage rang out in the Gym Leader's shout.

"You're despicable, Holly and Kris! Ordering the rebels to attack Viridian! Having them destroy the city and leaving countless people homeless and fearing for their lives! Letting the rebels top it off by murdering Professor Pine, Azure, and their Pokémon, as well as demolishing the lab! And then there was the innocent Ivy, whose life you stole yourselves! And then you dumped her corpse on the road to the Pokémon League, near the bodies of her own Pokémon! And it's an especially low blow for you, Kris, because you had the rebels kill your own father!"

Holly's eyes briefly widened in shock and surprise, but the ghost's stayed narrowed.

She supposed the two didn't think anyone would know of their recent connection to the rebels.

Yet her visions had told her what had happened, and she alerted everyone else.

But knowledge proved to be not enough, and she had witnessed all those people die…

She had watched as their spirits slid out of their bloodied bodies, the scorching sensation coming again as she spoke with them for a final time…

There were countless spirits that day, and she could hear the mournful, wailing, cries…

But there were too many to talk to them all, and she had to hurry…

She told the spirits so, and they understood…

There were a few she had spoken to, however, in hopes of easing their passage to the lands beyond the mortal world…

One of them was a man…

A man she recognized instantly, yet simultaneously knew almost nothing about…

The man wasn't her favorite person, nor were they father and daughter…

Yet the least she could do was give him a peaceful sendoff to counteract his violent death…

And even though they were not related, she could still feel nothing but pain and pity for the man…

She knew him as someone tall and proud, afraid of nothing…

Yet that man had only shown fear, shrinking back and cowering at the mere sight of her…

Even after she clearly stated she would never harm him, despite also never seeing eye to eye…

Yes, no matter what he did, it pained her to see the once brave man almost paralyzed by fear…

But it hurt her even more to know the one responsible for instilling that fear was the daughter he instinctively loved and trusted…

The man had been a broken shell of his former self, becoming so weak that she even wondered if he would reach the gods…

Yet all she could do was see him off, and remember what had happened that day…

Because that man was not the only victim…

There had been Viridian's Gym leader Azure, a powerful and promising young Trainer taken from the world long before his time…

He had shrieked and howled when he realized the circumstances, eyes blazing with rage and sorrow…

Azure denied his death, saying that he could still go on…

Yet she only shook her head, and he had broken down into a fit of tears…

Much as it pained her to say it, she did not possess the power of resurrection, and neither did anyone else…

Even if someone did have the power, she doubted it would work on someone like him…

Pain struck her like the sharpest knives, as she saw Azure as an echo of his father…

Her mentor, Blue…

She wondered how he would react…

Would Blue break down as much as his son had?

Or would he not be surprised, knowing that the two had tried to hurt Azure before?

All she knew was that there was talk of suspending the Gym challenge until the region recovered…

If it ever recovered…

No, she had to believe that it would recover…

For the sake of young Trainers like Ivy…

Ivy, dead in another place and by another means, but a victim nonetheless…

The poor thing didn't realize she had died until she saw her own corpse below her…

And at that she had screamed and broke down upon realizing what had happened…

Ivy had cursed her own weakness, believing everything had been for nothing…

And she had comforted the girl, telling Ivy that Holly had not fought fairly, and had killed unnecessarily…

That now they had undeniable evidence of what the two were doing, enough to prosecute them both for the death alone…

That Ivy's death was not her own fault, and that she would be remembered as a brave Trainer that gave her life to protect the region…

And of course, it would be the same for her Pokémon, who had fought and died alongside her…

That seemed to satisfy the girl, leading to a peaceful departure…

She could only hope that departure led to eternal paradise…

Yet Ivy was not the only one she hoped for…

Though she desperately wished to speak to one of the spirits at Viridian, she found that she could not…

Julia Pine spirit's was unresponsive, the professor's broken body merely lying on the ground…

A Pokémon lay beside Julia Pine, probably trying to protect the professor in the final moments…

A species called Absol, and this one had been named Katrina…

And then there was the wreckage of the lab, and the countless other Pokémon that had perished within…

Not a single one was left alive, and she couldn't speak to any of them…

She only gleaned one piece of information…

That Professor Julia Pine was waiting for something…

Yet even she did not know what the professor wanted…

After all, once one was dead, what was there to wait for?

She'd hoped it wasn't an act of restless vengeance, yet Julia Pine did not seem like the restless, vengeful type…

Yet there were two people that were…

And they had to be confronted now.

She let her mind focus back on the present, and found Holly and the other staring at her.

Both had gazes full of rage, and Holly snarled.

"What are you doing here, Mold Breaker? You have no right to be in this room!"

Someone stepped forward with a piercing glare.

Lance, she recognized.

His voice rang out through the entire room.

"The Mold Breaker has every right to be here. She beat the Elite Four around the same time you did, and since Scarlet has not officially ceded her Champion title to you, the Mold Breaker has earned the right to fight her as well. Beyond that, there is a rarely used rule that states if two Trainers defeat the Champion at the same time, then they must challenge each other."

Gasps filled the room, and she registered many looks of shock.

Yet she only nodded in agreement with Lance.

She knew of that rule, and she knew she could invoke it here.

To say it was rarely used was an understatement.

Despite her many years of learning about Pokémon, she had only ever heard of the rule being used once.

It was in the Alola region, a long time before went on her Pokémon journey.

Two powerful Trainers, Kahili and Monalye, had defeated Champion Kyle Kukui around the same time. Kahili won the match afterward, and became the Champion. Monalye was one of the few Kahili trusted with running the region while she was away. Kyle Kukui himself became a Pokémon professor, content on studying moves as intense as the ones he saw the day his reign as Champion ended.

But, other than the rule being invoked, the story of Kahili, Monalyne, and Kyle Kukui held little relevance now.

Because even though the same rule would be invoked again, what happened in the battle in Alola wouldn't happen here.

It couldn't happen here.

Not with foes this ruthless.

Not with stakes this high.

She was alerted to the sound of the ghost speaking with a fury colder than ice.

"Why are you here, Clair and Anabel? One of you should be among the dead, and the other trapped in a living hell."

Clair took a step forward, eyes hard as she snarled back.

"I met the Mold Breaker before, and she cast a spell on me. That's spell made it so that I couldn't be damaged at all by any of your attacks. That includes indirect ones, like the rockslide you trapped me in. After that, the spell destroyed the rockslide, and healed me of the injuries I sustained from the accident years ago."

The snarl started to fade, and Clair's voice was tinged with regret.

"The cost is that none of my Pokémon would come out of their Poké Balls, even when ordered. The Mold Breaker knew I would encounter you and want to fight, and that she wouldn't be able to stop me. She also realized that she couldn't cast the same spell on my Pokémon that she did on me without depleting all of her energy. So she protected my Pokémon in the only way she could. Of course, I wasn't aware of any of this until after the fact, because the Mold Breaker didn't think I would believe what she had seen. And if she had told me I wouldn't have believed her, so she was right about that assumption."

She briefly let her mind take her back to the past upon hearing Clair's words.

How shocked the former Blackthorn Gym Leader had been upon seeing her in the Entralink on the edge of the Dream World! After all, humans couldn't enter the latter, and the former was mainly used for Pokémon pickups.

But she knew she wasn't human, and had taken advantage of that.

So entry had been easy.

Yet she knew her unexpected appearance in the Dream World was not what Clair was surprised about.

She looked so much like the one that wounded Clair, so much like the one that had taken everything from the former Blackthorn Gym Leader…

No matter what, Clair could only see an enemy and a self-serving coward…

So when the visions came, she knew Clair would not believe her…

She knew she could not prevent the coming confrontation…

But she could minimize casualties…

And so, that's exactly what she had done…

The spells might have seemed odd to an outsider, because there was no denying that they were…

But it was as if she had used them all her life…

Perhaps they couldn't really be called spells at all, because she was only doing what came naturally…

Natural…

Natural, like her desire to save endangered innocents…

And that desire led her here…

But it clashed with the desires of her enemies…

The desire to eliminate her…

And as many innocents as they could along with it…

So she focused again on the present, as Anabel also stepped up.

The police woman glared daggers at the ghost and Holly, speaking with a deadly calmness.

"The Mold Breaker rescued me from that horrible place you threw me in, Kris. She returned the Pokémon you and Holly stole from me and Erika. She even undid the brainwashing you inflicted upon mine, and made sure that they had no negative aftereffects."

The ghost locked eyes with her, but said nothing.

Holly however, glared at Anabel.

The sword fighter's voice rose a screech.

"You're lying! The Mold Breaker can't do all those spells just to heal one person! And she certainly doesn't have the ability to remove the effects of brainwashing! If she did, she would have used those spells and abilities in Saffron!"

A voice she recognized as Malva's drawled in response.

"You don't know the Mold Breaker well at all, brat. It's not your place to judge what she is and is not capable of."

Despite Malva's response being a bit harsh, she couldn't help but nod in agreement.

If Holly and the ghost had witnessed the end of the battle at Saffron, they would've understand how and why she could heal.

Of course, considering they probably would have been arrested if they'd stayed, she couldn't fault the two for fleeing.

But it wasn't like she was going to tell Holly and the ghost anything now.

Not when they were on opposing sides.

Yet Holly had been right about something.

It was true she did not have the power to undo brainwashing during the encounter in Saffron.

But still…

She had dreamt of that power, chased it for a long time, desired it almost above anything else…

And now…

In between the stalemate at Saffron and the arduous return here…

The power was finally hers.

Yet Holly and the ghost didn't seem to care much about the power, despite it having foiled some of their plans.

The latter shook her head, and the former simply scowled.

The ghost spoke again, voice a deadly, icy, calm.

"None of that matters now."

Holly nodded, responding with a high pitch of confidence.

"That's right! Zinnia will come, and with her will be more rebels that any of you can even count! They will reinforce us, and you will all be destroyed!"

Instinctively, she found herself shaking her head at what Holly had said.

She could feel ghostly energy radiating from her in a powerful aura, and was sure everyone could see what she was doing. They could most certainly see the orbs that soared around her, waiting for her instructions.

She must've looked unsettling or perhaps just odd.

Yet no one made any move to stop her.

She didn't even register many reactions.

The others in her group must have unanimously and silently decided that the fate of the rebels was something she had to explain herself.

So she focused, her thoughts flowing as easily as water as she put them to the air's invisible page.

The words were anything but invisible, as she let three of them linger.

" _Zinnia is dead."_

Holly eyes went wide, and the ghost's narrowed with icy fury.

Holly took a step forward, screaming.

"You lie! Zinnia would never fall to the pathetic League and a rogue Trainer!"

She did not hesitate in her response, focusing her thoughts again and allowing more words to appear.

But Zinnia did. I should know, because she died by my hand.

Even among all the chaos, she could still recall clearly what happened with Zinnia…

It had been easy, painfully so…

No matter what, Zinnia could not let go of the past…

That weakness had been her undoing…

For Zinnia could not contain her rage when she summoned one that took the name of the deceased daughter Aster, and the face of the Pokémon the Draconid always hoped to truly master…

That was all it took for Zinnia to sprint forward with a fury rivaling the very dragons she commanded…

Straight into a fatal attack.

It was odd, she thought, that someone as powerful and prestigious as Zinnia should be so blinded and reckless…

But then, perhaps it has always been that way…

The person she knew died much the same way, becoming angry, turning to a life of crime, before finally succumbing to rage and revenge after creating yet another bloody swath of victims…

And the worst part about it is that there'd been no true justice for the countless people that had been hurt or even killed…

Well, other than the justice delivered in the place beyond the mortal plane…

Justice that the two standing against her would receive.

The ghost stepped towards her now, gaze still furious but now newly questioning.

What about the powerful Trainer Tobias? I find it hard to believe that you could get past someone that wields the power of the Lord of Nightmares."

The response came so rapidly that wasn't sure where the thoughts and then the words began.

Nevertheless, her message was clear.

" _You assume far too many things about me. Tobias thought the same, and those assumptions were his downfall."_

From where she was, she saw Holly's eyes go wide and the ghost clenched a fist.

Her words must've seemed unbelievable, to be sure.

Yet it was all true.

Tobias was a powerful Trainer, and could wield the power of the Lord of Nightmares, to be sure.

But he thought she had no counter for that… Thought he knew what she was capable of…

She could never forget the look of shock etched on Tobias's face as the god of the thunderclap leapt onto the battlefield, destroying the Lord of Nightmares single-handedly…

After that point, she'd given him a chance to run…

As much as he hated the League, he was only the rebels' hired help… Until he officially joined, she could not treat him the same…

Besides, without the Lord of Nightmares, Tobias was nothing… He quickly found out that he relied on that power far too much, and he found out far too late…

Tobias was nothing more than pitiful without the legends he abused…

Yes, pity.

Perhaps that was what caused her to let him flee…

Knowing that in a different circumstance, they could have been allies…

Knowing into different circumstance they _had_ been allies…

Pity that he went on the path he did, believing all he needed was the power of a single legend to survive…

Pity that he thought he could overthrow the League with only that…

Pity that he thought he could overthrow the League at all…

But there was no time for pity now…

Not when her enemies were standing right across from her.

The orbs flashed as words flew into the air. She let them hang there, making her message as imposing as she could.

" _The rebels are scattered in retreat. No one will come to help you now."_

Regardless of how intimidating it was, that message got an instant response.

The ghost walked even closer, eyes never stopping being narrowed. She look like she was about to say something, but never got the chance.

For Holly charged forward as a speed that seemed impossible, eyes burning with fury.

The girl screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Then I will annihilate you myself!"

She didn't need to speak, or even move.

For no words needed to be exchanged.

Nothing else needed to be seen.

There was nothing that could be heard.

Because she could feel it.

Experience it.

Become one with it.

She took a deep breath and let it overtake her.

And then…

Everything happened an instant.

The shadows around her intensified as they spread the blackness outward. Holly stopped in her tracks, screaming again.

She appeared to be trying to retreat, slowly inching backward towards the ghost.

She knew darkness well enough, it seemed.

Perhaps it was from the League hallways.

Regardless, they would put a stop to her escape.

Holly was light as a feather as they lifted her up, letting out a screech even louder than before.

However, no one rushed to help her.

No one could help her.

After all, it wasn't like the others could see within this blackness.

Yet they could still hear, and the air was soon followed Holly's screaming and wailing cries for help.

They had to stop that.

It was grating.

Unnecessary.

Unwanted.

They brought the shadows forth again, and they shrouded Holly.

Holly tried to scream again, but she was quickly muted.

Instead, the shadows overtook the girl, and she was rapidly gone from sight.

Someone let out a gasp.

Karen, they knew.

Of course the vessel of Darkrai would understand what was really going on behind the shadows.

It would be odd for Karen to show sentiment for an enemy, but they supposed it wouldn't be unreasonable.

Besides, even if Karen was concerned for Holly, it wouldn't help.

Because Holly couldn't see.

Couldn't hear.

Couldn't speak.

Couldn't move.

Trapped in a prison of shadows for as long as they willed it…

A fitting fate, considering all that Holly had done…

Perhaps, even a merciful one…

But their focus suddenly shifted away from Holly to gaze at something in the distance.

It was faint and small, but unmistakable.

A flame glowed in the darkness as it tried to illuminate the area.

It was tiny, but burned fiercely and resolutely.

The flame's light briefly exposed the concerned eyes of a Delphox, but that exposure faded as the flame flickered back into the blackness.

Of course, they should've known that the creature would try to light things up.

After all, it belonged to the ghost, their greatest enemy.

And the person to which Holly was deathly loyal.

If one could even call the ghost a person anymore.

Yes, the ghost…

A walking corpse nearly two decades dead…

Yet the being that now returned to the mortal world, long overstaying any welcome…

They could feel the instinct…

The calling…

The urge…

To snatch the dead one from the mortal world…

To bring the deceased to the proper place…

And to let them have true judgment…

But they couldn't, not now…

Not while the sinner still held Yveltal hostage…

Things may have been different than what they knew…

But the concept was the same…

No matter what, they couldn't let a comrade suffer…

And they couldn't let the enemy know what they were doing…

So the shadowy shroud was summoned a second time.

Again the shadows lifted the enemies into the air.

The Delphox shrieked and howled as it was enveloped in the dark prison.

However, the ghost only stood in silent resignation as the shadows swallowed her up.

Perhaps the ghost was simply expecting something like this.

After all, the ghost had been subject to one of their other attacks back in Saffron.

But they had no time to dwell on the past now.

It was time to move.

They thrust her arm out, and more shadows spread.

Soon the shadows engulfed the floor, the ceiling, the walls…

Everything.

Screams and gasps filled the air, but they paid these sounds no mind.

After all, the shadows were like their second home, and now they would show the others why.

So they commanded the shadows to lift the others up, it this time, it was with a gentle hand.

However, that did not stop shock from coming.

They could Erika shouting.

"What are you doing?"

Scarlet's screams pierced the air.

"Put me down!"

Bruno's snarl could clearly be heard, and his message unmistakable.

"Are you betraying us?"

Yet they did not answer, slowly closing her eyes.

And then…

They were floating in the air, and they made the others follow suit.

They were now standing on nothing, yet there was no fear.

Instead, they floated slowly and leisurely, almost peacefully.

Were it any other time, they would have kicked back and relaxed.

Yet this was no time for relaxation.

With a nod, the world rushed towards them at an indescribable speed.

It was almost like flying, even though they knew she didn't have wings.

They wished they could stretch her arms out in front of her, but they resisted once they realized also that might look silly.

And now was not the time for silliness.

Adrenaline and a supernatural wind roared in their ears, but they could still hear the cries of the others.

Screams and gasps grew even louder, but there were those that were capable of speech.

They could hear the psychic Will shouting.

"She's clearly taking us somewhere!"

Clair howled back.

"But where is she taking us? Where is there to go?"

Karen's voice stood out from all the rest.

Darkrai's Vessel had no anger or shock, only quiet concern.

"It can't be…"

They only nodded, and wondered if Karen would see the response.

Leave it to Darkrai's Vessel to be concerned for everyone else!

Karen probably knew where they were going.

But they couldn't focus on Darkrai's Vessel now.

Instead, they can only focus on the roaring in front of them, as the supernatural wind grew louder and louder…

The world whirled around them, faster and faster…

And then…

Everything stopped.

They could feel themselves floating peacefully, slowly, leisurely.

The roaring of the winds was no longer there, instead replaced by an all-encompassing silence.

Despite this, they nodded.

They had reached their destination.

With that, they opened their eyes.

To stare right into the terrified gaze of Scarlet.

The young Champion still hadn't moved, still shaking and curled up on the floor.

Not that there was even a floor to curl up on.

Instead they and Scarlet continued to float. There was nothing but shadows and darkness for as far as eyes could see. They were both floating over a black abyss, although they somehow remained suspended in the air. Other than each other, the only thing around them and Scarlet was the surrounding silent shadows.

Beautiful, soothing shadows…

It was no surprise how comforting the shadows were, really.

This was their domain, and was just like their home. So of course they visited all the time.

Well, she stumbled upon this place inadvertently and repeatedly, but was still accepted there.

Someone who fought so valiantly and relentlessly when so many odds were stacked against her was nothing short of fascinating.

Someone might say they had odd taste, but who said the god of death couldn't be friends with one who cheated death constantly?

Besides, the countless nearly fatal experiences gave them plenty of time to bond, and the bond turned into mutual respect and trust.

Respect and trust gave the way to combined power.

Power that made them feel comfortable in this place and what they used to travel here.

Yet Scarlet did not possess the power.

So, it was still clear even after being in this place for at least a few minutes, Scarlet was anything but comfortable.

The Champion's face had turned completely pale, and her shaking resembled earthquakes.

They wanted to comfort her, but knew that would have to come later.

For they could sense the others had safely made the journey here, and were now approaching Scarlet's location.

They'd left the others behind on purpose, but they knew that if they didn't act now, what they did would be for nothing.

So moving shadows stood out from the others in the areas they were summoned. However, this time there were no prisons, or being lifted up into the air. Instead, the shadows draped around them and Scarlet, resembling a curtain.

They nodded again approvingly.

After all Scarlet had been through, she deserved to be able to battle in private. They could only imagine the panic that gripped the young Champion.

Having a crowd of witnesses would only make things worse.

Of course, Karen, as the Vessel of Darkrai, would be able to sense them.

She would let the others know what was happening.

With that, the rest of the group's fears would be eased.

Now there was one more thing to do.

The shadows swirled again, and the locked healing machine from the Champion's room appeared in the corner.

The white contrasted eerily against the darkness of the shadows, and Scarlet glanced around wildly at this new development.

They gestured to the machine, waiting expectantly.

They would not use it, on their honor.

Not like they had taken damage from the previous fights anyway.

Perhaps Scarlet needed some convincing.

However, that turned out not to be the case, as the Champion slowly and carefully got to her feet. Scarlet scrambled to the healing machine, fishing for something in her pocket.

The Champion came out with a gleaming golden key, inserting it into a lock. There was the sound of something clicking and Scarlet putting the key away as the machine hummed to life.

Scarlet then retrieved six Poké Balls, placing them each in the empty holes on the top of the machine. There a high-pitched beep as red light briefly illuminated the area. After a minute or so, Scarlet snatched her Poké Balls off the machine and shakily walked back over to them.

There was another nod of approval.

Thankfully, Holly had not hurt Scarlet's Pokémon badly enough to where the healing machine could not help them. Knowing Holly's previous ruthlessness, the girl had probably been instructed not to.

Regardless, shadows swarmed the machine, and it faded away.

They took another deep breath.

Then, the god of death let go.

She could feel the god of death sliding out of her body, and could see the ghostly form flickering slightly before vanishing into the darkness.

Although she knew she could see the exchange, she also knew Scarlet couldn't.

Even though something like this merely instinctive for her, she knew many others found it awkward and fighting.

She didn't want to see if Scarlet was one of those.

The poor Champion had already been through enough.

So instead she stood across from Scarlet, gaze alert and focused.

Scarlet met her gaze shakily, although the Champion was still standing.

Kanto's Champion kept her balance, although still trembling.

Scarlet's voice had lost much of its volume, but the Champion was still able to timidly ask.

"Who are you? What is this place? What did you bring everyone here?"

She summoned the orbs forth, and words appeared in the ominous blackness.

" _Do not worry. I am not your enemy. As for who I am, you can just call me the name the others did: Mold Breaker."_

She expected the words to ease Scarlet's nerves, yet the Champion only shouted.

"That's not your real name! It can't be! Just tell me your real name instead!"

She shook her head, wishing Scarlet could see the regret in her written words.

" _I'm sorry. I can't tell you my real name right now. But Mold Breaker is a name that many have called me throughout the years, so that is the name I'm going by here. If it helps, Mold Breaker is also my Trainer Title, and I've used it for a long time."_

Familiarity flickered in Scarlet's eyes as she spoke.

"Oh, Trainer Titles are those names people use before going into battle! I can understand that, then! Yours is pretty cool, by the way! Mine's nothing special though, just Champion. I never really thought of one when I was a regular Trainer, either."

She nodded politely, relieved to hear some cheer in Scarlet's voice.

She decided to keep up the mood as she wrote.

" _Becoming the Champion at your age is special enough."_

No matter what circumstances there were behind Scarlet's ascension, she meant what she had said.

There were few Trainers who could do what Scarlet had done, even if she had done it under some influence of the ghost.

The Champion was now nodding back, a smile now finally on her face.

Scarlet's smile fell rapidly as the Champion asked another question.

"So, where are we? And why did you bring us all here?"

She knew Scarlet couldn't hear the cheer turn to seriousness,

She hoped her words will convey her message well enough.

She chose them carefully, making sure they lingered in the air.

" _This is the place of life and death. The living travel here shortly after they die, waiting to be judged and join whatever god they worship, or lack thereof. It is a place that those who are still alive typically cannot enter. That is, unless they have connections with the gods of death, or someone who does."_

There was no mistaking Scarlet's widened eyes, and the Champion's face became paler than anything that seemed possible.

"What? I'm not ready to die!"

Scarlet trembled even harder now, and the Champion looked like she was going to fall over.

She let out a sigh and hung her head low slightly.

She had hoped her words would reassure the young Champion, but it seemed they were having the opposite effect.

Once again she began to write slowly and carefully, hoping her next attempt would be more successful.

" _Neither of us are going to die. I simply brought everyone here because I didn't want to dirty the League more than it already has been. With such ruthless adversaries, I may need to take drastic measures. And if that's the case, then I would like to see the League remain standing and untarnished. Especially if there is to be a new Champion today."_

Scarlet's color rapidly returned to her face, and although there was no cheer shining in her eyes, the Champion nodded in understanding.

"Okay, I understand. Although I still find it creepy…"

She nodded back, writing more rapidly.

" _I understand that as well."_

She gestured for Scarlet to step closer.

Words through the air, and this time, she wrote with no hesitation.

" _Shall we?"_

Scarlet nodded again, fierce determination burning in the young Champion's eyes.

"Of course!"

Scarlet stood, tall and proud, across from her.

Well, the Champion wasn't really tall, considering Scarlet was much younger and shorter than her.

But she understood the gesture all the same.

She definitely understood that there was no denying the confidence in Scarlet's voice as it rang through the air.

"Challenger, you face the Champion of the Kanto region! Bring your best!"

With that, Scarlet strongly tossed a Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Dragonite!"

The orange dragon burst onto the battlefield. It wasn't even close to being distracted by the changed surroundings, as it focused solely on its new opponent.

The Dragonite's words came out in a roar.

" _I challenge you!"_

She nodded politely, her own words coming instinctively.

" _I accept your challenge."_

A smile spread on her face, even though she knew no one could see.

It was always good to have a genuinely enthusiastic opponent!

Yet Scarlet and her Dragonite suddenly froze, both staring with widened eyes.

Scarlet shakily spoke.

"You can understand Pokémon?"

She nodded again, explanation flowing easily.

" _Yes, I can understand all Pokémon and be understood by them. It's no guarantee they'll listen to me, though."_

Scarlet's eyes remained wide, although now the Champion spoke with admiration.

"That's amazing! How did you learn to do that?"

Again, the words flowed instinctively with her reply.

" _That ability is something I was born with, as a test from the gods. A test I passed, thankfully."_

As she glanced back at Scarlet's still widened eyes, she resisted the urge to shrug her shoulders.

Well, it was more like a test from _a_ god.

Or rather, _goddess._

But then again, not everyone used gender when referring to the Lady Arceus.

Gender aside, Arceus had granted her that power as a test to see what she would do with it.

What would she do with the increased knowledge of Pokémon, Trainers, and the world at large?

Would she thrive with what she now knew, and use it to help others?

Or would she become angry with the current system, and turn against everything she could?

She had chosen the former path, and had never regretted it.

But…

She expected the other that could understand Pokémon had received the power under the same circumstances.

And that other had set out to destroy everything.

How ironic that the other had gotten destroyed herself, now living a wretched existence as a ghost!

But still

That was why she had to stop this ghost.

Because rebelling against a system that truly functions leads to nothing in the end.

Regardless, she could not let Scarlet stare at her forever.

Even if she was trying to stop the ghost, she still had to fight the Champion.

So she rapidly wrote.

" _Whether I can understand Pokémon or not, I will still bring my best."_

Scarlet nodded eagerly.

"Right! Then show me now!"

She nodded back, allowing herself to relax slightly.

After all, she couldn't help relaxing at the calming feeling the warm light brought her. The light extended outward, turning into a light blue circle that enveloped her body. She knew that even though she couldn't see the light purple in the center, Scarlet probably could. She couldn't see the Champion's reaction, because more light was now surrounding her. This light was white, in the form of lightning bolts that raced towards the light blue circle.

To the average observer, it looked as though she was just lighting up for no reason.

But she knew that was not the case.

For she could feel a creature moving around inside the light.

Ready to act.

Ready to battle.

Ready to destroy the wicked.

Ready to protect her.

Ready to protect all honest Trainers.

She took a deep breath and let the creature overtake her.

Within minutes, the light soon faded.

They couldn't fault Scarlet's expression as they emerged from it.

The young Champion's eyes grew even wider, face pale again and mouth hanging open.

They wondered if Scarlet would scream, but by some miracle, the Champion didn't.

Instead, Scarlet just stared straight at them.

Again, they couldn't blame the Champion for doing so.

Most adults weren't used to seeing them this way, and they couldn't imagine how a young child felt.

Especially because there was a lot to stare at.

Most of their body was dark blue, with an oval-shaped head that looked like a bell. There were circular rainbow colored glints of light, but the light didn't bother them at all. The bell looked like it could fit a person inside, yet the appendage was eerily empty. Metallic areas stuck out of the bell, and these areas were pitch black. The areas looked similar to parts of a machine, and almost blended in.

Almost, if not for several giant tentacles hanging below.

Four tentacles gently swayed back and forth, attached to the black part of the machine. Countless tiny colored crystals glittered near the bottom of the appendages. Below those crystals was an eye, with another crystal in the center. It looked as though the extra eyes could see everything, yet they knew they knew those eyes could see nothing. The eyes were merely patterns for decoration.

Or intimidation. It depended on who was asked.

Regardless, there were five triangles pointing upward on the edge of the tentacles. The triangles resembled spikes, but also could seemed similar to fingers. These appendages were more like the latter than the former. They had found that out through many a handshake and a punch. Four other tentacles waved lazily in the air, attached to another component that looked like part of a machine. This part was the same dark blue as most of the rest of their body, and it succeeded at blending in with the tentacles below. These tentacles had the same crystal and eye like patterns, although these were longer and a bit wider. The other crystal shards remained the same.

An area below the tentacles was a deep red, like the colors of the sunset. A tint could be seen on the other tentacles as well. But the area below surrounded four of the tentacles with a red hue, almost as if they were bathed in light that did not shine. Upon closer inspection, a pattern that look like clear droplets of water could be made out. But attention would most likely be focused on something else.

For on the edge of these tentacles stood massive triangular needles that pointed to the floor. Unlike the appendages on the other tentacles, it was clear the needles were only for combat. There was only one for each tentacle, and each needle looked like it could sharply pierce anything. A ring of red sat on top of each, the color as deep as the other areas. More red outlined the needles, casting an eerie highlight.

At least the color of the sunset was not the color of blood.

They knew they were probably seen as nothing less than bizarre as they floated slowly towards the battlefield.

Yet they knew there could be nothing more bizarre than when she appeared in front.

She shimmered like a spirit, yet they knew she was very much alive.

When they first achieved this form, she had been asked if she wanted to ride in the bell.

She had politely declined, stating that this was more comfortable, and it would make it easier for them to fight.

No matter how awkward it looked to outsiders, they had fought that way from then on.

Just like they would today.

They still faced Scarlet, noting the Champion's surprised and shocked gaze. Scarlet's mouth still hung agape, with the Champion's eyes as wide as saucers. Scarlet's Dragonite stood unmoving, confusion almost overtaking the alertness in its gaze.

After what seemed like several minutes, Scarlet shouted.

"Whoa, what is that thing?"

Orb soared through the air, and she wished Scarlet could detect the confidence in her words.

" _This in my strongest Pokémon. I would tell you the species name, but there isn't one. So I can only tell you that this Pokémon will be a fierce, yet honorable, opponent."_

As the words lingered in the air, they knew all of that was true.

Including the fact that no one had thought of a species name.

They supposed it might be less confusing if they simply used the name that came before.

Scarlet probably wouldn't know the difference.

However, they also knew they didn't want to.

It seemed almost belittling after they did so much to ascend to this form, especially in a battle so formal.

Even if they did use the former name sometimes, it was still incorrect.

Regardless, names didn't matter now.

All that mattered was a battle.

She wrote again, confidence still brimming.

" _Now then, let us begin."_

Scarlet nodded, her own confidence returned to her eyes.

"Yes, let's! As the Champion of Kanto, I'm prepared to battle any Pokémon!"

Scarlet's Dragonite resumed with its own confidence, leading another roar.

" _I'm ready when you are!"_

She nodded again, and then went silent.

For no words needed to be spoken.

A single thought, and the command was clear.

Glistening shimmering ice took shape in the area just below the bell. The ice became a deadly beam as they launched it towards the Dragonite. The beast roared in pain as it was struck dead on and rapidly encased in the glistening, light blue, substance.

They didn't need to interpret the speech to understand going on.

For Scarlet's Pokémon stood immobilized in a prison of ice, substance shimmering eerily as it contrasted with the blackness around everything else.

Scarlet's mouth hung open as Dragonite toppled backwards.

Luckily, the Champion managed to rapidly recall the Pokémon before it hit the ground.

Scarlet faced them, eyes still widened in surprise.

They wondered what the Champion was thinking, having her Pokémon suddenly felled by a creature such as them, in only a single strike.

Perhaps Scarlet would voice those thoughts.

Yet the Champion only recovered her focus, throwing another Poké Ball.

"Go, Ninetales!"

The icy fox appeared in a flash of light, signature light blue tails billowing behind it gracefully. It spoke in a high-pitched voice, yet it was no less regal.

" _Pleased to meet you, and honored to be your opponent."_

They simply nodded, knowing the gesture would convey the same.

Not even a minute later, another thought formed.

And with it came another silent command.

This time, silver light started shining below the bell. It shaped itself into another stream, as they fired it at the opponent.

Scarlet's Ninetales let out a screech as the force of the attack sent it flying backward.

Thankfully, Scarlet did not have to get out of the way, as the Pokémon stopped just short of meeting the Champion. However, the outcome was clear, as Ninetales fell forward in a heap.

Scarlet rapidly recalled the Pokémon again, surprise still shining in the Champion's eyes.

However, there was not as much this time, and Scarlet did not take as long to recover.

In fact, almost instantly, the Champion hurled another Poké Ball.

"Go, Muk!"

Almost immediately they were faced with the multicolored pile of sludge that was an Alolan Muk. However, the opponent still held a toothy grin, and spoke cordially.

" _Hello, pretty lady. Let's you and I have a battle."_

They resisted the urge to laugh, knowing that only a straight face was appropriate here.

How interesting that someone would be so lighthearted in a battle like this!

A way of breaking up tension, they supposed.

Or perhaps, keeping sanity.

Regardless, they couldn't let the battle stop long.

So they instantly acted on another thought that formed.

There was no ground to speak of here, yet they bade it tremble. And tremble it did, dirt and tiny stones summoned from somewhere. Deafening noise filled the air, and Scarlet winced painfully. The Muk let out a groan as it was subject to the shaking, wrathful, earth. Soon, the shaking stopped, yet Muk only closed its eyes. It almost looked like a puddle, sinking down in the direction of the shadowy floor. Muk didn't stay that way for long as Scarlet recalled it.

Scarlet stared at them with fierce determination, although they could see the shock in the Champion's eyes.

They wondered if Scarlet would give up.

After all, it was clear the Champion was losing, had never seen anything like this before, and probably had no way to counter it.

They would not fault the Champion handing over the victory now.

Yet Scarlet didn't even consider thoughts of surrendering.

Instead, the Champion just threw another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Electivire!"

A bipedal, yellow feline with black stripes emerged from the ball. It was so energetic it appeared to be hopping. Though there was static in the creature's voice, they could still understand it.

" _I will show you my stylish attack moves!"_

This was yet another lighthearted comment to break up the tension, they realized.

Yet this time, it was easy to hold back laughter.

Instead, they remembered one of the opponent's species who made a living teaching others battle moves.

That Electivire lived on the islands near Kanto, they recalled.

Yet they couldn't think about that Pokémon now.

Because if they did not win the battles here, no one would be able to visit the islands or anywhere else ever again.

Without hesitation, thoughts gave way to more commands.

For a second time, they ordered the earth to shake.

And for a second time, the earth obeyed.

Dirt and stones appeared again, ignoring the shadows that swallowed the floor.

A deafening rumble filled the air, mixed in with the opponent's screeches of pain. Scarlet winced even more now, face a deathly pale.

Yet color rapidly rushed back to Scarlet's face as the shaking soon stopped.

The same could not be said for the Champion's Pokémon however.

Instead, Scarlet's Electivire's face was contorted into a pained grimace. Its eyes were squeezed shut, and the Champion's Pokémon immediately toppled to the right.

Scarlet recalled the Electivire before it struck the shadows below, but the outcome was still clear.

Scarlet seemed to realize that as well, as the Champion's determination gave way to more shock.

That did not stop the Champion from continuing to battle, however.

Another Poké Ball soared through the air, accompanied by Scarlet shouting.

"Go, Poliwrath!"

The blue tadpole burst onto the battlefield in a flash of white light. Scarlet's Poliwath wasted no time flexing its arms, as they knew was typical of its species.

The opposing Pokémon spoke in a low tone, still flexing its arms skillfully.

" _Think you can match my strength?"_

An answer formed, but not a word appeared.

Instead, there was a crackling sound as a yellow electricity launched from their body.

The electricity immediately struck its target, illuminating the Champion's Pokémon in its light.

Scarlet's Poliwrath's simply groaned, closing its eyes tightly.

As the electricity ran its course, its light soon disappeared.

However, the results were unmistakable.

Dark, angry, electric burns covered Scarlet's Poliwrath from head to toe. The Champion's Pokémon took a few shaky steps backward, before falling to the even darker floor.

Scarlet's Poliwrath disappeared in a red beam of light, and the Champion gazed straight up at them.

The determination from before was gone, replaced by shock, surprise, and perhaps, desperation.

That Thunderbolt had been their silent answer to Poliwrath's question, and they were sure Scarlet knew that too.

Yet the young Champion was still poised for battle, surprised gaze also sharp and focused.

It seemed as though Scarlet would defend the Champion's title to the end.

Perhaps it was a matter of honor or pride, or even comfort.

Regardless of the reason, Scarlet tossed one final Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Venusaur!"

A green dinosaur emerged from the ball, slowly walking up to the battlefield. It looked them straight in the eye without flinching.

They only nodded back.

This was one of the starter Pokémon of Kanto, strong and sturdy.

And this was a Pokémon with jewelry on its body, a rainbow colored stone shining brilliantly in the jewelry's center.

They knew what this meant, even more so when the Venusaur began to bellow.

" _I am Scarlet's strongest. I am looking forward to fighting any foe that's come this far!"_

They nodded, hoping the gesture would convey they felt the same.

It must have, because Scarlet pressed a button on a finger ring.

The Champion's shout rang through the air.

"Venusaur, Mega Evolve!"

Scarlet's Pokémon remained calm as it was surrounded by a bright white light. The light would've blinded most, and indeed, Scarlet was glancing away.

Yet they stared straight into it.

The light was no strain on their eyes. After all, it was only natural, and something they had gotten used to over the years.

And now, they could faintly see what was happening to their opponent.

They could make out the tree on Venusaur's back growing taller, as a second set of leaves sprouted from it. Vines appeared, connecting the leaves to the tree and hanging near the trunk. A second, smaller flower formed on top of the opposing Pokémon's head, just below its eyes.

With that, the light cleared, and Scarlet glanced back.

As Scarlet focused on the battlefield, the Champion's Pokémon roared triumphantly.

" _Now, let us begin!"_

Immediately, they formed an opposing thought and wasted no time acting on it.

Psychic power radiated around them, the aura the same as that which had ended her nosebleed. The psychic power grew stronger, now also radiating around their opponent. Scarlet's Venusaur screeched as they effortlessly lifted it off the battleground. They let their opponent stay suspended in the air slightly, before smashing it in a heap on the shadowy floor. A grimace appeared on the Venusaur's face as it slowly closed its eyes. The Venusaur's head tilted slightly to the left before lay on the ground unmoving.

They faced their fallen foe as it disappeared in a red beam of light. It had been powerful, to be sure, but in the end, it could do nothing against them.

None of Scarlet's Pokémon could do anything against them.

With what they were familiar with, Scarlet had an entirely different team.

Perhaps that might have helped…

Then again, with what they were familiar with, Scarlet didn't even hold the position of Champion to begin with.

So it might not have helped…

Regardless, what they knew in the past did not matter now.

All that was relevant was the present.

So they gave one final, silent, command.

The circle and its multicolored lights arrived a second time. She again relished in the warmth that gave her, but that was not for long. For the lights rapidly faded, and she was slowly lowered to the ground. The shimmering body also disappeared, and she became herself again.

She realize this must have looked awkward, but she had no time to waste.

So she directed her gaze to Scarlet.

The Champion's eyes were still wide, staring straight back.

She expected Scarlet to respond with sorrow, or even rage.

Yet when the Champion spoke, it was only with awe and admiration.

"Amazing… You were able to defeat all of my Pokémon in one hit without uttering a single command… It's almost like you and your Pokémon are one…"

She resisted the urge to let out a sigh.

If only Scarlet knew!

She thought Kanto's Champion would know, but perhaps Scarlet was somehow uninformed.

Or perhaps just that naïve.

Either could be plausible, considering what she heard.

However, another question almost made her stiffen.

"Just who are you?"

The orbs soared through the air again, and the words she wrote would convey her regret.

" _I'm sorry. I still can't tell you that. But I can tell you that I enjoyed the battle."_

Scarlet looked like she was about to ask another question, yet she silenced that with words of her own.

" _It's not over yet, though."_

Scarlet still attempted to speak, confused look never leaving her face.

"What do you-"

She rapidly motioned for silence again, cutting off Scarlet with a hand signal rather than words. She could feel the god of death nearby, moving on her silent command. Rapidly, the locked healing machine appeared again, contrasting as much as it had before.

Words appeared even more rapidly, as continued focusing on Scarlet.

" _Heal your Pokémon, quickly."_

This time, Scarlet had the sense not to ask questions, and only nodded in acknowledgment.

For a second time, Scarlet darted over to the healing machine. There was at the jingling of keys as Scarlet unlocked the device. The machine again hummed to life as Scarlet placed her Poké Balls. Light briefly filled the room as the machine did its work. As soon as it was done, Scarlet snatched the Poké Balls and key before running back. A nod, and the god of death made the healing machine fade away.

She gestured behind her, and the god of death threw back the curtains.

She whipped around immediately, registering the sound of Scarlet's shocked gasp. However, she ignored the sound, focusing on what was in front of her.

For across from her and Scarlet stood the others, waiting quietly. However, no words were needed when their expressions told everything.

Some wore looks of surprise and shock. Others held glances of sympathy. Still others were boiling with rage, and she still registered a confused countenance or two.

Yet there was nothing more noticeable than the two shadows suspended in the air, as they contained prisoners trapped and oblivious within the dark cells.

She had to bring the two here, she knew, even though the others might've screamed to leave the prisoners behind.

The two needed to be here, she understood.

They were the center of what was going to happen next.

Mercifully, although most of the others focused on her, there was no blame within their eyes.

Instead, Lance took a step forward.

The Elite Four leader swept his gaze over both her and Scarlet, although she did not miss the sympathy present in his eyes.

Lance focused on Scarlet first, speaking softly to the young Champion.

"Karen used Darkrai to sense what was going on behind those shadows, and explain to us where we were."

At his words, Karen stepped up, focusing on her instead.

"To think you would bring us to the place between life and death, just to prevent the League's halls from being dirtied… You truly are prepared for anything, Mold Breaker."

She only nodded her thanks.

How could she not be prepared in a situation this dangerous and unpredictable?

Karen seemed understand the gesture from before, stepping back as Lance spoke again.

"We might not have been able to see the whole battle, but Karen guessed the outcome. You lost, didn't you, Scarlet?"

Scarlet nodded shakily, speaking in a barely audible voice.

"Yes, but the Mold Breaker allowed me to heal my Pokémon after that. I'm guessing in case Holly tries to attack me again."

Lance nodded curtly, and the Elite Four member directed his gaze towards her. She looked him squarely in the eye, although she knew Lance couldn't see the gesture.

Regardless, the Elite Four Leader spoke in a grave tone.

"Then, according to the League rules, Mold Breaker, your next opponent will be Holly herself."

She nodded again.

This was what she had prepared for, after all.

Yet clearly Scarlet hadn't, as the young Champion's eyes went wide.

Scarlet's voice became high-pitched with fear as another question left the Champion's lips.

"Couldn't we just apprehend Holly now?"

Anabel dashed up, icy gaze looking like it could freeze everything.

The International Police officer's voice was quick to match.

"No. Despite everything she's done and her current imprisonment, Holly still has the right to become Champion because she defeated you, Scarlet. The League rules only state any official Trainer who has defeated the Elite Four and the Champion at the Pokémon League has the right to succeed the previous Champion. Nothing more. So unless someone who also has obtained that right defeats her, Holly still has a chance of taking over the League by claiming the title of Champion."

Scarlet clenched her fist, and she understood why.

Trainers could make many mistakes on their journeys, some of them less than honest. Since many more were young, the League chose not to hold those mistakes over the Trainers' heads. So League officials didn't take background into account when allowing Trainers to become Champions, instead relying on strength alone.

And yet…

She had heard horror stories.

That there were times when criminal organizations and other ne'er-do-wells had tried to take over the League by attempting to instill their own Trainers into the Champion position.

So far, all those attempts had failed, and the League had remained stubborn with its rules.

She wondered if the League regretted those rules now.

Regardless, she couldn't focus on that as Janine walked up.

Rage burned in the Fuchsia Gym Leader's eyes and voice.

"Holly is still protected by Kristine, and by the Trainer laws at large. We can't fight against that, but the Mold Breaker can. "

She wanted to nod, but quickly resisted the urge.

She found she couldn't really fight against the Trainer laws either, at least initially. She had tried many times, and made some progress.

But that was only after indescribable heartbreak, pain, and loss…

Yet from what she knew, things were finally on the road to change.

She only hoped they would stay that way.

Well, at least the ghost and Holly were foes she could easily fight.

The others must've thought the same as she heard Clair shout.

"Then the Mold Breaker has to defeat Holly before the latter can claim the title of Champion! Only then will Holly be truly disarmed and weakened, and then we can stop her!"

Yet Scarlet's frightened voice cut through the air again.

"What about Kristine? She's much more powerful, and she still here!"

She didn't have to wait for Malva to step forward before the Elite Four member drawled.

"I have a plan to deal with Kristine if she tries to resist. My hope is that she won't dare resist after all the odds are stacked against her, and in a place so public. But I can't count on mere hopes right now. Unfortunately, my plan needs a bit of time to be enacted. So if you battle Holly now, Mold Breaker, it may give me the time I need to fight back against Kristine."

She nodded briskly.

She knew all about plans that needed time, having used a few herself.

She would do everything she could to ensure Malva's succeeded.

Yet despite Malva's confidence, a perplexed tone of voice was in the air.

She recognized the voice as Bruno's, as the Fighting Type expert spoke.

"If Kristine is so powerful, why doesn't she simply escape from that shadow prison?"

Will's much less confused tone answered after.

"Most likely because she knows that if she tries to escape, the Mold Breaker will just use the attack again."

Will's voice became grave as the Elite Four member spoke again.

"Or perhaps Kristine knows she can win no matter what."

There was a gasp from several people, most notably Scarlet.

Yet Will ignored the responses and continued.

"Kristine and the Mold Breaker can't really hurt each other, but knowing Kristine, she's probably up to something. Everyone here has to be careful!"

At that point, everyone in the room stiffened, and Anabel clenched a fist.

She supposed the International Police officer would not forget what happened in Saffron so easily.

She couldn't blame Anabel for that, not after what Holly had done.

Yet Anabel's expression suddenly softened, and the International Police officer's fist unclenched.

Anabel glanced straight at her, speaking in a quiet yet serious tone.

"My request, the one from when you rescued me from the prison... Mold Breaker, do you remember it? Can you still fulfill it?"

She nodded rapidly, orb soaring through the air.

Even more rapid were the thoughts she put to page.

" _Yes, I remember. I still can fulfill the request, and I will."_

She nodded again as Anabel appeared relieved.

The International Police member had almost literally been through hell.

Whatever request Anabel asked her to do, she would gladly do it.

No matter what it took.

Her attention was drawn away from Anabel as Lance stepped forward again.

The Elite Four Leader still carried seriousness in his voice, but there was no mistaking the kindness hidden within.

"Once you're finished battling Holly, you can leave the rest to us. You can rest easy, Mold Breaker."

She nodded in acknowledgment, but her focus was directed to another figure finally stepping forward.

Erika's eyes met hers, yet she did not flinch back.

She expected the Celadon Gym Leader to be shaking and timid, but Erika was quite the opposite.

Fierce determination burned in the Gym Leader's eyes, to the point where she was wondering how such a fire could come from a Grass Type Trainer.

Yet what Type of Pokémon Erika trained did not matter now.

If the Celadon Gym Leader was so bold in the face of this adversity, there had to be a reason.

Perhaps Erika was just putting on a brave face…

Maybe the Celadon Gym Leader was angry at Holly, and desired to see justice served.

It could be that Erika simply wanted the conflict to end, feeling secretly guilty for starting most of it.

Whatever the case, the Celadon Gym Leader spoke to her now.

"Mold Breaker, what awaits you will probably be the final battle here. From here you face what the region considers the strongest Trainers. No one has any real idea what will happen after. All this enough to make anyone nervous and hesitant. And yet, in order to get here, you beat Elite Four and the current Champion in record time with one of the most powerful Pokémon anyone's ever seen. Now you're striding into this last battle as if there's nothing out of the ordinary. Therefore, I won't ask you if you're ready, and you don't need any luck."

Erika suddenly hesitated, and the Celadon Gym Leader finally shuddered.

Erika's voice faltered upon speaking again.

"I just want to say thank you for everything, and I hope I see you again."

She nodded again, albeit slowly.

She could understand why Erika felt the way she did, yet she couldn't even pretend to comprehend the Celadon Gym Leader's situation.

Erika had raised Holly almost from birth, yet now the Celadon Gym Leader was wishing for nothing more than Holly's defeat and possible destruction.

What did she say to that?

What _could_ she say to that?

Nothing, she supposed.

It was no use trying to understand something she clearly couldn't.

So she instead focused on the prisoners in the shadowy cells.

If she didn't deal with them, no one would be seeing anything again.

A silent command was issued, and the god of death lowered the shadows to the ground.

The shadows rapidly faded, and soon, the former prisoners stood before her.

The ghost and the Delphox stood stoically as they stared straight ahead, an eerie familiarity shining in their eyes.

Holly, on the other hand, glanced around wildly.

The girl then stared straight at her, glaring accusingly.

"Where are we? Are you the one that brought us here?"

She rapidly summoned the orbs in response, and they soared in the air.

" _She wrote quickly, yet she let her words linger."_

She needed the message to be clear, and hoped it was.

" _As if I'd tell you."_

Her hopes were answered, as Holly's face twisted into a vicious snarl.

"Answer my question!"

Holly was cut off by Lance's yell.

"Your questions don't matter now, Holly! The Mold Breaker has defeated Champion Scarlet! And now, according to League rules, both you and she have earned the right to become Champion and to take Scarlet's place! Therefore, Holly, you and the Mold Breaker must fight each other for the title!"

Holly's snarl only became more vicious, and the girl seemed to want to speak again.

However, the ghost silenced Holly with a shake of the head.

The two seemed to only be waiting, but she figured that would be silly if that was the case.

Will had told her the two could communicate telepathically, so she suspected that was what was happening now.

She imagined the ghost was explaining to the girl that it wasn't worth fighting against the rules with so many of their enemies present.

Or perhaps the two thought that defeating her in battle here would make her easier to take down.

Whatever the case, Holly did not speak again.

Instead, narrowed eyes and a scowl conveyed the girl's feelings.

The ghost glanced at Holly as if waiting for something. Holly only nodded, making some silent conversation short.

At this, the ghost stepped back to give Holly some space.

She did the same, making it so that she and the girl stood across from each other even in the shadowy area.

And then, she heard it.

A low whisper that also seemed to be the loudest thing in existence.

Uncanny.

Eerie.

Unnatural.

And yet she knew what it was instantly.

Because the voice of the Lord of Nightmares that filled her ears, and though he did not speak in words, she knew well what he wanted.

The Lord of Nightmares had found a target, and once he did, he'd never let that target out of his sight.

Especially when the target was standing right across from her, glaring and poised to enter battle.

She only stared back at Holly, knowing the girl would never hear the voice.

Perhaps it was better that Holly didn't hear, at least not until the very end.

The girl would only try to deny it, and pin the blame on others.

Perhaps Holly would still try to do that even when the time came.

But that didn't matter now.

Now she had to focus on the present.

Yet as she looked at Holly again, another thought came to mind.

Scarlet had talked about Trainer Titles, and Holly would probably learn the name she was using was from a Title, if the girl hadn't guessed already…

Yet Holly didn't have a Title, which means that the girl would be called a Pokémon Trainer, like every battler without one…

But Holly wasn't worthy of being called a Pokémon Trainer, not after everything she'd done…

So what would the girl be called?

As soon as the question formed in her mind, another word formed as an answer.

Condemned.

That word fit Holly perfectly.

For the girl had condemned herself.

Condemned to live a life of crime.

Condemned to face justice from the League or otherwise.

Condemned the Lord of Nightmares's realm upon leaving the mortal plane.

Condemned to be remembered as nothing more than an example of infamy.

Condemned Holly.

That had a fitting ring to it.

Yet she didn't dare say it out loud.

For the condemned stood before her, and now was her job to bring justice forth.

Besides, Holly didn't seem to want to wait any longer.

The girl clenched a fist and howled.

"I will destroy you, Mold Breaker!"

Holly then tossed a Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Lucario!"

Holly's Pokémon appeared with a flash of light, letting out its own intimidating howl.

" _You won't get past me!"_

She wouldn't write a response to that.

Instead, she would let the battle be her answer.

So she let herself relax again.

Instantly, she could feel the warm light envelop her a second time.

The differently colored lightning bolts and circles returned, along with the creature moving inside.

She did not hesitate as she let the creature overtake her again.

Holly stared at their new form and the shimmering figure in front.

There was no telling if the ghost even knew what they were, but the dead one's eyes were narrowed.

It was easy to tell how Holly felt, though.

The girl's widened eyes and shocked gaze turned to an expression of anger.

And that expression was clearly reflected in Holly's voice.

"How dare you have such a hideous monster! It can't even be called a Pokémon! What even is that?"

The ghost spoke calmly, yet she could hear tranquil fury boiling beneath.

"It's an abomination."

Holly wasted no time responding.

"Then I will destroy it painfully!"

Holly pressed a button on a wrist bracelet, screaming.

"Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

A white light surrounded Holly's Pokémon, and soon Lucario was lost within.

For a second time, they stared straight into the light.

They could make out the extra spikes appearing on Lucario's body. They noted Holly's Pokémon standing taller and stronger, and could almost feel its increased confidence. They saw the stripes appearing on Lucario's lower half, and something that looked like a sash billowing behind it.

Within minutes, the light cleared, as transformation was completed.

Holly glanced back at the battlefield, and a grin of wicked confidence was now on the girl's face.

Lucario glared back at them with narrowed eyes, letting out a roar.

" _Prepare to die!"_

They formed a response, but said nothing.

Instead, a stream of fire shot from just below the bell. Holly's Lucario didn't have time to dodge, only letting out a scream as the angry flames engulfed it. When the fire cleared, Lucario still remained standing. However, black burns covered its entire body, and it stood shakily as it fought to stay upright. Yet however hard Lucario fought, it was not enough. Holly's Pokémon took a single step back, then collapsed onto the shadowy ground.

Holly's fist clenched before Lucario was recalled in a red beam of light.

The girl's confident smile had twisted into a scowl, fist clenched so hard and turned white.

Holly screeched deafeningly.

"Just who you think you are, defeating my Lucario with a cheap trick like that? I will show you how a real fire user fights!"

The girl tossed another Poké Ball into the air.

"Go, Arcanine!"

The orange doglike Pokémon erupted onto the battlefield.

The Pokémon's eyes held a deadly focus, and it spoke with a snarl.

" _I'll burn you alive!"_

Now, they resisted the urge to clench their own fists.

There was always an antagonistic Arcanine, ever since they witnessed one of that species burn Goldenrod's Radio Tower to the ground.

They had known Rex, a stalwart, strong, and longtime companion.

But Rex was gone now, having died an honorable death.

Now they just stood face-to-face with a blazing monster.

But they supposed all blazes could be extinguished.

A thought turned into a silent command, and they acted on it instinctively.

Water shot out from below the bell, steam indicating its boiling hot temperature.

Arcanine let out an earsplitting howl as the water smashed straight into it. Holly's Pokémon briefly disappeared, howls silenced as it was lost within the wrathful water.

When the water finally cleared, Arcanine let out a raspy, pitiful, cough. Then, Holly's Pokémon closed its eyes, and collapsed on its right side.

Holly rapidly recalled her Pokémon, scowl growing even more vicious.

It was as vicious as the scream that came from the girl's mouth.

"You won't get away with this, Mold Breaker!"

Holly readied another Poké Ball, tossing it into the air.

"Porygon-Z, tear her apart!"

As the shaped, shaking Pokémon appeared, they couldn't resist stiffening.

Only one word entered their mind.

Levi.

He had been the strongest, bravest, Pokémon they had ever known.

Yet Levi had gone to the heavens years ago, sacrificing his life during a battle full of indescribable horrors.

So severe were the casualties that almost all they had left were their memories of him…

And yet…

The criminal Holly had turned one of Levi's species into a demon, and then pranced around as if nothing had happened!

She suspected the ghost had directly influenced it all, perhaps having done the same at one point.

Regardless, Holly didn't have the right to own one of Levi's species!

Neither of them did!

She had to end this mockery!

Yet said mockery continued as the Porygon-Z spoke in a high-pitched voice full of static.

" _I'll take you down here and now!"_

Once again, the urge to clench their fists was resisted.

Levi would never speak like that to a League foe!

He had always been so polite and honorable, even though his enemies had seen his deadlier side.

This Pokémon truly wasn't worthy of being the same species as Levi, and it wasn't worthy of being here at the League!

It would be the one being taken down!

Their rage rapidly became a silent command, one that they wasted no time in executing.

One of their blue hands curled into a tight fist. This fist quickly turned green, cloaked in some sort of energy. They rapidly charged forward, green fist outstretched. Holly's Porygon Z did not have time to react as they punched it dead center. Green sparkles enveloped their fist as they drained the opponent's energy. They knew they didn't need the energy, since they hadn't taken any damage in battle. So instead, they simply drew the appendage back, watching as their opponent closed its eyes, and fell to the shadowy floor.

Without hesitation, they leapt backward, floating in that direction until they were once again across from Holly. However, they did not miss the rage present on the girl's face.

Even more of the rage was present when Holly screamed louder than they ever thought anyone could.

"You'll pay for this, Mold Breaker!"

Holly readied another Poké Ball and tossed it into the air.

"Go, Honchkrow!"

The dark-winged bird emerged in midair.

Its cackling, cawing, cry pierced the air.

" _You'll be as easy to kill as that other girl!"_

The Honchkrow's words hung in the air with an eerie immorality.

They suppose they should expect nothing less from Ivy's murderer.

And one that most likely made countless others suffer.

But that suffering…

It would all end today.

Before a command even formed, they were moving.

White light surrounded them, nearly blinding with its glow. Yet suddenly, rainbow rays rapidly flew in all directions. Holly's Honchkrow's cawing pierced the air, although this time it was screams of pain. They knew as much as they watched the rainbow rays strike their foe repeatedly. Honchkrow's expression contorted in agony as the vicious attack continued. The foe's eyes slowly closed, and they suspected it had lost consciousness before it even started falling from the sky. Regardless, the dark wings went eerily still, as they nearly blended in with the shadows they smashed into. The rest of the Pokémon was the same, lying motionless and almost camouflaged.

They noticed Holly glancing away, cringing at the light. Rapidly, they halted their attack, and the light faded.

Holly shakily glanced back, eyes going wide upon seeing what happened.

The girl's eyes quickly narrowed in a glare while recalling Honchkrow.

They wished she could've seen them glaring back.

Holly had no right to be angry!

The only ones that had that right were the girl's victims!

But it wasn't like Holly would understand that now.

Perhaps not ever.

But they knew it was useless to focus on that now.

Holly still screamed at them.

"Freeze to death, Mold Breaker!"

Another Poké Ball soared through the air, followed by a second shout.

"Go, Glaceon!"

A small light blue Pokémon emerged from the ball, letting out of a hiss.

" _After today, you'll be encased in ice!"_

They resisted the urge to sigh.

Why would Holly and the Glaceon talk about freezing them to death when the girl knew they already could wield the power of ice?

The insult just fell flat!

But they knew a single insult didn't matter now.

Thoughts turned into a silent command, something much more powerful than the threat Holly had made.

A stream of shining silver light shot out from below the bell. Holly's Glaceon didn't have time to dodge, only letting out a single scream as the light struck it. It wasn't long before Glaceon closed its eyes and collapsed on the shadowy floor. Holly seemed to understand what that meant, as Glaceon was rapidly recalled.

The anger in Holly's eyes was so strong it could have burned the whole place down.

That anger did not subside as the girl spoke a shout.

"You've done it now, Mold Breaker! There's no way you're getting past this!"

Holly's shout turned into a screech, the girl's anger even more evident upon tossing one final Poké Ball.

"Go, Naganadel!"

A Pokémon emerged from the white light that followed, and they immediately tensed.

There was no pre-battle banter, displays of strength, or even any threats.

Just focused, sharpened, narrowed, eyes, full of intense hatred and bloodlust.

There was hardly any movement either, as the creature just stared straight at them.

They could feel the warm light, the same as the one they had enveloped her before.

However, it brought no comfort now.

Instead, she stepped back slightly, although the gesture really didn't mean much.

It must have meant something to Holly, as the girl nodded confidently.

Leave it to Holly to misinterpret things, though!

Instead, her hands went to her sides, restlessly searching for something.

Her right hand stopped moving when she fingered a device. Even though she couldn't clearly see it, she knew the device was dark blue with something that looked like a gem in the middle. Perhaps, she thought, this gem was similar to a Mega Bracelet or Ring.

But this device was not used for bloody battles.

Holly, infamous wielder of Mega Evolution, probably didn't even know what this was.

The ghost might have known, but if dead one noticed the gesture, there were no comments.

So instead she fingered something else in her left hand. She still couldn't really see it, but could tell by sensation what the object was.

A golden crest was in her hand, consisting of two triangles. The crest resembled an hourglass, or perhaps a trophy on a stand.

Whatever the crest was meant to be, she clenched it tightly.

She might not have known what it resembled, but she knew what it represented.

It was a reminder of her duty.

No, _their_ duty.

They could stop this.

They _would_ stop this.

They had to.

She squeezed the crest and the machine slightly, before both of the items disappeared.

Holly must've noticed the gesture by now, as the girl's voice carried a mocking tone.

"Chickening out? Well, it's too late to surrender, and I will show you something to really be afraid of!"

Confidence rang in the air as Holly commanded.

"Naganadel, murder the Mold Breaker, and be sure it's painful!"

At that, Holly's final Pokémon spoke at last.

Yet the creature never took its eyes off of them.

The words it uttered were harsh.

Unnatural.

Simplistic.

Broken.

Deadly.

Violent.

Twisted.

Wrong.

" _Enemy… Enemy… Kill! Kill!"_

They only nodded in response.

Everything about this was wrong.

Which is why they would end it all now.

Thoughts didn't even finish forming, before they were acting on one final command.

An aura of psychic power radiated around them, and soon surrounded their opponent. Naganadel didn't even have a chance to gasp as they rapidly lifted it off the battlefield. Holly's Pokémon rose higher and higher, as if it suddenly had grown wings. When Naganadel had risen as high as they willed it, they let the foe linger in the air for a while. Until, as rapidly as the attack had begun, they slammed Holly's Pokémon onto the floor of shadows. When Naganadel lay motionless on the ground, they knew the outcome of the battle had been decided.

Instinctively, the circle and multicolored lights came again. She breathed deeply, savoring the warmth and relaxation. However, she knew that such feelings were brief, or she would never feel them again. For it seemed as soon as she savored the light it faded. She once again let herself be lowered to the ground, shimmering form also fading.

As soon as she was on the ground, she looked Holly straight in the eye.

Holly's own eyes were wide with shock, yet the girl's fist was also clenched in anger.

She noticed that Holly appeared to be trembling, and she couldn't tell whether was from rage or terror.

Regardless, she knew what she had to do next.

She could feel another sensation.

Power.

Wisdom.

Versatility.

Mysteriousness.

Abnormality.

Eccentricity.

There could be nothing more bizarre.

Nothing more terrifying.

Nothing more unfamiliar.

And yet…

It had been so easy.

So easy to accept the sensations that came…

So easy to accept others' reactions…

So easy to accept the power that came with the sensations…

It was like greeting an old friend.

Perhaps that was exactly what it was.

She had not had the power as long as some of her other options, she admitted.

But there was no denying that this power had guided her here…

Down the arduous Victory Road…

Through the halls of the League and to victory against the battles within…

And now that power was ready to guide her again, as she defeated this final foe.

Rapidly, she let the power overtake her.

The action was something Holly couldn't see.

Hardly anyone could, unless she told them about it beforehand.

And although the others here knew about it, no one reacted.

Perhaps everyone else was just trying to keep a straight face.

Or maybe the others had forgotten.

They wouldn't be surprised if the latter was the case with all the chaos.

Whatever the case, they knew the action had worked, as they stared straight at Holly.

Holly was still trembling, but the girl's hands was now unclenched.

Holly held up a Poké Ball, attempting to recall Naganadel.

However, the girl never got the chance.

A single silent command, and Holly was frozen in place. The girl couldn't even scream, just standing on the floor like a statue.

She imagine Holly was silently calling for the ghost.

But the ghost couldn't help the girl either.

For with a second command, the dead one and the Delphox were also frozen to the floor.

They thought they heard the others gasping, and suspected most of the group hadn't seen this power before.

Holly probably hadn't seen the power before either.

Or at least, the one time the girl could have seen it, it would have been unrecognizable.

She suspected the ghost might have seen the power, though, or at least knew of it.

But the dead one probably buried all experiences, tossing them aside and into the safety of a closed mind.

Now the ghost could have been unwillingly experiencing it all again.

What did the dead one feel, they wondered?

 _Could_ the ghost even feel, after everything that happened?

They knew it was useless to try and answer that question.

So they briefly glanced at the two one last time, noting the purple wispy aura faintly orbiting around them.

They wondered if the others would notice that aura.

If the group would recognize it.

They wondered what the reactions would be if that was the case.

Yet if the aura was familiar to anyone, no one commented on it.

So instead they focused their attention on something else.

Naganadel still was unconscious on the floor, the ghostly, freezing, aura not even beginning to envelop the Pokémon.

They simply nodded.

Everything needed to be this way, for what they were about to do.

Another silent command, and the aura grew stronger.

However, the aura around the two enemies remain the same.

Instead, it enveloped the Poké Ball in Holly's hand, device also frozen in a perpetual state of recalling.

The aura was so powerful that it looked as though the Poké Ball was turning a different color.

Yet color wasn't what they were after.

For the aura finally enveloped Naganadel, as strong as the one surrounding Holly's Poké Ball.

And then…

From Holly's Poké Ball to the fallen form of Naganadel, there was a thick black line. That black line was also shrouded in the purple aura, but not as much as the others that were.

It didn't need to be.

For this was the connection between Pokémon and their Trainers, physically held together via a Poké Ball.

Normally invisible, and often not thought about.

After all, it didn't do anything to the Pokémon or the Trainers, and didn't restrain either.

They were one of the few that could see it, and so they had made it visible to everyone else.

After what they were about to do, no one would ever forget.

For they stretched the black line, twisting it, straining it…

And then…

There was a loud snap as the line broke completely.

Holly's Poké Ball shot one last stream of light blue light that completely engulfed Naganadel.

They registered the sound of the others gasping, and only nodded.

The rest of the people may not have known what they were doing before, but the group certainly knew what this meant.

And if the others didn't know what was happening at this point, the group would understand when the light engulfing Holly's Poké Ball grew stronger still.

Another moment, and the device completely shattered.

The purple aura surrounded the Poké Ball one last time as they held the shards in the air.

They kept the shards from hitting Holly, throwing them onto the ground.

Holly's hand involuntarily went slack, as they forced the rest of the shards to fall to the floor uselessly.

They nodded again.

Though they knew they had succeeded here, their task was not yet complete.

Without wasting a second, a green orb began to radiate in front of her body.

In another minute, the orb flew towards the battlefield, as it tossed by an invisible hand.

The orb materialized with the flash upon hitting in the shadows.

There were more gasps, and they had expected the surprise.

For there, standing in front of them was a light green pixie. It fluttered with tiny wings, sporting similarly sized arms, hands, antennae, and feet. Large blue eyes door almost everything else as the creature stared at them curiously.

They nodded a greeting.

Almost every Trainer knew of this Pokémon, spoken of in countless legends.

And any Trainers who didn't know would by the end of these events.

For this was the Pokémon of purification.

The venerable time traveler.

The voice of the forests.

One of the rarest and most powerful of the gods.

And the only one that could truly handle the current situation.

Now, the newcomer said nothing, only continuing to eye them curiously.

It didn't need to, for they easily understood its silent question.

And they gave a silent answer.

Yet it was one the new Pokémon understood.

In an instant, the creature was cloaked in a green glow. It immediately took to the skies, zooming around Naganadel's unconscious form. The green glow left a trail which resembled rings, as the creature circled around Naganadel repeatedly. Eventually the creature flew back in front of her, green glow trailing behind it.

They nodded approvingly, yet they easily stared over the newcomer's head.

A light green, glowing, transparent orb engulfed Naganadel. Holly's Pokémon didn't stir, even though it looked like it was trapped inside a bubble. The orb suddenly grew larger, and there was a clanging sound as the orb broke itself. Sparks of green resembling fireflies flew towards Naganadel, striking the center of its body. Holly's Pokémon lit up slightly, sparks reflecting light before the last of them disappeared.

The green creature smiled triumphantly, and they nodded back again. The newcomer was surrounded by more light, returning to the form of a green orb. The orb soared through the air, rapidly flying into her body.

Yet they knew they were still not finished.

A pointy, golden, star-shaped item appeared in her hands.

A Max Revive, they knew.

An item that could bring any Pokémon back from the depths of unconsciousness inflicted by battle, provided the wounds weren't fatal.

And they could think of no one else who needed one more right now.

They tossed the Max Revive at Naganadel, the item bouncing off of the Pokémon's lifeless form.

Their aim was true, however, as the item poured medicine all over Holly's Pokémon.

Naganadel twitched and stirred as it slowly opened its eyes.

It picked itself off the ground, standing straight and tall.

And then Naganadel turned towards Holly.

The Pokémon's gaze was no longer narrowed and bloodthirsty, yet there was no mistaking the fury burning in its eyes as it towered over its Trainer.

The rage filled its voice too, as Naganadel spoke in a snarling hiss.

" _Holly, you stood and watched as that zombie ripped me from my home, and took over my mind! I'll have you know I was helpless to try and fight it off, yet aware of everything you and that dead person were doing! So my true self could see and feel all the horrible things you were making me do, yet I could do nothing but suffer! You forced me to commit horrible acts, and turn me into an unwitting slave. I may not be able to fight the zombie, but I can certainly destroy you, Holly!"_

Naganadel's voice grew even louder, and it pointed its stingers at Holly's throat.

The Pokémon's message was unmistakable, as its rage burned even more fiercely than it had before.

" _So now, I will have my revenge! You have breathed your last, Holly!"_

At Naganadel's words, they stiffened.

Before the thoughts had been completed, the ghostly orbs soared in the air.

Immediately after, a single word hovered in between Holly and Naganadel.

" _Halt!"_

Naganadel's eyes immediately widened in surprise.

It had reacted to the word, so it most clearly understood what it meant.

But they wondered if it would listen.

Even with her powers, there was no guarantee.

Yet Naganadel lowered its stinger and whirled around.

They could see that rage still burned in the Pokémon's eyes, yet rage was now mixed with a flicker of confusion.

The mixture of emotions was clearly accentuated in Naganadel's next words.

" _Why should I halt?"_

The orbs came again, but this time she wrote carefully, knowing the dire consequences if her message fell on deaf ears.

" _You should halt because what you're doing doesn't isn't worth it. Why have your justice against Holly now, when you could have justice against all criminals like her, and Holly included, for the rest of your life?"_

Naganadel's anger evaporated into pure bewilderment. The Pokémon still spoke in a snarl, but the words held little bite.

" _What do you mean?"_

She rapidly used the opportunity to elaborate.

The League will have justice against Holly no matter what, so that makes revenge redundant, to say the least. Getting revenge solely for yourself also denies countless other victims of their own justice. All that turns what seems like a heroic act into something incredibly selfish. And after everything that has happened, being selfish is probably the last thing you want to be known as.

Her message must've had the desired effect, because Naganadel's rage faded away completely. The confusion still lingered, but they could detect another emotion within.

Sorrow.

It was unsurprising, they figured, given everything that happened.

Even more unsurprising was the new emotions now permeating Naganadel's voice.

" _Then what am I supposed to do?"_

They looked Naganadel square in the eye, although they knew the Pokémon couldn't see the gesture.

Yet Naganadel most likely could see that she was writing carefully, making sure once again that her message was clear.

" _As for what you should do instead… There are many other criminals who have had no justice served against them. And there are countless other victims and their families who have been brought no peace. You could fight against these criminals as well, and see that others do not suffer as you have."_

Naganadel nodded in understanding, yet there was no stopping the confusion in its eyes and voice.

" _I understand, but how can I do that?"_

This time, she wrote more rapidly, knowing what she had to do.

" _As for how…"_ She let her sentence go slack, as she gestured to Anabel. The woman took a step forward, almost expectantly.

Naganadel's surprised eyes went wide, so she slowed her pace as she began writing again.

" _This woman, Anabel… Join her. Anabel is a member of the International Police Force and specifically deals with Ultra Beasts. She could probably get you back home if you wanted. More importantly, Anabel has spent her life battling against and apprehending criminals like Holly. Since you both are Holly's victims, Anabel is more than willing to fight with and for you, Naganadel."_

The confusion was still evident, as more questions rolled off Naganadel's tongue.

" _Anabel is one of the ones that fought against Holly before all this, yes?"_

They rapidly nodded, and she wrote in response.

" _Yes, Anabel fought Holly long before this, when the girl first started showing signs of heading down the path of evil. Anabel tried to change Holly's ways, but unfortunately, as you can see, she was not successful. So Anabel fights against Holly now, and continues to fight against all criminals, in order to keep honest Trainers safe and prevent what happened to her and you from happening again."_

Naganadel nodded, the Pokémon's voice finally having some degree of clarity.

" _I have no reason not to side with Anabel, then."_

Naganadel slowly floated over to Anabel, and the woman held up a spare Poké Ball.

However, Naganadel backed away slightly, hanging its head low.

The Pokémon's voice shook more sorrowful than ever before.

" _I can't… I can't go into one of those devices… Not after Holly imprisoned me with one…"_

She wished Naganadel could see the sympathy in her eyes, for she knew writing alone could not convey her emotions.

Yet she had to try anyway.

" _I understand how you feel, Naganadel, but Anabel is just trying to keep you safe. Once everything at the League is over and done with, Anabel will release you from the Poké Ball, and you can do as you wish."_

Anabel nodded in agreement, and Naganadel floated closer.

However, it suddenly turned around to take another look at them, and words tumbled again from its mouth.

" _I've one last question for you."_

Rapidly, she responded.

" _What is it?"_

The answer came out slowly, but they could still detect a new confidence within it.

" _If I'm not mistaken, Mold Breaker, you have a habit of naming your Pokémon. Can I have a name as well? I'd feel honored if I had a name from you. Even though you're not my Trainer, I would like something to remember you by, so that I can will never forget that you saved me."_

They nodded, writing without hesitation.

" _Of course. You are male, so I have thought of the perfect name for you."_

Naganadel's eyes widened.

" _You can tell my gender? Most can't."_

They nodded yet again, and she continued to write rapidly.

" _Yes, I can tell your gender. Call it part of a quirk of mine."_

In reality, she knew quirk probably wasn't the right word, it she could think of nothing else to describe understanding a Pokémon's gender when it looked as though the Pokémon had none.

Indeed, confusion flickered in Naganadel's eyes, but only briefly.

Rapidly, it focused its gaze back on them.

The Pokémon spoke again, question clear.

" _What name have you thought of?"_

Her response came without hesitation.

" _Kilgharrah. If the name of a powerful and renowned dragon. It suits you well."_

They nodded again as the thought about the name.

The Pokémon probably didn't know the name's significance, but the word matched it perfectly.

It was from a retelling of an ancient legend, in which there were two dragons and many others…

One of the dragons, wise and ancient, had been forced from his home…

He had hoped for peace with the inhabitants of the other place, but had been deceived by them…

The dragon was then humiliated and imprisoned, effectively being at humans' beck and call…

The dragon had bonded with a single human, who reluctantly set him free…

After that, the dragon tried to get revenge on the land that imprisoned him, although he had been stopped before he could…

Nevertheless, he still retained that the bond with the human who freed him, and ultimately fought at his side until the end…

To think Naganadel's story matched the other dragon's so perfectly…

Perhaps it was not just coincidence…

Nevertheless, Naganadel was nodding.

" _I don't know the dragon you speak of, but I do like the name. Thank you."_

They nodded again, and she rapidly wrote.

" _You're welcome, and good luck."_

With that, Kilgharrah turned back towards Anabel.

He floated up to the spare Poké Ball expectantly, and was gone in a red flash of light.

She wished the others could see her smile.

For now the promise and request was fulfilled.

Wendy would be proud.

All the Rangers would be.

And yet…

It was not worth severing the connection between Holly and her other Pokémon.

All this Pokémon were far too loyal to Holly and bloodthirsty…

At least they had saved the innocent victim among Holly's team…

They shifted their focus to the ghost and Holly, noting that the two were still frozen.

Strangely, the ghost had not acted.

Perhaps the dead one expected to get imprisoned again upon escape, or at something else planned.

Regrettably, they knew they could not hold the two prisoners forever.

Attempting to do so would destroy both their power, and her life.

Another command, and Holly and the ghost were no longer frozen.

It did not take the two long to recover, for Holly and the ghost instantly focused narrowed glares on them.

Holly spoke first in a screech.

"How dare you steal my Pokémon, Mold Breaker! You've sunk lower than I ever thought you would!"

The girl then threw a glare Anabel, eyes blazing with fury.

"Anabel, you hate Ultra Beasts! Why the sudden change of heart? What are you going to do?"

Anabel met Holly's glare with a chilling gaze and a voice to match.

"I have nothing to say to you, Holly."

Suddenly, the ghost stepped up, expression cold and voice grave.

"Then, I suppose I have no choice."

With that, the ghost nodded to the Delphox. The Pokémon radiated with psychic power, yet no one could make any move to stop it.

They couldn't see why.

Rather, they felt it.

The same psychic power orbited around them, yet they knew they hadn't caused it.

But that was not what they focused on.

Instead, they registered the sensation of being enveloped in ice.

Or perhaps it was being enchained and bound to the ground.

Maybe it was the sensation of becoming a stone structure.

Regardless, they knew they had been locked the place, their own tactics turned against them.

And yet, there was a single thought.

And then, the sound of something breaking.

The restrictive sensations and the psychic power disappeared.

They stood as if no attack had ever been fired, and stared straight at their opponents.

Holly's eyes had gone wide, and they thought they caught a flicker of surprise in the gazes of the ghost and the Delphox.

It was clear that their enemies didn't really consider them having that power.

Even if it was only for a little bit, they had caught their enemies off guard.

Yet…

They detected a peculiar sound, something they never expected to hear…

They stiffened when they realized what was…

The ghost was laughing.

It was as if someone had told the dead one the best joke that had ever been created.

Yet there was clearly nothing funny going on.

It was evident, as the ghost's laugh held no mirth and only mockery.

The mockery carried over to the dead one's voice.

"How amusing that you have the power to destroy a psychic paralysis attack, Mold Breaker. I could imprison you again, but it would be useless, and it's much more enjoyable watching you free but helpless."

They stared at their enemy, trying to discern the meaning of the last statement.

Helpless was being frozen, and since they weren't, they certainly were not helpless now!

As if the dead one could sense their thoughts, there came a reply.

"If you try to use your power to liberate any of the others, Mold Breaker, I will simply imprison them again. So that power is effectively worthless."

They could easily see the rest of the group, standing still as statues.

However, they could also see the looks on the others' faces.

Horrified.

Shocked.

Angry.

Pleading.

Pleading for them to stop the ghost.

Pleading for them to stop all this.

They could and they would.

No matter what was hurled against them.

So they faced the ghost again, stoic and unmoving.

The dead one simply spoke again, as if there was not a care in the world.

"You know that it's futile to fight me, Mold Breaker, because thanks to the power of Yveltal, I can easily survive any attack you wield against me. Attacking my Delphox is worthless too. After all, I can simply use another Pokémon to keep up the prison, can't I?"

The ghost's voice trailed off into what they recognized as a question.

One that the ghost was taunting them, _goading them_ , to answer.

And yet…

They needed no reply.

Because they could sense it.

Hidden from view and unnoticeable to everyone but them.

Simultaneously, it couldn't be clearer.

The sensation slammed them sharply, something they detected instinctively.

Said sensation was unmistakable.

There were the souls of Pokémon.

There were _hundreds,_ maybe _thousands_ of them here.

Each soul belonged to a different creature as the Pokémon waited stealthily within their Poké Balls somewhere.

And yet they all of the Pokémon had three things in common.

One was that the creatures belonged to the ghost, and that all of the new enemies were alive.

The third was the Pokémons' shared feelings.

Angry.

Vengeful.

Bloodthirsty.

Ruthless.

Murderous.

And what was more…

The ghost had brought every Pokémon, not just the ones that could assist with psychic power.

Not even the weakest ones were spared, simply standing at attention.

Had the ghost used the power of Yveltal to bring all the creatures here without anyone noticing?

Or did the dead one desecrate the sacred lands beyond the mortal plane somehow?

Regardless, they didn't know.

They weren't sure they wanted to know.

They knew that they could use same power they used to separate Holly and Kilgharrah.

Yet doing that to such a large number of Pokémon would drain their own power.

Such an action was nearly guaranteed to be fatal, and they couldn't afford to take chances like that right now.

Perhaps not after.

Even if they did succeed in utilizing the previous power safely, the action would be futile.

There was nothing stopping the ghost from capturing the Pokémon all over again.

Even without a formal capture, the Pokémon were all deathly loyal.

The creatures would waste no time returning to the dead one's side.

So there was nothing they could do.

Perhaps the ghost was right.

Perhaps they truly were helpless.

But they wouldn't give the dead one that satisfaction.

So they simply nodded, and she wrote.

" _Yes, you have many Pokémon."_

The ghost nodded and spoke with a smile.

"Good. You understand that, at least."

The dead one paused, but the silence was brief.

Before she could say reply, the ghost sinisterly spoke again.

"I suppose you're considering using the trick before, or maybe imprisoning us again. Perhaps you will utilize some of the tactics from Saffron."

The ghost paused again, and there was no mistaking the ominous tone that followed.

"I just wanted to let you know that if you do… Well, let's just say you will pay the price."

They stiffened as a low cry filled the air.

It was the sound they instantly recognized.

Yveltal, the now imprisoned and enslaved god, yet retaining its near boundless power.

Forced into being a thrall, Yveltal would carry out the dead one's every whim.

Even if those whims were to take their lives.

Even if those whims were to take the lives of everyone here.

And it seemed like there was nothing they could do against that power, other than hasten their own demise.

That, and watching the ghost break out to a giant grin.

A frightening confidence filled the dead one's voice.

"You know Yveltal's power. You know what it can do. As an Angel of Arceus, you should understand everything about that power. And that would also mean understanding you can't fight back."

They wouldn't even give the ghost the satisfaction of a nod, even in the face of a possible upcoming defeat.

Yet the lack of response seemed to satisfy the dead one, grin and ominously confident tone continuing.

"You cannot win. You cannot escape. You and the others must accept your inevitable doom!"

They flinched as they noticed the Delphox glow with psychic power again.

They braced themselves for an enemy strike.

It would make sense, since the ghost had brought countless Pokémon.

Perhaps the dead one had decided to freeze them again after all.

Yet the power radiating was different from the icy chill of the psychic paralysis, or the blatant brutality of an attack.

This psychic power felt warm.

Calming.

Welcoming.

Protective.

And yet…

So eerily out of place in this life or death battle…

What could the ghost possibly be protecting?

A quick glance gave them their answer.

The psychic power now radiated around Holly, and the girl appeared relaxed.

Yet there would be no reason for the ghost to attack Holly.

The two were allies, and Holly wouldn't be so relaxed in the face of an attack.

They glanced closer, and noticed the psychic power was taking some sort of shape, almost like a dome.

Something to keep Holly enclosed inside, and keep everything else out.

The sensation…

The relationship between the two…

The shape…

The purpose…

It could only mean one thing.

The psychic power was a barrier, meant to keep Holly from being hit by something…

But what?

The ghost already knew they were helpless to fight, and they couldn't imagine the dead one trying to hit Holly deliberately…

But then…

The psychic power around the Delphox intensified, and the intense power surrounded the ghost.

The ghost only nodded and grinned, but soon the smile faded away.

Now the ghost was grimacing, face contorted in some sort of suffering.

The dead one's eyes were squeezed shut, and it was impossible not to notice the shaking.

The ghost's face went white, and sweat could easily be seen.

The dead one's face twisted into what appeared to be a scream, yet the silence relentlessly continued as the ghost's mouth remained shut.

They simply stared straight at the same.

The two were clearly planning something, but what?

What was the point of making the ghost suffer like that, particularly when the suffering was inflicted by one that wasn't an enemy?

Their attention was drawn back to Holly as the girl sneered.

"Confused, Mold Breaker? Well, you're going to be gone soon anyway, so I suppose there's no harm explaining what's going on."

Holly immediately faced Anabel, sneering again.

"So how does it feel to have your ideas used against you, Anabel?"

The woman could do nothing against the accusation Holly levied, only staring straight ahead.

Holly simply laughed.

"Of course you can't answer, Anabel! You're helpless! It's a good look for you!"

They couldn't stop the confusion welling up within them.

Holly had just said that everything would be explained to them, so why was the girl rounding on Anabel?

As if sensing the silent question, Holly arrogantly spoke again.

"You see, Kristine suffers from anxiety, and she had several attacks during the journey together. Therefore, Anabel had the idea to throw positive thoughts inside of Kristine's head using psychic power. The hope was that these thoughts would stop any negative thoughts that came on because of the anxiety."

Holly paused, a malicious tone entering the girl's voice.

"But Kristine had been keeping a secret from almost everyone. If her anxiety gets bad enough, she'll unleash deadly and uncontrolled supernatural powers. Kristine unleashed those powers on our journey previously, and they nearly hurt me and several other people. So at first, she and I thought that they were useless. After all, what use would a power that could hurt others without meaning to? Kristine had several other talents that she _could_ control, so she didn't need the supernatural abilities."

Holly paused for dramatic effect, a smirk making its way onto the girl's face.

"But then, you came along. You destroyed whatever plans we had, and foiled all of our attacks matter how powerful they were. When Kristine and I fled from the battle in Saffron, we weren't sure what to do. For once, all hope seemed lost. However, Kristine came up with a brilliant plan. If positive thoughts from a psychic Pokémon lowered anxiety, then negative thoughts could raise it."

Holly smirk morphed into a grin, and they couldn't resist shuddering.

They had a feeling what was coming next, but Holly spoke anyway.

"So Kristine decided that she would use her Delphox to force negative thoughts into her mind and overwhelm it. That would cause a massive amount of anxiety, enough to trigger her supernatural powers. After that, we could unleash the power on our enemies. Because Kristine's power is different from anything else. It's something only if a few have seen. Something that no one could stop. Not even you."

Holly's grin grew even wider, and the girl's tone of voice was no confidence mixed in with mockery.

"With enough anxiety, we could trigger Kristine's supernatural powers whenever we wanted. There would be nothing to fear from them, and it would be just like they were controlled. A new tool at our disposal, one that no one could truly fight back against. No matter who they were."

Holly stared straight at them, as if inviting them to fire a retort.

Yet they wouldn't fall for the girl's tricks.

Instead, they resisted the urge to clench fists.

Just because Holly and the ghost could control _when_ supernatural power would appear did not mean _the supernatural power itself was controlled._ That power still had the potential to injure and take the lives of anyone, including allies of Holly and the ghost. And then there was the possibility of anxiety occurring from influences _outside_ of Holly's and the dead one's own control. Then it would be like the perfect plan had never been put into place, as Holly and the ghost would have to contend with unrestrained supernatural powers running rampant everywhere. Not to mention the unwanted destruction left within those powers' wake.

Didn't Holly and the ghost realize that?

Perhaps the two did, but just did not care.

Or perhaps Holly and Kristine were just desperate.

The two had to be in order to resort to using something so painful and dangerous.

Yet their attention was refocused as several screeches pierced the air.

A rapid glance told them that these were the ghost's screams.

The dead one had become almost completely enveloped in a blinding light, only a faint outline being seen.

They thought they hadn't talked to Holly for very long, but perhaps more time had passed.

Or perhaps the attack just build up rapidly.

It had to be, if it was going to be successful here.

They weren't sure, but there was something they did know.

Even though no one truly spoke, the message the ghost conveyed was clear.

Pain.

Suffering.

Sorrow.

Rage.

Fear.

Vengeance.

Death.

They resisted the urge to clench a fist.

Was this what Holly and the ghost really wanted?

Was one attack worth all that?

They supposed it didn't matter.

Because of death.

Even if the attack destroyed the ghost, Yveltal would simply utilize the powers of revival.

The captive Pokémon would probably revive the Delphox too, so the attack could be launched again and again.

How twisted that death was a slap on the wrist because the attacker was dead!

Yet they were drawn from their thoughts again as they heard Holly sneer.

"Goodbye, Mold Breaker. Enjoy your trip to hell!"

They were alerted to another presence as they glanced back.

The ghost was now completely covered by the blinding light.

The dead one had gone silent, light swallowing up even the screams.

Or perhaps the ghost was still screaming, pain and suffering being shrieked to the skies, yet no one could hear.

Regardless, it looked as though the light was beginning to move.

No matter what the ghost thought now, the outcome was the same.

The attack would soon strike, and it would devastate everyone in the area, save for the ghost and Holly.

And there seemed to be no way out.

She gritted her teeth, although she knew no one could see the gesture.

Had everything she'd done been worthless?

Was she truly helpless?

Could she truly do nothing?

Would all of this end in her worst nightmare?

Nightmare…

Nightmare…

Yes, she recalled now, thoughts striking her like arrows.

She recalled the nightmare the Lord of those entities had sent her, as part of his grueling test.

It was a world where she did not exist, having died as an infant…

Indeed, that world possessed similarities to this place…

And the test had been administered in between her coming and return here…

She couldn't write it off as mere coincidence, feeling as though the Lord of Nightmares was trying to tell her something…

And now…

She realized that those intuitions were true…

A world where she did not exist…

Because the ghost's current form did not exist…

No, that form _never_ existed…

So she knew what she had to do.

They let the white wings spread out wide, flapping majestically behind her. The aura of Mega Evolution could be seen, even though there were no transformation tools. The cry of the Anomaly pierced the air, high-pitched yet proud.

It must've been grating, for they noticed Holly grimacing and blanching.

Yet to her, the cry was music to her ears.

It always would be.

Perhaps that feeling of acceptance was one of the reasons why they bonded in the first place.

Yet they knew they couldn't reminisce on the past now.

Instead, they let the power radiate from them, washing over the others in the group like an invisible wave.

Within an instant, the frozen ones could move again, most taking cautious steps towards them.

They wondered if anyone would figure out what really happened.

Perhaps they wouldn't with an action so quick.

Or perhaps the others didn't know enough about the Anomaly's power.

Including where that power was also headed.

For in the same instant that the psychic paralysis had been stopped, they focused on the ghost.

They couldn't see the dead one in the light, but they knew what was going on.

The Anomaly's power was warping the ghost.

Changing the ghost.

Distorting the ghost.

How ironic that things had to be distorted in order to see reality.

But irony was beside the point.

For the Anomaly's power was doing one thing.

Forcing the ghost to take the last form that had existed.

And there was only one form that could be.

The dead one's screaming went silent, and the light began to fade.

A smaller light flew out from behind the fading one, and something slowly appeared on the shadowy ground.

As the large light faded completely, one could make out what that something was.

It was the shape of the body.

A dead body.

The corpse was littered with burns, to the point where there weren't any areas without them. Though the victim was long since gone, the injuries still stood angrily. They could see that several parts of the corpse's skin seemed stiff as boards. Brown and white wounds covered the body, appearing similar to leather. Some of the wounds had an outline that was red and raging, contrasting against the darker colors of the rest of the wounds. The face had been scorched black beyond any recognition, and whatever part of the corpse that had avoided wounds had suffered that same fate. Upon looking closely, they could see another victim. The victim had also been scorched black, and although they couldn't really make out with the victim had once been, they could see something that vaguely appeared to be tentacles, and a head in the shape of the bell.

The corpse may have been initially unrecognizable, but that didn't stop the others from realizing who it was.

They heard someone vomiting profusely, and registered the sound to be coming from Scarlet. No one rushed to comfort the young Champion, though. The others were caught up in their own reactions of shock, fear, sorrow, and rage. They rapidly recognized Erika's voice, as the Gym Leader's words came out in the shrill yell.

"That's the same as the body I found on Route 7 15 years ago! I was rightfully horrified and didn't know what to do. I walked back to the city to get the police, but what I went to lead them to the body, it had disappeared without a trace! I was able to get my memories searched, so the police knew I wasn't lying! And even though I had no idea who that person had been, I thought the person should have a proper grave! To think the dead person I found 15 years ago was standing right in front of me, and that I made a grave for a monster!"

Erika's outraged comment was met with only silence, and they assumed the others had not gotten over the horror of what had just gone on.

So they took a moment to steal a glance at Holly.

The barrier from before had fallen, even though they had not touched it. They guessed the Delphox had removed it as soon as its Trainer's attack was forcefully halted. After all, the barrier was useless otherwise.

Barrier or not, they could still see Holly's expression.

The girl's face had gone completely ashen, eyes wide. Holly's countenance was twisted into a grimace, and the girl backed away slowly.

However, as soon as Holly's looks of fear came, the girl recovered. Color rushed into Holly's face, her grimace turning into a glare and a scowl. The girl stepped forward confidently, shooting a glare at them.

Perhaps Holly was just too focused on eliminating them to care about what just happened.

Or perhaps the girl had seen and caused enough death to not be affected.

Regardless, Holly glanced around and looked ready to fire a retort back at Erika.

However, whatever Holly in mind was cut short by Karen's sharp command.

"Darkrai, grab the corpse!"

The low growl of Karen's Pokémon filled the air, and shadows formed beneath the body. The corpse rapidly disappeared, as shadows enveloped the body and took it away. Though Karen's Pokémon could not be seen, another low growl signaled that the Elite Four member's command had been fulfilled.

And then…

Something entered her head.

Words spoken long ago.

A promise she made when she was young.

Something she knew could be fulfilled now.

She understood she had no right to request anything of the others, especially with everything that had gone on.

And yet…

She had to try.

So they glanced at Karen.

The ghostly orbs flew as she wrote.

" _Have Morty take care of the body, please."_

There was no mistaking Karen's confusion as the Elite Four member responded.

"Morty? The Gym Leader of Ecurteak? He's also a skilled mortician, but…"

Karen sentence trailed off as the Elite Four member's gaze softened.

"Oh, I understand. You want Kristine's remaining family to know what happened, and to have a proper funeral so that they can have their time to grieve. They probably don't even know she's dead, let alone anything she did."

Karen nodded.

"It's a simple request, one Darkrai and I can fulfill. Consider it done, Mold Breaker."

They nodded back.

It wasn't the place to tell the truth, but at least the request would be fulfilled.

And the long-held promise along with it, in a sense.

But this wasn't the time to think back on all promises.

There was still another matter to deal with.

They glanced at another figure, and the figure only looked them straight in the eyes.

The figure was shimmering like all spirits did, floating lazily in the air.

There was no sorrow, fear, or shock in the other's gaze.

Only a cold, stoic, fury.

They expected something like this.

After all, the last form the ghost had truly existed as was the one taken upon death.

The burnt, mangled corpse of the girl who died in agony 15 years ago.

And of course, the separated spirit that came with that.

The dead one's spirit form was still the same as what had been used before the Anomaly's attack. They weren't surprised.

That was the form the ghost was used to using, so it was simply taken again.

But now the dead one's deceit was plain for all to see.

And there was nowhere for the ghost to hide.

She hoped the ghost could detect the ominous tone in her words as she wrote.

"Well, now you're forced to face the truth. Aren't you going to explain to everyone else?"

If the ghost could detect anything, there was no indication.

Instead, there was only defiant silence, as the dead one stared straight back.

So she wasted no time writing.

"Very well, then I'll explain."

She paused briefly, before writing again.

"When you died, you died as a Trainer. Therefore, Yveltal and the other Pokémon gods of the afterlife came to take you to your final resting place. But you refused to go to any afterlife, or even accept your death. Instead, you demanded that Yveltal use the powers of destruction to destroy the fact that you died. Yveltal would make it so that you could live again, as though nothing had ever happened, and also to destroy any physical evidence of your death. Of course, though Yveltal was capable, it refused. Your wish was a selfish one, and you had lived a dishonest life. And so you were told, but you wouldn't accept no for an answer."

She noticed the ghost's glare had softened despite not saying anything. Perhaps the dead one had accepted the truth now that there was no denying it.

Regardless, she knew there were still more to write.

So she did not hesitate doing so.

"When Yveltal approached closer to forcefully carry you to one of the afterlives, you struck mercilessly. The Pokémon Tulip helplessly died with you, and you used that to your advantage. You abused Tulip in life, and you would not stop in death. You forced the poor Ultra Beast to inject Yveltal with her poisons, and bend the god of destruction to your will. That same power of the poison made it even stronger, strong enough to fight off any other enemies you might've encountered. Even the other gods. Of course, it wasn't like you needed to fight at the time. The other gods didn't dare come near you or Tulip, for fear that they might become slaves themselves."

She expected the ghost to display rage and hate, but the dead one's countenance softened even more.

What was the ghost planning?

Whatever it was, it couldn't have been good.

Regardless, she continued writing.

"With the Pokémon of destruction completely under your control, you forced Yveltal to comply with your demands. Then, without hesitation, you left the afterlife once Yveltal's power took hold. Deprived of one of its gods, the balance of the afterlife was interrupted. But the gods could not go after you. For you also begin using, and still use, Yveltal's power to destroy any fatal injuries that would lead to a second death. You believed Yveltal's power gave you the ability to live as long as your desired, bestowing you complete control over your own life and death. However, this did not change the fact that you died, and only exist now because of abusing others."

She finished writing with a flourish, and glanced at the ghost.

Surely the dead one would be enraged after hearing something like this!

Yet the ghost showed no rage, or even shock.

Instead, the dead one broke into a giant grin, as if nothing had ever happened.

And then…

Loud, mocking, contemptuous, laughter left the ghost's lips. It seemed like it was several minutes before the laughter finally stopped. The ghost's voice was equally contemptuous upon speaking again.

"I only thought of you as an annoyance, Mold Breaker, although useless was also never in question."

They tried their hardest not to flinch backward.

Was this just another taunt?

Before she could ask what the ghost meant, the dead one spoke again.

"You have proved I am dead, and my reputation is destroyed, but in the end, this accomplishes nothing."

Before the ghost could go on, Holly stepped up.

The girl shot a second contemptuous glance at them while speaking in a matching arrogant tone.

"Kristine's right. Even though she is dead, that doesn't change anything. The corrupt League doesn't do anything while Trainers are hurt or even killed on their journeys! And when those Trainers try to take matters into their own hands or alter the horrible League system, they are the ones criminalized! So I will bring down the League and its corruption! No matter what!"

She resisted the urge to hang her head low.

Holly was already lost.

Any sliver of hope of convincing the girl that the current actions were wrong had been quashed as soon as those sentences were spoken.

It such a shame.

For Erika, Anabel, Sabrina, and everyone else that had been close to Holly.

And all current and potential victims whose lives might still be at risk.

But she couldn't get lost in thought as the ghost nodded approvingly at Holly.

"Well spoken, Holly. But the Mold Breaker is even more useless than you point out."

Before she could fire a retort, the ghost turned towards her and spoke again.

"I cannot damage the others in this form, but neither can anyone damage me. Not even you, Mold Breaker. In order for anything to continue, you have to turn me back to normal eventually."

The ghost's grin grew even wider, and the dead one's voice took on an ominous tone.

"Unless, you want me to do that myself."

The low cry of Yveltal filled the air, and they could not flinching.

Yveltal's power had not changed, even though the ghost's form had.

What else would the ghost do?

The ghost smiled wider than ever thought possible upon speaking in a confident tone.

"Yveltal is still my thrall, so there's nothing you can do to break the cycle and make me truly powerless. So truly, Mold Breaker, all you've done is nothing."

A taunting tone entered the ghost's voice, a question rolling off the dead one's lips.

"What will you do, knowing you've done nothing?"

At this, they shifted.

She wanted to answer the ghost's taunts!

She had to!

Anything less was giving in!

But then…

They were aware of a white light surrounding her.

This light was quite unlike the one that the ghost had fired before.

Instead this light was warm.

Welcoming.

Soothing.

But it was one other thing.

Commanding.

They could hear the others gasp.

Her eyes went wide, although she knew no one could see the gesture.

She knew what that light meant.

 _They_ knew what that light meant.

They glanced at the back of her right hand, noticing that the light had swallowed it up.

A quick glance at the left showed the same.

They threw her head back in despair, feeling the light envelop her further.

They weren't sure how much of her had been devoured, and didn't want to look.

Instead, only thoughts raced.

They _couldn't_ be called back!

They just _couldn't!_

Not when there were still enemies to fight!

Not when there were still problems to fix!

What was the purpose of being called back now?

Yet there was no answer to that question.

Instead, another sensation pierced their mind.

The world rushed in reverse, and she cringed as they realized what that meant.

The others were being hurled back to the League, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She was the one that kept the others in the place of life and death, and now that she was leaving, the group could no longer stay.

Yveltal's cry filled the air again, and they didn't need anyone to tell them what that meant.

The ghost had regained the form normally used, undoing the effects of the Anomaly's attack.

Perhaps the dead one was right.

Perhaps everything she, perhaps everything _they,_ had done was for nothing.

They had no answer to that question.

 _She_ had no answer to that question.

All she could do was watch as the light engulfed her version and took her away.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So, this chapter. It's quite a bit different than what has been seen so far. One of the biggest examples is the length. The reason for the chapters long length is because with the view chance, I thought it flowed smoother if the entire chapter was one even with its long length. Originally, I thought about splitting the chapter up in the multiple ones. However, I quickly realized with the viewpoint change the content would be jarring, choppy, and even predictable. So I kept the chapter as is. As for why I used the viewpoint change in the strange title, that will be explained in the next chapter (which also happens to be the epilogue).**

 **-So, quite a lot of death here, even if it is offscreen. Azure was originally planned to die much later on in the series, and it might have been in a different way. However, it would probably still have been in battle. The reason Azure's death was moved up was because a huge influence and a powerful opponent of Viridian. His position as the final Gym Leader also makes him a high-ranking League official, and he had established himself as a sworn enemy with a personal connection. As a result, Holly, Kristine, and the rebels would obviously want to eliminate Azure as soon as they could. Therefore, it didn't make sense to have his death be as late as it was originally.**

 **-Kristine's father was planned to die almost as soon as his character was introduced. With Christine being as ruthless, grudge holding, and vengeful and saying earlier that she wishes her father would die, I thought it would make sense if she followed through on her desires. It also gave some interesting introspective for the Mold Breaker, and further showcasing the difference of ideals she has from Holly and Kristine.**

 **-As for Professor Pine, out of all the aforementioned people (including Ivy), she was the only one** **not** **planned to die originally. I'd planned for Professor Pine to somehow survive the attack on Viridian and join the others attempting to apprehend Holly. After that, she continued to work to try and bring down the chaos plaguing the regions, either by continuing to aid the others directly or by hanging back and acting similar to a mission control. I haven't decided which role she would have, but I realized there was a massive problem.**

 **And that was that her role ultimately didn't matter.**

 **Because if she went with the others, she was risking getting attacked by their enemies, and those enemies were numerous. If she stayed back, she was also risking getting attacked by what enemies remained in Kanto or wherever else she decided to stay (once again, there were many).**

 **Those enemies included Holly and Kristine, thanks the betrayal, and those two alone could do massive damage.**

 **And that wasn't even the worst of it.**

 **Just because what Professor Pine did seemed to be for the good of all regions didn't mean that** **others** **would see it that way.**

 **Countless people, such as the supporters of Holly and Kristine, would hate her for the betrayal. Still others might see her as simply dishonest, and would distrust her because she switches sides whenever she feels like it. Then there would be those who would hate Professor Pine for effectively being the one that** **started** **the whole conflict with Holly, and to a lesser extent, Kristine. Then there's the fact that some people could very well believe she understands what is going on, but doesn't directly stop it, and that she could be seen as irresponsible. With all those people disdaining her, knowing what she's done and likely refusing to offer her support, Professor Pine would probably end up disgraced** **at the very least.** **That's not even touching on her own grief and guilt that she has from everything, only made worse as more and more people demonize her and the casualties mount up. Therefore, it would be** **extremely** **difficult for Professor Pine to live** **any** **semblance of a normal life.**

 **The other thing is that regardless of whether she survives or not, Professor Pine loses almost everything in the attack. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the power or prestige to recover from that (unlike, say Professor Oak, who knows what he is studying, is a renowned enough to have allies almost everywhere, and has a massive amount of power to survive and defend himself as needed). With the above issues, she would have a lot of problems finding anyone to support her and help her rebuild. So with every card in the deck stacked against her, there was really no place for her to go.**

 **And as a result, there's not much I could do with her (at least without more harm than good).**

 **Except have her die.**

 **And so that's exactly what happened.**

 **Even though Professor Pine's story came to a tragic conclusion, there's still something I want to do with her. That something could also have not come around without her dying. I am planning to reveal that something in her side story, Allegiance. In addition, there's also the matter of how Professor Pine will be treated in the series overall considering she did die. Another part is any appearances she has postmortem (mainly because spirits can appear to those in the living world in this series). So although Professor Pine's role in this story (and some of the other ones) is mostly over, her character as a whole is not. But, almost ironically, that character could only continue if she died when she did.**

 **-Katrina is a character mentioned in the companion story Knowledge, and is Professor Pine's main Pokémon. Her having many Pokémon for various reasons within her lab is also mentioned in Knowledge. Both of these characteristics are my own creations.**

 **-The rule about two Trainers defeating the Champion at the same time having to fight each other is something that is used in canon. However, it currently shows up in the entire series only twice.**

 **The first is in the Pokémon Trading Card Game for Game Boy Color. The player defeats the equivalent of the Elite Four, and it looks as though they're about to become Champion. However, the player's rival, Ronald, comes into the equivalent of the Pokémon League from the other side. Having defeated the Elite Four equivalent, he has inherited the fabled Legendary Pokémon Cards, and thus, the legacy of the Elite Four itself. However, he has not formally been given the title of Champion, nor has he gone through any other ceremonies that would allow the title to be recognized. As a result, the leader of the Elite Four, Rod, decides that they have both earned the right to the title of Champion since both the player and Ronald defeated the Elite Four at around the same time. As a result, the player and Ronald must then face off against each other, with Rod officiating the match.**

 **What also makes the case interesting is that once Ronald is defeated, there is no longer any Champion for the player to fight. The player can still battle Elite Four as many times as they wish, but the challenge will end after defeating Rod. This makes it the first case in the series where there is no Champion or Champion equivalent for the player to fight after the Elite Four have been defeated once. However, Ronald can still be fought as a random opponent at the end of something called the Challenge Cup. Due to the story events, he will never use his battle strategy that he did as a potential Champion.**

 **The second case occurs in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. In these games, the player defeats the Elite Four at the newly created Pokémon League. Since the Pokémon League was just established, there appears to be no Champion. Professor Kukui then comes up to congratulate the player. Suddenly, the player's rival, Hau, appears, having defeated the Elite Four at around the same time as the player, and also looking for a Champion fight. Due to the two clearing the League at the same time and there currently being no recognized Champion, Kukui decides that the player and Hau must face each other for the title of Alola's first Champion. He then officiates the match himself.**

 **-Unlike with the Ronald, there is a Champion equivalent once the player takes the title. If the player chooses to defeat the Elite Four again, various Trainers will come to challenge the player for their title. The Trainers that come are mostly random, although some have different events that must be triggered for their battles to occur. Regardless, Hau is one of the potential challengers, and uses a stronger version of the team he utilizes in his battle for the Champion title.**

 **-Kukui being the Champion and what happens to him afterward is based on the games. In the original Pokémon Sun and Moon, Kukui acts as the Champion fight, and the player must defeat him to truly claim the title. Afterwards, he can be fought as a potential challenger for the title after the player has earned it. In the games, Kukui states that he traveled around Kanto when he was younger. Although the Gym Leaders gave him trouble, he managed to make it all the way to the Elite Four member Lance. After a difficult battle, Lance defeated Kukui. However, Kukui was so amazed by the Pokémon moves he saw during his battle with Lance that he decided to dedicate his life to studying all Pokémon moves. However, despite being a professor, he still shown to be a competent battler in his Champion and title challenger fights. Thus, in this story, he actually holds the Champion title. It's worth noting that Kukui's first name is never revealed. However, I like alliteration, so I chose the name Kyle.**

 **-The Entralink is an area in the games, but it's one that is completely optional. The player can head to the Entralink early in the Unova games, but most likely will not have any reason to go there. The Entralink mainly exists for events connected to the Dream World, and connecting what happens there to the player's game. Most notably, if the player has befriended any Pokémon in the Dream World and convinced them to join their team, they can pick them up in a forest in the Entralink's north. It's not known where the Entralink is in the Pokémon world, since the player just uses an item called the C-Gear to warp to it without any explanation. However, since so much of it involves the Dream World, I thought it wouldn't be too far-fetched if it was on the edge of the latter.**

 **-So yes, Zinnia is dead. Just like most of the other people whose deaths revealed in this chapter, Zinnia was planned to die almost from the beginning. As soon as I decided she was going to be a villain and one of the major players in the rebels, death was really the only option for her. The best outcome Zinnia could've realistically had was being captured and spending the rest of her life in jail. With capital punishment legally existing in this series and many people out for her blood, the probability of that punishment happening and her surviving even in jail was not likely. As for how Zinnia dies, I got the idea after beginning to flesh out some of Zinnia's history and her relationship to the Mold Breaker. After that, once I thought of the attack on Viridian with Zinnia leading the charge, I knew it would be perfect if the Mold Breaker was the one to kill her. As such, that was written in.**

 **-Aster is a canon character that has some relation to Zinnia, but there's not much known about her. What is known is that she is deceased, having died somehow before the games began. Zinnia was left shaken by her death, and is implied to be suicidal as a result. Regardless, she adopts a Pokémon called Wishmur, naming it Aster after the deceased one. The Pokémon Aster then becomes Zinnia's partner in crime, staying out of its Poké Ball and battle while performing tasks for her. Although Aster otherwise acts like a normal Pokémon, she will occasionally call Zinnia her mother instead of her normal species cries. In addition, Zinnia acts like Aster is her daughter, and the Pokémon does not object.**

 **A later interview with the developers of Hoenn remakes (the games where Zinnia appears) explains that Aster was the Lorekeeper before Zinnia. Pokémon Special reveals that Aster was Zinnia's predecessor, and was so strong she could command Rayquaza in battle despite never formally capturing it. When the Devon Corporation attempted to capture Rayquaza, Aster fought back. However, she somehow died in the battle, and Zinnia found this out. Zinnia then tried to succeed Aster, but did not possess her power. In addition, the entire incident led to Zinnia hating the Devon Corporation, and much of the rest of the cast.**

 **However, most fans did not accept this official explanation.**

 **One reason is that the original confirmation comes from a little-known source, and there's not much information there. The second scenario that attempts to expand on this information takes place in a completely different continuity than the original games, and was also released later than they were. In addition, Zinnia and Aster are forced into an already established timeline in Pokémon Special, and it comes off as awkward in several areas. This is in contrast to the games, where even though the storyline similar, it's heavily implied to be a completely separate world from the originals, and Zinnia doesn't seem like anything odd.**

 **Instead, most fans believe that Zinnia is the mother of Aster, the latter having passed away when she was young. This is based off of how Zinnia treats the Pokémon Aster, and other Pokémon responds by calling her mother. It also makes Zinnia's actions throughout all her appearances make more sense, since losing a young child would be a very traumatic experience that would likely result in Zinnia having a lot of desperation and grief. It also would noting that Zinnia is still implied to be fairly young herself, so it makes the whole situation worse. Therefore, Traveler follows that interpretation. However, I may do something a bit similar to the canon human Aster's story in the future.**

 **Zinnia's history with Rayquaza is based on the games. Throughout the games she appears, Zinnia desperately tries to summon Mega Rayquaza to avert a supposed catastrophe. She does this despite it being heavily implied that the ritual will kill her, and she seems to almost welcome death. Even after she successfully summons Rayquaza and survives, Zinnia lacks the power to make it Mega Evolve. Once the player is able to Mega Evolve it and stop the catastrophe, Zinnia passes on the knowledge and power of the Lorekeeper to them, and decides to wander the world. While Zinnia is more successful in this series, I figured that she would still be angry at opponents using the same power, especially if they could use it better than her. If nothing else, Zinnia would be furious about someone using the name of her deceased daughter Aster, particularly if they seemingly never knew her.**

 **-Tobias's fate and the Mold Breaker's relationship to him comes from both the canon character and my interpretations. Darkrai is extremely powerful and fast. The downside of this is that he cannot take hits. If something faster than it delivers a powerful strike before it can hit back, Darkrai is easily defeated. Thanks to Darkrai's powerful abilities, that situation is much rarer than most cases. However, it can still happen, as evidenced by what the Mold Breaker does. Tobias being overly reliant on Darkrai is a deconstruction of how he acts in canon material. In canon, Darkrai has apparently never been beaten, and Tobias's surprise when Ash finally does defeat it. However, the defeat doesn't slow Tobias down at all, as he is able to take Ash's remaining Pokémon down with another one of his. It's worth noting that Ash is clearly the weaker Trainer, and has never owned a legendary Pokémon (at least, at that time). The scenario here shows what might happen if Tobias went up against opponents that also had legendary Pokémon, and were as powerful as he is.**

 **Tobias being allies with the Mold Breaker is actually based on former's name. Tobias is English name may come from the biblical Book of Tobit. In that story, there is a figure also named Tobias. Tobias proceeds to drive away a demon with the help of the Archangel Raphael. It is theorized that Tobias's strength is because of this reference, but it is unknown. However, I thought the origin of Tobias's name was interesting, and wanted to include that somehow. Then I remember that the Mold Breaker was also associated with angels, and decided that it would make sense for them to be allies. The similarities that are driven on further in that both their trainers that use legendary Pokémon in battle, but otherwise appear normal. Furthermore, both are powerful and stoic figures, but are still polite despite their strength. As a result, I thought the two would get along well, and made them allies.**

 **-Trainer Titles are used in canon games to denote the characteristics of Pokémon someone uses and their standing in the Pokémon world overall. For example, Gym Leaders and Elite Four members will have the title before their names before going into battle. Other examples include A Trainer that prefers Bug Types being called a Bug Catcher, one that is a performer that enjoys using fire types being called a Firebreather, and an older Trainer whose Pokémon are stronger being called an Ace Trainer. The default title is Pokémon Trainer, it's the one the player has, and until very recently, titles could not be changed. The Let's Go games finally introduced the ability to change a player's title under certain conditions. Once the player becomes the Champion, that is their Trainer Title. However, after that, the player has access to other titles. Several powerful opponents known as Master Trainers appear, and defeating them has a player inherit their titles. Later on, the player can battle Red, and he also gives the player a title upon losing. Should the player obtain all available titles, they will earn a final one called Grand Master. The player can switch between acquired titles by talking to a person in Celadon. Otherwise, the games will just use the most recent title earned.**

 **However, the idea of people having a special Trainer Titles based on their attributes is inspired by the fan game Pokémon Reborn and its spiritual successor Pokémon Rejuvenation. In these games, every major character has a Trainer Title unique to them. This Trainer Title reflects who they are, even if they have a rank within the Pokémon world already. Trainer Titles also changes the events of the game progress. For example, the first Gym Leader is also the captain of a cheerleading squad, so she's known as Cheer Captain. Another Gym Leader that is an unusually accomplished battler for his age has the trainer title Prodigy. And yet another Gym Leader who enjoys fire a bit too much is called Firebug. One Gym Leader is going through a turbulent relationship, and the player's choices can influence other relationship plays out. Depending on the player's actions and the subsequent results, the Trainer still used when the trainer in the relationship is finally battled will change. I thought all these unique Trainer Titles and their different reasons were being used was a nice touch, so I included it that in this series.**

 **-The creature the Mold Breaker summons is a canon Pokémon, although it's quite different in this story. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, Lusamine captures a Nihilego and fuses herself with it.**

 **The result is the same creature the Mold Breaker battles with.**

 **Lusamine battles the player while fused with Nihilego. The new Pokémon itself does not battle, instead granting stat bonuses to all of Lusamise's current ones. As a result, the fight against the fused form is considered one of the toughest in the entire series. After she is defeated, Lusamine tries to attack the player. However, either Solgaleo or Lunala (depending on the game) attacks the opposing creature, breaking the fusion and freeing Lusamine. After that, the fusion is never seen again.**

 **Then comes Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.**

 **Despite still taking place in Alola, these games added a few new Pokémon.**

 **Which meant it would be a perfect time to make the fused state Lusamine uses a proper Pokémon as well.**

 **Except that didn't happen.**

 **Instead, the fusion was never seen, or even referenced. Furthermore, there was no way players could battle Lusamine in her fused form, with the events that led to the fusion not occurring.**

 **I found this was wasted potential.**

 **So I decide to change things.**

 **In this story, the new creature not only battles directly, but is also a completely separate Pokémon from Nihilego. As a result, there are quite a few changes.**

 **The most noticeable is the Pokémon's color. When I first decided to use this Pokémon, I remembered it as being dark blue, and wrote it as such. However, I found out later that I'd misremembered, and the Pokémon is actually dark black. Unfortunately, I didn't want to lose what I had already written. However, then I recalled that Pokémon have rare differently colored forms (known as shiny colors). Furthermore, since the Pokémon that was fused with Lusamine never directly battled, it had no shiny form. That left me free to create one for it. So it was just a matter of taking what I had, inverting some of the colors, and calling it shiny.**

 **The next thing is that the fists on the new Pokémon canonically only have four fingers. However, I decided to make the new Pokémon have fully formed fists because I envisioned it holding things, using punching attacks, and generally having some manner of opposable thumbs. It be difficult doing of that if there were only four fingers.**

 **Another noticeable aspect is how the Mold Breaker appears when this Pokémon summoned. In canon material, Lusamine's upper body is inside of the new Pokémon's bell (meaning, the head), and her lower body dangles beneath it. Not only did I find this grotesque, but it also brought up the issue of Trainer and Pokémon getting in each other's way and even accidentally injuring each other. In contrast, I had written that she was used to travel in the way she is in this story from the start, so that's what was utilized in this series.**

 **Those familiar with the canon material may notice that the Pokémon has very different abilities than the original fusion, or even Nihilego. Since the canon Pokémon never battle, I knew I was free to do what I wanted with it. So I made it extremely powerful, possessing a wide variety of moves. This has to do with what originally allows the fusion to be the way it is in canon, and the differences in my interpretation. According to developer notes, Nihilego absorbs a massive amount of Z-Crystals when it fuses with Lusamine. That gives it its appearance and power.**

 **In this story, the new form is taken and the new Pokémon obtained because of entirely different reasons. Furthermore, the process of getting the new Pokémon is much longer and more complicated. While the exact details are unknown at this point, the basic premise is that the process involves the original form meeting many different people, learning and observing countless battle styles and other ways of interaction (such as Pokémon Contests), and forming an extremely close bond with the host, to the point where both can obtain great power from each other. With all of these requirements (even in their basic form), I felt like it would make sense for the resulting Pokémon to acquire numerous new moves and abilities. This would also lead to a massive increase of power overall (such as the ability to reliably use and take physical attacks, something Nihilego is notorious for being unable to do). Hence why the new creature seen here has a wide variety of moves with the strength to back them up.**

 **-As for the creature in the battles themselves, I'll admit that they were the main reasons as to why I got rid of the form of limits. I really wanted to showcase the versatility and power of the Mold Breaker's deadly Pokémon, so I decided to have a use more than four moves. However, I quickly realized I would have to remove the restriction for every Pokémon, or things would not make sense. Therefore, that's what I did, and new rules were put in place. However, I knew the issue was going to come up long before this chapter. However, it wouldn't be seen anywhere in the story and no one would comment on it. So I decided to mention the new rules in author's notes much earlier on in order to make these battles less jarring.**

 **-The Electivire mentioned in this chapter is a reference to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers. Said Electivire serves as the Move Tutor in those games. Since the Mystery Dungeon games were moved to the Kanto islands, the Electivire resides there as well.**

 **-The concept of having a battle after the defeat in the Champion is used in canon material. However, it is only used three times. One time is in Pokémon X and Y. AZ battles the player directly after they have defeated the Champion in order to try and understand what Pokémon Trainers are like. In the Hoenn game remakes, the player's rival also battles them for the final time directly after they have become the Champion. Both fights are very easy, and it does not matter whether the player wins or loses. However, another time at the climax of Pokémon Black and White. The player first battles N, who is currently acting as the Champion. However, right after N's defeat, his father Ghetsis angrily storms in. He then attacks the player by challenging them to a battle. Unlike the other two examples, the battle against Ghetsis is extremely difficult, and the player must win in order to progress.**

 **It's worth noting that there were plans in the original RP for all participating players to battle each other if more than one got to the League. However, this did not happen, so that battle never took place. It's not known if the battle would've happened prior to the League (like at the end of Victory Road), during the League at some point, or after the Champion fight. Considering the plot point was dropped fairly quickly and much earlier on, it's unlikely that question will ever be answered.**

 **-The horror stories involving sketchy Champions is a reference to Pokémon Black and White. In this game, N defeats the current Champion Alder, despite seeming to be the leader of the villainous Team Plasma. It's revealed that he challenged and defeated Alder and the Elite Four only so that he could bring forth Team Plasma's castle base to attach itself to the League in preparation for infiltrating and taking over Unova. After the takeover, N was to become the new leader (although it's unknown if he also would become the Champion). However, it's later revealed that Team Plasma was actually run by Ghetsis and he was controlling N so that he could use him to take over and run Unova. It's also heavily implied that Ghetsis was eventually playing to kill N so that he could rule more directly. This means that Ghetsis would ultimately become the region's leader, and with that, its Champion.**

 **-The idea of a physical and often unseen connection to Pokémon and their Poké Balls is inspired by the book** **The Golden Compass (** **also known as** **The Northern Lights).** **In this book, almost every person has part of their soul take a form of an animal. This animal appears shortly after a person is born, and is known as a daemon. Daemons have supernatural abilities, possess humanlike intelligence, and can shapeshift until the person they belong to becomes an adult (or otherwise reaches adult maturity). However, there are a few restrictions involving daemons. They are connected to their owners, although the connection typically is not seen. This means that daemons feel the pain and their humans do, and vice versa. In addition, without the use of witch's magic, daemons cannot travel far from their humans. Furthermore, touching someone else's daemon is forbidden, and ignoring that is a form of violation. Daemons cannot bond with any human other than the one they originally bonded with, no matter what. If a human dies, their daemon will also pass away. However, if a daemon dies before the corresponding human does, the human cannot bond with a daemon ever again.**

 **A huge part of the plot is procedures being developed to separate humans and daemons. This causes serious side effects provided the subjects of the separation survive, is irreversible, and usually leads to the death of both the human and the daemon. One of these separation method involves something resembling a guillotine which physically cuts the link between human and daemon. With this machine, the usually invisible link between the two can clearly be seen. The link looks similar to what is described in this story.**

 **-As for why the reference to the Golden Compass is used, I found the canonical processes of release insufficient. In canon, forceful release is discussed, but nothing ever comes of it. To my knowledge, no one is subjected to a forceful release, even if they are convinced to release their Pokémon by someone else. In the games, a forceful release is not possible, because the game requires the player to go through a series of voluntary commands before a release is done. The process of release really isn't explained that well either. In the anime, Trainers simply choose to release the Pokémon, and there is a blue light that signifies said release. Some trainers will also destroy the Poké Balls as well. However, the anime shows that there is nothing stopping a Trainer from capturing the same Pokémon with a different Poké Ball. There's also nothing stopping a Pokémon from coming back to their Trainer in order to rejoin them, being captured by a different nearby Trainer, or even the original Trainer changing their mind and capturing them again.**

 **Therefore, I included the physical link to the Poké Ball and said the link breaking to have the release be more noticeable and truly signify that said release is permanent. This also explains and handles the process of forceful release, since Holly would never release Naganadel voluntarily. Furthermore, the link itself breaking in an area where Holly is helpless and enemies are everywhere means that Holly cannot use the options described above to recapture her Pokémon (at least without getting captured and possibly even injured herself). The idea that no one can see and break the link other than special circumstances prevents forceful release from being abused, since the only way to truly do so would be to break the link (not counting someone asking that someone else's Pokémon be released, because the release itself is still a voluntary action, either by the original Trainer or someone else). Even then, in a public place without support, others can still see a forceful release and report on it (or, when possible, the Pokémon itself can report what happened). Therefore, truly forceful release is generally not a good idea. All these reasons are why it is not been seen until now.**

 **-Celebi being the Pokémon of purification comes from the games. In the Orre games, Celebi can purify Shadow Pokémon, and the purified Pokémon become normal ones. However, Celebi can only do this if the player is standing next to a place called the Relic Stone, and has at least one Pokémon ready for purification in their current party. What Celebi does to Naganadel in this story is taken directly from what it does to purify Shadow Pokémon in the games. However, the player will most likely only see this if a Pokémon is immediately purified using a Time Flute, as purifying them normally does not show Celebi.**

 **The later games introduced another Pokémon more directly associated with purification (Cresselia). However, this Pokémon did not exist at the time of the Orre games and no more were made when it did. Therefore, in the Traveler series, the two Pokémon exist together. However, their powers have different purposes and restrictions. There are two implied restrictions of Celebi's power in the Orre games that don't affect gameplay. One is that Celebi has to be in the direct vicinity of the Pokémon is purifying. Furthermore, Celebi's purification powers only work on Pokémon that been physically corrupted (rather than, say, the corruption being a result of behavioral issues or false information). It is implied restrictions are also in this series.**

 **-Naganadel's surprise at the Mold Breaker being able to tell his gender, and the fact that most people can't is an interpretation of something from the games. So Pokémon are classified as genderless, with Naganadel being one of those. Most fan interpretations assume these Pokémon are non-binary, and portray them as such. However, official Pokémon interpretations came out long before the concept of non-binary genders became common. As a result, one of the official interpretations from a guide for the original Johto games states that these Pokémon don't** **seem** **to have genders. So the implication was that they** **do,** **but most cannot figure out what physical or other traits would define their genders. Other media, such as the anime, support this interpretation, with various Pokémon that are typically classified as genderless being referred to as male or female (and sometimes even having clear indicators of their gender). It's worth noting that Pokémon has yet to feature a truly non-binary character in the entire series (not counting referring to a Pokémon as "it" when the gender is not known or stated, which is pretty common), so it's unknown if one will ever appear. As a result, I chose to go with the official interpretations for Pokémon without genders.**

 **-The name the Mold Breaker gives Naganadel and the story she recounts about said name is a reference to the British TV series** _ **Merlin.** **Merlin**_ **is a retelling of the legend of King Arthur, specifically focusing on the wizard Merlin and his relationship with said King. However, many parts of the legend are fleshed out, expanded upon, have original parts added, or even changed entirely. One of the prominent parts is that in the original legend there were two dragons. These dragons were in a painting, and said painting depicted a red and a white dragon in combat against each other. There have been many theories and stories about the dragons, but next to nothing concrete is known about them. In** _ **Merlin,**_ **both of the dragons became major characters, with the red one being represented by Kilgharrah. The tale the Mold Breaker remembers is Kilgharrah's backstory and role within** _ **Merlin.**_

 **The whole reference came about because when I decided Naganadel would be purified and given a name, I wanted to look up names belonging to famous male dragons. Almost as I began my research, I stumbled across information on the show** _ **Merlin**_ **and the dragon Kilgharrah. After reading up on the latter's backstory, I realized that several aspects of it matched Naganadel's almost exactly. This happened to be pure coincidence, because I had thought of Naganadel's backstory long before I knew the show** _ **Merlin**_ **existed. Nevertheless, I thought the coincidence was so interesting that I decided to include and reference it here.**

 **-Wendy is a canon character from the Pokémon Ranger series of games. She is both high-ranked and respected, known far and wide as the Flying Ranger. She has a Pokémon called Staraptor as her partner, although like all Rangers in the series, she does not battle. However, Wendy is seen flying around on Staraptor and often participating in airborne missions.**

 **The device the Mold Breaker fingers before summoning Celebi also comes from the Ranger series. This device is called a Styler, and Pokémon Rangers use this to capture while Pokémon in lieu of Poké Balls. Rather than battling with these Pokémon permanently, Rangers use them to clear obstacles and help calm down other wild Pokémon. As such, the device does not place the Pokémon in a different location, but simply puts them under the Ranger's command.**

 **The symbol the Mold Breaker looks at is a reference to the main games, however. In the Ranger games, the Pokémon Rangers have no official insignia. In some of the main games in which they are battled, they have a symbol on their hats. Therefore, I decided that this could be the official Ranger symbol. It's also worth noting that Rangers in the main games are just normal Trainers that can be battled, but are not that much stronger than other types of Trainers the player can encounter. Therefore, the Rangers in Traveler are a fusion of those from the main games and the ones from the Pokémon Ranger series. More about the Rangers will be revealed in future books.**

 **-So as soon as I wrote about Kristine's uncontrolled supernatural powers, the damage they could cause, and the fact that there was little resistance against them, I knew I had to have her use them against the Mold Breaker. Even though was a power Kristine had tried to avoid throughout the story, it was also something she would use if she was desperate enough. And the Mold Breaker would certainly be a cause for desperation. The question was how she would use it. I originally had the idea of Holly is somehow being hurt, and that being enough. Another idea I was Kristine herself being hurt or startled enough to trigger the powers. However, both methods had a chance of failing and would potentially leave Kristine and Holly unable to do much afterward. Then, I remembered Anabel's method with positive thoughts, and that Holly and Kristine had spent most of the story trying to fight or otherwise turn her methods against her. Twisting that method in their favor would be something that would almost have a guarantee chance of succeeding, and would make sense with Holly and Kristine's characters thus far. Therefore, it was the method that was used.**

 **-So a bit more about Missingno is revealed! The Mega Evolution is my own creation, but it is based on something in canon. Canonically, the games cannot render a sprite for Missingno, so it ends up with the blocky sprite of garbage data as the game comes up blank. This led to jokes in the fandom that the games could not comprehend Missingno's true form. Therefore, I wondered what this true form (or in this case, a normal sprite) might look like, and created a Mega Evolution based off of that. Missingno's ability to warp, distort, and change things also was based off of the canon games. When encountered, Missingno does the same to the player's game file, with various results. Therefore, I could easily adapt that ability into a world without those game files. Finally, there is one major change that's less based on canon. As hinted in this chapter, Missingno is a Ghost and Flying Type, rather than a Normal and Flying Type Pokémon like in most interpretations. The reason for this is that I felt like Missingno's ability to distort things, create varying areas seen nowhere else, pass through dimensions, and create a terrifying persona also supernatural means was more fitting for Ghost Type then a Normal type. I still kept the Flying type, though, because that was a large part of Missingno's character.**

 **-So finally, there is undeniable proof that Kristine is dead. The different wounds on her corpse, including the phase been scorched black is based on different pictures and descriptions of third to fourth degree burns. And of course, Tulip is there as well, although she's not seen as much. Also, the main reason the Mold Breaker took the others to the realm between life and death is because of this scene, and the mess a dead body would probably leave behind.**

 **The scene where Kristine's corpse finally appears was much different in previous drafts of the chapter. Namely, it wasn't supposed to appear at all. There were two different actions I had envisioned for the Mold Breaker to take before I settled on the one used in the final version of the chapter. One was that the Mold Breaker would simply kill Kristine right in the middle of the attack, preventing it. However, there were couple issues. One was that Kristine could simply revive and attack again. A second issue was that the Mold Breaker probably wouldn't be able to react in time. A third problem was that the kill would probably be very messy, no matter where it occurred. The final issue was that the Mold Breaker would have to deal with the fact that she just murdered someone, even if it wasn't self-defensive and for good reason. Not to mention I would also have to figure out the aftermath of that killing, including how it was publicly portrayed in the aftermath. So that idea was quickly discarded.**

 **Another idea was using the warping power to prevent Kristine from utilizing her uncontrolled supernatural abilities without killing her. However, that would still have the issue of her not really receiving any damage, and easily being able to attack again. Thus, the final result was used to completely incapacitate Kristine, as well as providing both the characters (and maybe even the readers) some closure on whether she truly was dead from the start.**

 **-Yveltal's true purpose, on the other hand, was something I thought of almost as soon as I knew that Kristine was going to be dead from the beginning. Yveltal is seen as the Grim Reaper in most cases, and is also called the Pokémon of destruction. Its powers are said to be so strong that they can destroy almost anything, including large areas and amounts. The extent of that power isn't really explained in detail, but its strength made me wonder if Yveltal could destroy things that were less tangible. Therefore, I had Yveltal destroy the fact that Kristine died, completely getting rid of any evidence and making it that she could live again as though the death never happened. When knew she and Tulip would die together, everything else fell into place. After all, Yveltal probably wouldn't grant a wish like that willingly, and Nihilego's poison can easily warp the mind for nefarious purposes.**

 **This method also made several other facts work out as well. Namely, the fact that no one knew Kristine was dead, or truly understood what happened when she died. While the burns would render Kristine's corpse unrecognizable, certain testing would allow officials to identify her regardless. In addition, even if the corpse was moved somewhere, it would be possible to track where was moved and possibly who moved it. However, if the corpse just disappeared via supernatural means, then whatever supernatural means did the deed would be able to make sure no one would find the body. Furthermore, if Kristine's corpse was burnt beyond recognition, and visual recognition was all authorities had, then there would be impossible to identify that the body was Kristine's. Finally, if Kristine was still appearing to be alive and acting normally, no one would've any reason to suspect that anything had happened. It was the perfect setup to both make Kristine's death a mystery and also make it undeniably clear later on, so that was when I went with.**


	118. Determination

**Welcome to the final chapter of Holly Rising! This is another long chapter, but the reasons are the same as the previous one. As always, I do not own Pokémon, and see the author's notes for details.**

* * *

Epilogue: Determination

She lay in the bed, eyes wide.

Her Pokémon stood and floated beside her, concerned looks on their faces.

A twinge of pity struck her.

Her Pokémon knew what was happening, but there was nothing they could do.

Nothing anyone could do.

Although those she knew had at least tried.

When she returned from the place via the callback, she was greeted to quite a crowd.

Morty and Jasmine stood waiting, rushing to greet her alongside several others.

She had no idea how the two Gym Leaders had reserved this room so quickly, or how they'd gotten one large enough to accommodate almost any Pokémon.

But they had set her up here, and bade her rest.

Except she couldn't.

Not with all the commotion.

After what seemed like an eternity, the crowd had finally dispersed, save for a few.

Wendy was one of the ones that refused to leave.

The Ranger had insisted on standing guard near her room, faithful Staraptor on the other side of the closed door.

At any time, the large black and white bird Pokémon could squawk an alarm so loud she wondered if everyone in the world would hear.

She also wondered if Wendy had considered that her eardrums might burst after single a squawk.

Considering the earlier chaos, Wendy probably hadn't.

But it wasn't like she could blame the Ranger at this point.

After all, Wendy was one of the ones who found her in the Rocket Hideout after the horrible death of Levi…

And then, after the League was trying to figure out something she could do upon joining, Wendy had decided to train her as a Ranger…

So Wendy knew what happened to her better than almost anyone.

It was no surprise that things turned out the way they did.

Although she had no idea that the calm and composed Flying Ranger could argue so loudly…

At least the request had been granted.

But she couldn't think about Wendy now.

Currently she had to rest.

And yet…

She still couldn't…

Not with everything that had just happened…

Instead she thrashed around, repeatedly slamming on the mattress of the bed.

It resembled an earthquake, and the slamming sounds were deafening.

She wondered if anyone else heard.

Perhaps Wendy would come running in the room right then and there.

Yet it seemed no one heard the sounds.

No one came sprinting in.

Instead sounds of the mattress slamming grew weaker.

The room whirled away at an almost dizzying speed.

Staraptor's high-pitched, piercing alarm cry was the last thing that filled her ears, as the sounds of the room faded completely.

She was sure the cry had reached Wendy, but it was completely useless.

For she was now being transported somewhere far away without ever even moving.

And there was nothing Wendy or anyone else could do about it.

Rapidly, the bed and her Pokémon disappeared, and she felt like she was floating on nothing.

But then…

Another setting surrounds her, and an eerie chill of recognition runs down her spine.

This is the Champion's room in the Kanto league, she knows.

The room was completely spotless, as though no battles have ever taken place.

Exactly the way she left it, it seems.

Standing on one side of the room are many people, the same ones she had left behind.

Across from those people are two others with piercing glares.

The pair of enemies from before, it seemed.

Desperation clawed at her, before flooding her entire body.

She didn't even try to escape, knowing well desperation's powerful grip.

And she also knew well why that desperation was here.

Because she wanted nothing more than to jump in and help.

Wanted to finish what she had started.

Wanted to fix all the problems still remaining.

But she couldn't.

Because there was nothing to do but watch.

It was a bit like seeing a movie, or perhaps a mockery of one.

Yes, it had to be the latter.

Why else would she be shown this so soon after what had happened before?

Yet there was no use pondering that question, as she knew no answer would come.

Instead, all she could do was continue to silently observe the events unfolding around her.

Holly's face had twisted into a snarl, and the girl's voice rose to a shout.

"Where is that cowardly Mold Breaker? Why did she flee?"

Anabel stepped forward with a shake of the head.

"I don't know, Holly, and it doesn't matter. You and Kristine are under arrest for all the crimes you've done. Including harming others, breaking laws, and killing innocents with Pokémon."

The others near Anabel stepped towards the two villains.

She expected Holly and ghost to back away while holding expressions of fear, sorrow, and rage.

But that was not to be.

Instead, a giant grin spread across the dead one's face, and Holly wore an arrogant countenance.

Cold calmness permeated the ghost's voice.

"Are we now? What a shame, then."

A brief pause, and then the dead one's voice took on an ominous tone.

"You still don't realize that _you_ are the ones who have committed crimes. And today, you're under arrest."

Before any of the group could respond, a low cry filled the air.

She shuddered about recognizing the cry.

Yveltal.

No matter what, the god of destruction was still here.

And there was nothing anyone could do to halt the deadly power it carried.

The others seem to recognize the cry too, and the gravity of what it meant.

Faces blanching.

Fists clenching.

Looks of sorrow, rage, and fear.

But most of all, a single-minded goal, to attack the dead one before they were attacked back.

The group rapidly rushed towards the ghost and Holly, still united in pursuit.

Yet the ghost's grin only grew wider, and Holly copied the expression.

A faint outline of wings appeared in front of the dead one, and the ghost took on a red glow.

A red circle almost the color of blood surrounded the dead one, and she could also see terrifying designs inside. Light blue energy greatly resembling lightning bolts flew towards the ghost and the red glow. However, the dead one didn't even flinch, instead relaxing slightly.

For in an instant, a bright red beam shot out of the center of the ghost.

The others didn't even have time to get out of the way as the beam headed straight towards them.

Yet it wouldn't have mattered anyway, for the beam fanned all around the room, covering everything.

No matter what, the dead one's opponents' had no escape.

The room took on a reddish tint within the light, almost the color of blood.

Which made the screams of pain all the more chilling, as not a single soul was spared.

The screams were followed by several slamming sounds, deafening as they filled her ears.

Even with the light, she could see that the others had helplessly fallen to the floor.

There was now something similarly colored flowing inside the light, being absorbed by the faint wings shown before.

She instantly knew what that something was, but also immediately wished she didn't.

So instead she focused on the others' fallen forms, as the light threatened to hide them all from view.

Some people held looks of agonized rage on their faces, defiant and bitter to the last.

Others were writhing in pain, shaking and thrashing on the League floor.

And then she glimpsed a look of shock and sorrow etched onto Scarlet's face.

Even now, the young Champion had hoped things would be different.

Only to have that hope quashed and annihilated until there was nothing left.

She couldn't help feeling a twinge of pity for Scarlet.

However, she quickly tore her focus away.

There were others to feel pity for.

Such as those who were not strong enough to withstand the attack.

Will lay motionless on the ground, the Elite Four member's face twisted into a grimace.

Even while watching, she could tell he still lived.

However, she did not know for how long.

From what she understood about the enemies, it was likely mere minutes.

But even with that uncertainty, she knew what attack had brought the others to this fate.

No words left her lips, yet the name was on the tip of her tongue.

Oblivion Wing.

Yveltal's signature move.

One of the most powerful and feared in existence.

A technique that could drain other life forms' energy, and feed it to the wielder.

Leaving them helpless.

Or for dead.

Yet…

There had been no commands…

She supposed there could have been some sort of telepathic communication…

But with people present that could sense psychic power, someone would've known if telepathy had been used…

A chill ran down her spine as another answer came to her.

Everything must have all been rehearsed…

The ghost, Holly, and the Pokémon must have all collaborated to take down their foes…

With said foes not realizing anything until it was too late…

And of course those at the League had played right into the ghost's hand…

By running towards the dead one, they were not only all close together, but right in the immediate vicinity of the deadly attack…

Which would make it that much easier for the ghost to incapacitate them, without having to rely on covering a massive area…

Another eerie chill pricked at her, and she knew it had nothing to do with temperature.

This plan…

This timing…

This power…

It was why her enemies had been so confident when fighting against her…

Because they had this planned, so they could win no matter what…

Because the attack was something almost no one could resist…

And yet…

She stole a glance at Holly, noticing the girl standing completely unharmed amongst the attack's devastating carnage. The Delphox also sustained no injuries, standing stoically beside its Trainer.

But…

Without a barrier, those two should've been completely annihilated…

Oblivion Wing typically didn't strike allies, but the ghost had silently ordered the attack to fan out across the entire room…

Perhaps there had been more barriers set up when others were not paying attention…

But to have that happen would be difficult, with so many here able to sense a barrier's rise and fall…

Perhaps this was one of the things Holly and the ghost had secretly schemed…

It certainly left them unscathed while those with the League were rendered helpless…

Regardless, she didn't know what the schemes had been.

But she did know the words that left the dead one's lips.

The words rang out in a chilling, clear command, sinister tone so unmistakable it was as if the ghost was standing right next to her.

"Now that the others have had their energy drained… Yveltal, kill them all."

A high-pitched shriek joined the ghost's terrifying tone.

She recognized the voice as Holly's.

There was a smug smile on the girl's face, contrasting with the ghost's more serious expression.

Yet Holly's words were anything but joyful, instead filled with chilling confidence.

"Followers of the League, supporters of corruption… For your crimes against all honest Trainers, your punishment is death!"

A grimace made its way into her face.

No regret…

No true emotion…

No resistance…

Nothing, except incoming death…

Had everything she'd done been for nothing?

Had she truly failed?

Yet before she could ponder these thoughts any further, another cry pierced the air.

It was a mixture of a shriek, a scream, and chirping. She was instantly alerted to the cry's high-pitch, a sharp contrast from Yveltal's low tones. She couldn't stop herself from shuddering as she recognized the sound.

Apparently, the ghost did too.

The dead one did not shudder, instead glancing straight forward with narrowed eyes.

There was another contrast, this time with Holly's confused look.

However, that confusion evaporated as the ghost spoke with a chilling fury.

"So Xerneas, the god of life, is going to interfere with our plans. No matter. It cannot truly stop us."

An ominous pause, and then the dead one spoke with a cold command.

"Now then, Tulip, you know what to do."

On the command, an orange light surrounded the dead one.

She couldn't resist shuddering again, for she recognized a second time what was going on.

And she knew it couldn't have been anything good.

Something that sounded like a little girl laughing filled the air, and the outline of another creature could be seen in front of the ghost.

She stiffened, making no attempt to correct her posture.

She understood what that laugh represented.

And she understood who the owner of it was.

She probably understood better than anyone else in the region.

No, she understood better than anyone else _in the world._

And she understood that the sound wasn't anything other than hollowed and pained.

Unsurprising for one that had been abused and enslaved.

And yet…

The bell with its light colored stars…

The rims that looked like a hat on a head…

The tentacles that swayed back and forth as the creature floated in the air…

Though the colors were different, the creature bore an eerie familiarity to the one she loved so much…

The one who was with her throughout everything, no matter what happened…

The one who she had offered her aid without a second thought, and who had repaid her by using unique abilities to save her countless times…

The one who had rapidly risen through the ranks to become the most powerful Pokémon she owned, perhaps one of the most powerful in existence…

So it was little wonder that she was drawn to the ghost's creature now…

She silently screamed, begged, pleaded for the creature not follow the order she knew the dead one would give…

Yet the creature did.

There probably was no refusing.

Blinding orange light erupted from the creature, shooting straight into the sky. The light soon shot forth again, although this time, it shot forward. It quickly became a huge hole, filled with vivid purple rings. White lightning bolts soared towards the hole, yet there didn't seem to be any danger of being struck.

But still she grimaced.

This power was exactly the same as what she had summoned to battle before…

To think that the power was being maligned and twisted like this!

The very thought made nausea threaten to seize hold.

How could someone do this to another living creature?

How could someone do this to anyone else?

Yet the ghost didn't seem to care about answering those questions.

Instead, the light emitting from the dead one and the creature disappeared. The creature quickly faded, melting back into the ghost's body.

The hole now stood in front of Holly and the ghost, beckoning and inviting.

Yet neither of two moved.

Instead, Holly's voice filled the air, gone soft from the girl's wide eyed confusion.

"That's an Ultra Wormhole, one of the portals you and Tulip summon together! Are we heading in there?"

The ghost nodded. "Yes, we are. I helped out with this Ultra Wormhole as usual, but I couldn't show what I was doing because we need to move quickly. Tulip and I have also left a pathway for the rebels, so they can join us if they wish."

Holly's eyes went wide again, and there was still confusion.

"But where are we going?"

A smile played on the ghost's face, and a deadly confidence filled the dead one's voice.

"To a place where we can find more allies, and where our foes will loathe to tread."

Holly nodded eagerly, a smile on the girl's face.

"Let's go, then!"

She could feel her own eyes go wide, and registered herself shaking.

The two enemies were about to run away and get off Scott free!

She was aware of another desperate, silent, plea.

A plea that _someone,_ _anyone,_ would stop the two foes.

Yet no one did.

No one could.

The others only lay motionless on the ground, almost all movement having ceased.

She wasn't even sure the injured could see what was happening next.

For Holly and the ghost effortlessly leapt into the hole of light.

The light wasted no time swallowing them up, before fading completely and leaving not even a trace of having ever even existed.

She gritted her teeth, and could feel her right hand clenching into a fist.

After everything that happened…

After all that she had done…

The two villains couldn't just escape and walk away without anyone being able to stop them!

And yet they had.

She could feel her fist being clenched even tighter.

Was everything up to this point useless, then?

She was ripped from her thoughts as she heard the pounding of footsteps on the League floors.

Her eyes widened as a woman rushed up.

The woman was wearing white, with something that looked like a cross between a coat and short dress over a shirt and short pants. The newcomer's clothing had appendages in back that resembled angels' wings, although she doubted that's what they were. The woman wore a white high heels was something that looked like a stocking above the shoes. Three separate pairs of gold stripes adorned the arms and waist of the woman's clothing. In fact, they were the only parts that were not white. That is, excluding a golden charm, with a button the color of the rainbow embedded inside. Even a pink purse in the woman's right hand had some white in it, and the woman didn't even stop to drop the bag as it swung back and forth. Instead, the newcomer's light blue eyes filled with frustration and sorrow, dark brown hair surprisingly well-kept considering the situation.

She couldn't take her eyes off of the woman, and yet she also couldn't help shivering.

This was Diantha, Champion of Kalos, and Vessel of Xerneas.

And one of the few that could stand against Yveltal's power.

That must've been Malva's plan before.

Using her fights against the two villains to buy time, so that Diantha could come and combat Yveltal.

It was a solid plan, and yet…

Diantha must have known that fighting against Yveltal and the ghost alone was impossible, even with Xerneas…

And the other certainly didn't have anything to fight back against Yueltal and the ghost.

So if Diantha fought, the Champion of Kalos would be fighting alone.

It was surely hopeless odds, or near that.

And yet, Diantha had chosen to come here anyway.

Despite all lives involved being at risk.

Perhaps this was simply Diantha's duty as Champion manifesting.

Or perhaps Diantha felt obligated to end this entire conflict for some other reason.

It wouldn't be improbable, considering it sounded as though Kalos's Champion was involved right from the beginning.

Whatever the case, there was no mistaking the distraught look on Diantha's face.

The distraught demeanor was even more evident as the woman spoke in a mixture of that and anger.

"Curses! I was too late!"

She flinched back upon hearing the words.

Had Malva's plan failed?

Were the others doomed?

Yet light that radiated in the colors of the rainbow suddenly surrounded Diantha. The Kalos Champion wordlessly focused forward as the light shaped itself into a wave. On an unspoken command, the wave washed over everything. The room was illuminated with a rainbow glow, where only darkness and destruction had existed before. As the light continued to flow over everything, Diantha only nodded. The Kalos Champion took a deep breath, and the light slowly faded. The light surrounding Diantha disappeared as well, and the glow finally left the room.

The others rapidly got to their feet, as if what the ghost had done before never took place.

Though the group gave their full attention to Diantha, there was no missing the bewilderment some members displayed.

Diantha seemed to recognize that, instantly ready with an explanation.

"This is the power of Xerneas. As the god of life, it has the ability of revitalization, and can counter Yveltal's powers of destruction. And as the Vessel, I can utilize that power."

Lance stepped forth, gaze turning to Malva.

"That was your plan, wasn't it, Malva? To call Diantha here in order to use Xerneas against Yueltal."

Malva nodded abruptly.

"Yes, that was my plan. Unfortunately, it didn't work out quite as well as I'd hoped."

There was no mistaking the remorse in Diantha's voice as the Kalos Champion responded.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner."

Janine stepped up, voice steady and strong despite containing a tone of reassurance.

"It's all right. Thanks to you, we managed to survive."

Diantha momentarily looked grateful, but quickly took on a serious countenance again upon speaking.

"Could anyone tell me what happened here?"

Malva rapidly replied.

"Holly and the walking corpse were defeated, and we had them cornered. But then, the undead one released an attack from Yveltal and drained all our energy. The zombie would have killed us had you not announced their presence with Xerneas. Still, there was enough time for the walking corpse and the lackey to escape. They did so by forcing that poor abused parasite to create an Ultra Wormhole, and rapidly jumped through it. They mentioned they had other allies too, so things may be worse than we initially thought. Regardless, it's clear that those two are more dangerous than any of us could have ever imagined."

Diantha nodded.

"I see."

However, it wasn't long before the Kalos Champion was glancing around wildly.

Before the others could ask what was wrong, Diantha spoke in a voice full of questioning concern.

"I had heard there was an angel with you. Where is she?"

Diantha's eyes suddenly grew wide, concern even more apparent as words flew out of the woman's mouth.

"Don't tell me the angel is-"

Before Diantha could finish the sentence, Malva immediately interrupted.

"The angel got called back, presumably by Arceus. I imagine She wanted to keep one of Her chosen ones safe. It was a good move, too, considering the living corpse probably would've targeted the angel first. As far as I'm aware, the angel's alive."

Despite the positive comment, she still clenched her fist.

Desperation flooded over her, and she made no attempt to stop it.

Instead, she allowed herself to shake and her eyes to go wide.

She wanted nothing more than to tell the others that she was alive and well.

But no matter what, she couldn't tell them anything.

For although she could view the people at the League perfectly, she knew the others could not see her.

No matter how who was there, she doubted that would change.

Yet at least the others had acknowledged she had left.

A simple acknowledgment was better than none.

Yet still…

Was being called back really worth it?

When it was likely that all she got was a simple acknowledgment and word-of-mouth about her existence?

If she hadn't been called back, she would've very likely received more than an acknowledgment.

But she had no way of knowing.

Her focus was drawn back to Diantha as the Kalos Champion spoke again.

"All right. We should leave this place for now, and then you can tell me more. Giselle must be worried, and she will also want to hear what happened."

Malva's eyes went wide, followed by those of a few others.

"Giselle is here?"

Diantha nodded.

"As a former Kanto Champion, Giselle felt obligated to come along. I asked her to hang back, though, in order to intercept any enemies that try to come after me. But from what I heard, there have been no problems. Regardless, I don't want to keep Giselle waiting any longer."

Malva nodded back.

"Let us go then."

There were more pounding footsteps as Diantha led the group out of the room.

But she couldn't see the place, empty and silent.

She could not see the League at all anymore.

For the world whirled at a blinding speed, and she knew closing her eyes was futile.

The new motions threatened to make her dizzy, and she desperately hoped she wouldn't vomit.

But then…

Slamming sounds pierced her ears, and she could still feel herself thrashing and shaking.

Her mind snapped sharply into focus upon glancing down and recognizing the mattress and bed.

So that meant she was back in the room from before.

Which also meant Staraptor was squawking, and Wendy would probably come running.

Except there was no alarm cry.

No one came running.

Instead, there was a sensation resembling the fiercest flames.

She was immediately aware of where it came from as what seemed like a torrent of blood spilled out of her nose. The scorching sensation only grew more and more intense as blood started staining the sheets of the bed.

Oh, why did the sheets of the beds she borrowed always have to be white?

She knew she should grab a handkerchief, or at least try to sit up.

However, she knew she couldn't do that without running the risk of blood staining everything in the room.

Besides, she could feel the sensation of red fluid flowing into her mouth.

With that, she spat harshly, and the blood was launched out of her mouth. Even in the darkness of the unlit room, she could see the various droplets scattering onto the floor.

She could still feel her mouth twisting into a grimace.

Of course that last vision would do this to her. All visions did.

She should be grateful, she supposed.

Bleeding like hers led to so many horror stories.

Stories of illnesses beyond imagination, and even those that met the throes of death.

As annoying as it was, at least there wasn't anything physically wrong with her.

Just a runaway talent with no signs of stopping.

But that didn't mean there weren't those that tried to stop it.

For she soon felt the aura of psychic power, and registered the glow radiating around her.

With that, the scorching sensation finally ceased. The flow of blood at last halted, helplessly frozen. Another minute, and the blood dissipated completely.

She let out a sigh of relief as the psychic power slowly disappeared.

She glanced forward, her gaze meeting the concerned eyes of a small pink cat that now floated in front of her.

Rosemary, her Mew.

She nodded, hoping that the gesture would be enough to convey that she was fine.

However, it wasn't enough.

For she could see several other forms creeping towards her.

Her Pokémon, she knew.

All of them equally concerned.

All of them wanting to be comforting.

And almost all of them lending their aid when she went to that strange place.

She was first alerted to the form of Lydia, the Silvally taking up guard on the left side of the bed.

Lydia now lacked riding equipment, but there was no denying that the Silvally had been helpful in the other place.

Of course, the others had been helpful too.

There was Joan, floating effortlessly above the other Pokémon, Mega Stone gleaming in the darkness.

The female Missingno had undoubtedly traveled the furthest of them all, yet had adjusted extremely quickly.

She supposed the Anomaly just wanted to see new places, after being locked up in a zoo in for goodness knows how long.

Regardless, she had brought Joan home, much to many peoples' concern, shock, confusion, and doubt.

Yet she insisted that it had been her choice, and it was one she made without regret.

For Joan had proven invaluable using her abilities to rescue both the Fuchsia Gym Leader Janine and those held captive during the battle in Saffron… Then, after that, those same abilities healed the wounded during that battle… Even further down the line, the powers had revealed the ghost's true identity and saved even more victims…

It was long wonder that Joan had chosen to help enforce the law by becoming her right hand Pokémon as a Ranger…

Of course there were some objections, but she was ready for them.

If one so unnatural chose to defend nature and those who lived there, then was not that one worthy?

There were no more arguments after that, even if she constantly got strange looks.

But then, she was used to strange looks anyway.

Yet her thoughts were torn away from Joan as another figure approached.

This one was a small bipedal yellow cat, with black stripes like a tiger's. The cat glanced up at her with light blue eyes, and she smiled weakly back.

This did nothing to comfort the creature, and it simply sat beside her bed.

She should have known she couldn't escape the sharpened senses of Ferrari, her Zeraora…

God of the thunderclap, protector of travelers, and the one who had so easily defeated Tobias's Darkari…

Like the one that floated towards her now, Hades…

The Lord of Nightmares had dropped his normally imposing presence, for a soft and wise gaze.

She thought she could sense his latent concern, and wondered if he was secretly feeling guilty about what happened.

After all, Hades was the one that armed her with the knowledge of how to fight back in the other place, and how to get there voluntarily…

But if the Lord of Nightmares held any emotion about what happened, he did not indicate it.

Instead another figure floated in front of her.

She instantly recognized the features of Uriel, the Celebi she'd obtained.

The Pokémon drooped, and it looked as though was about to fall from the air.

Mercifully, it stayed upright, but she could guess why Uriel felt that way.

He had probably wanted to use the power of purification on her, to spare her from all the trouble and pain she was experiencing now…

Yet he couldn't.

He knew that, and so did she.

No matter what, there was nothing to purify.

And even if the power could be used, it was only a bandage, unless the one who was saved by it took steps down a long road to recovery…

That was something they both knew too, even after purifying that poor Naganadel…

She could only hope that Pokémon would take the steps…

But her attention was drawn away from Uriel as others approached.

The others were a trio of Pokémon, all having light blue twin tails with gems in the middle. The depth of the Pokémon differed with yellow, pink, and blue. Three pairs of eyes looked up at her. Two pairs were brown, and the remaining one was so closed. Yet she knew the creature could still see.

She could most certainly see who they were.

For the creatures were called Uxie, Mespirit, and Azelf. The beings of knowledge, emotion, and willpower.

Here they were called Adam, Lilith, Eve, yet their strength was the same.

The strength to make opponents lose all memory…

To drain any emotions enemies had…

And to lose the will to do anything…

A terrifying power, to be sure…

But one that had helped her and Janine escape Fuchsia City by completely immobilizing all enemies…

So it was well worth it, it seemed…

At that moment, she noticed orange and yellow eyes peering at her from the darkness. Although there owner was otherwise camouflaged, she knew the Pokémon was black and gray.

A shy one, but a literal and powerful shadow boxer.

It made the name Shiloh rather fitting, and her Marshadow must have thought the same.

For he accepted the name instantly, and would not hear of being called anything else.

The Marshadow certainly didn't live up to the name in the other place, as it boldly defeated an entire gang of bikers who mistook her for a member of Holly's group and wouldn't hear otherwise…

Shiloh took everything not nailed down in hopes of a peaceful resolution, then attacked with his signature move when the bikers still tried to rush her…

His species was known for being cowardly, but no one could deny Shiloh's bravery that day…

Yet there were many others who had demonstrated valor in the other place, and they were not be counted out…

Such as another Pokémon that slunk out of shadows…

She could see the creature's orange eyes and white teeth that flashed a reassuring grin.

A purple body could be made out against blackness of the room, complete with pointed ears, arms, hands, legs, and a tail. All the darkness contrasted against silver jewelry and a rainbow colored stone.

A Gengar, she knew.

Her Gengar, Raphael.

The one that had helped her move throughout the other place.

And the one that fought back when countless dragon tamers had swarmed and battled her…

They had been handed a crushing defeat by Holly and the ghost, and now the dragon tamers wanted revenge…

Never mind that Holly and the ghost weren't anywhere in sight…

But from what the dragon tamers could understand, the two may as well have been.

It was all like a curse, she supposed.

She wasn't surprised by that, nor could she fault the new opponents.

So it was revenge the dragon tamers got.

Failed revenge, that was.

And a bunch of fainted Pokémon, as they all scurried to the nearest Pokémon Center.

She hoped that would be the last altercation, but that was not to be.

After the fight with the tamers came the dragons that could be tamed.

Yet these weren't interested in any taming.

Because the leader of these dragons was a Dragonite, fully evolved and enraged.

And that Dragonite had brought friends.

A massive amount of them.

Apparently, Holly had attacked a Dratini in attempt to drive it away. Though the girl was unsuccessful, the ghost had stepped up.

And then…

The ghost had unleashed a Mimikyu and had brutally assaulted the Dratini…

She had shuddered at the name.

Mallory.

That name symbolized a flood of conflicting memories, and a crown of shining leaves.

Sometimes there were so many of the former it made the latter hard to look at.

Yet there was no denying that Mallory had died protecting her.

Mallory had cared for her so much that the wild Mimikyu had been officially registered to her postmortem.

It was clear Mallory liked and respected her, even though the ways of showing emotions were bit odd.

It was said that a crown of shining leaves symbolized friendship and trust that would go on into eternity.

She only hoped that was true.

But the dragons didn't see any of that.

They took the shuddering as an admission of guilt.

That she knew the Pokémon who attacked one of their own.

That she even had it with her.

And so the dragons attacked back in a fury unlike hardly anything she'd ever seen.

She had considering using the equipment given to Pokémon Rangers to stop the conflict without battle…

Yet she quickly realized the equipment wouldn't work against bloodthirsty dragons in such a wide area, especially with so many others to protect.

So she had battled with her own dragon, Lucille.

Draco Meteor had instantly destroyed all foes, letting those she was protecting proceed without any harm.

She had ordered Lucille not to inflict any fatal wounds, and as the other dragons picked themselves up and scurried away, she hoped they would reconsider attacking so recklessly again.

Even now Lucille's soul shown brilliantly in the darkness, begging to materialize its content.

Yet she resisted.

Lucille was a Pokémon that was sometimes too tall for buildings, and as spacious as this room was, she wasn't about to risk destroying it.

Yet she could still feel Lucille's emotions perfectly well.

Concern.

Sympathy.

The desire to protect.

Of course Lucille would feel the latter emotion, for protecting travelers was what the golden Naganadel's species was known for.

Small wonder then, that so many thought she had named the Naganadel after the powerful battler and International Police Officer Lucille Fleetfoot.

Yet it was clearly not the case.

She would never tell anyone what the real reason for the name was, at least, not unless the person understood.

She was torn from those thoughts as another figure lumbered up.

The silver metal body could easily be seen even in the darkness. Giant legs and arms gave the bipedal creature motion, to the point where it almost appeared to be human. It clearly wasn't human though, as its body had black parts that could be seen on the shoulders and around the end of its hands. That head was even further evidence of the creature's inhumanity, as had a reddish brown neck that looked like a machine nut, and something similar for its head. A single black eye granted the creature sight, although she knew it could see perfectly as well as those with two. She understood people would normally call the Pokémon shiny, but she called by another name.

For this was Lamborghini, her Melmetal.

She knew it was ironic, naming one of the slowest Pokémon in existence after one of the fastest cars.

But she found the name nothing more than fitting after her father found the causing mischief while working on the aforementioned car one day.

Regardless of the name, the group in the other place was shocked upon seeing the rare Pokémon.

They were even more shocked after they saw that Pokémon pick up the furious fugitive and easily haul said uninjured fugitive back to the police station.

The ghost apparently found out that the fugitive had murdered some wild Poochyena pups and then left the few survivors badly injured. Armed with this knowledge, the ghost sent the lawbreaker off to the police and punishment.

Yet once all that ended, the fugitive only went on to commit more crimes, provoking the police's ire …

But that fugitive believed that ire paled in comparison to the ire against the dead one…

No matter what happened, the lawbreaker never lost the desire for revenge…

Or perhaps at this point it was twisted justice.

Regardless, she knew that the International Police had unfinished business with the fugitive, so their station was exactly where she took the lawbreaker.

She wanted to say that the lawbreaker would never harm others again, but she knew that hope would easily be quashed.

Sentiment had gotten nowhere with Holly when she faced the girl at the League.

Why should things be different with any other criminal?

And yet…

The bikers…

The dragon tamers…

The dragon Pokémon themselves…

The hapless fugitive…

They all had one thing in common.

Although they may not have lived honest lives, all of those people were victims.

Each of them would not been hurt or otherwise have had a negative experience were not for the ghost and by extension, Holly.

Yet…

There were other victims too.

Honest and innocent victims.

As Charity, the Blissey walking up to her could attest.

Charity had been sent out when Holly's wretched Raichu had injured and was still chasing the kind trainer Delia.

One Shadow Ball had put a stop to that, though.

She knew a Blissey would normally be lucky if Shadow Ball even scratched opponents.

Yet with Holly's Raichu's severe type and level disadvantage, the outcome was painfully obvious.

After the hostile Raichu had collapsed, two other commands took form.

Heal Pulse.

Heal Bell.

Two strong supporting moves.

And ones that restored Delia to health as though nothing had happened…

So Delia finally no longer had to worry about enemies or injuries from the time in the Safari Zone.

But her duties in the other place were not yet over.

For there had been other innocents in dire straits.

She tore her eyes away from the concerned Blissey to another creature floating in front of her.

The creature had the brightly colored body of a clown. Alongside these bright colors were feet, hands, and arms of white. The creature's head was white as well, a rounded shape that fanned out in all directions. On the head were different designs resembling lights. The newcomer lacked eyes or even a discernible mouth, and yet she knew what both of them were thinking.

It was hard for Michael to forget those trapped in the Celadon City's fire.

Especially since the Blacephalon understood the fire had been deliberate and another senseless act by Holly and the ghost.

Yet Michael had fought back regardless, combining his abilities with hers to destroy the life force of the flames frozen in time.

Frozen in time thanks to Lorelei, the Pokémon Master having given her both power and trust.

Oh, what she wouldn't give for the gentle voice of Lorelei's Lapras right now, or the Healing Wish of the Chimecho that revitalized both her body and mind.

But they weren't here now, and they probably would never be.

She just had to accept the fact that sleep probably would never come.

But she couldn't just lie here internally whimpering.

Not after so many others were still suffering.

Not after so many others had helped her to get through the other place.

Others like the blue creature that approached her now.

The creature that looked like it was cloaked in a purple hood, staring at her with deep light blue eyes. Blackness and light blue floated elegantly down the creature's body, obscured slightly by the purple hood. Yet she did not care, for she knew what this was.

Tapu Fini, one of nature's guardians, going by the name of Tanith in her team.

Some had chastised her for having such a sacred and respected god at her command.

Yet every single Ranger had approved, many finding a Pokémon no more fitting for the task.

After all, a Ranger's duty was to protect people, Pokémon, and nature, so what better than to have a Pokémon that did all that instinctively?

Regardless of how others felt about it, there was no denying Tanith's bravery in navigating the treacherous waters of the Mystery Zone.

It was only thanks to Tanith's strength that she was able to get to the area, and pass the test required to become worthy of the Anomaly.

Of course, Tanith wasn't only Pokémon whose strength she relied on.

Four she was aware of a second figure appearing beside her.

This figure looked like a brown anchor covered in dark green seaweed. The figure floated lazily back and forth. It observed the scene with what looked like an eye attached to a ship's wheel.

She only nodded.

This was Columbus, her Dhemise, the first Ghost Pokémon she had as a trainer.

And the one that showed the young Fuchsia Gym Leader that she could indeed defend herself.

Yet was not the first Ghost Pokémon friend she'd made.

Far from it.

Instead, that honor went to Gabriel, for he had known her longer than almost any of her other Pokémon.

Even though he was not present now, she could sense Gabriel lurking in the shadows.

He was watching, waiting, patiently preparing to strike down any enemy that would even think of hurting her.

She understood her Giratina's desire to keep her safe, given that she was one of the closest friends of the god of death.

And that friendship involved mutual loyalty and trust, which in turn led to Gabriel seeing her as worthy of even his strongest and most sacred powers.

That was why the Giratina took part in almost everything she did in the other place.

But then, there were still others whose contributions could not be downplayed.

A green soul shimmered, as if begging her to acknowledge it.

So she did it with a polite nod.

For she knew the unmaterialized soul held the giant green flying dragon, Rayquaza. The one she called Aster, after someone she had met.

One of the Pokémon that had battled to repel the rebels during their attack on Viridian.

And one responsible for the death of one of the rebel leaders, Zinnia.

There was little doubt that Aster wanted to help her now, but she wasn't about to let the Rayquaza roam the room.

The flying dragon was so large, there might not be a room left.

But she did notice a figure that was able to fly throughout the room.

Even in the darkness, recognition was instant.

Her Hoopa, Mickey.

One had fought in Saffron, and had helped to free the prisoners there…

And although she hadn't known Mickey as long as she'd known Gabriel, there was no doubting his loyalty, trust, and strength.

Traits all of them had.

Traits they had all used.

And it had led to what they had been able to achieve in the other place, as well as allowing her to escape unscathed.

She had done so much with her Pokémon…

And yet…

It had all been for nothing…

In the end, the ghost had won, and she had been rendered helpless…

It was not an absolute loss, with the others surviving…

But it was still clear who the winning side was…

So…

What had the ghost really done?

Holly…

Everything truly started with that girl…

The ghost had done a lot to Holly.

Luring the girl in with promises of power…

Enticing Holly with gifts and victories…

Molding Holly to be an obedient pawn…

Having the girl believe that everything gotten had been earned…

Conditioning Holly accept everything the dead one said as fact, even though almost of it was lies…

Manipulating Holly into destroying the League's absolute corruption, despite having no proof…

Because there was no corruption to destroy.

But Holly didn't want to pay attention to that, brainwashed by the ghost's promises of power…

The girl was blind to what was really going on…

Blind to what the League had really done…

First, there was Brock, who didn't even do anything other than his job as a Gym Leader…

Misty, whose worst thing was enacting a punishment and not allowing Holly to battle at the Gym… Even then, Holly's team was still able to battle and won the fight, with Misty gracefully acknowledging the loss…

Lieutenant Surge, who rightfully called Holly out on a battle the ghost underhandedly had won for the girl, even though the latter took credit…

Erika, the one who raised Holly, yet the girl was only ungrateful… After Erika did not permit Holly to go on the journey, Holly responded by running away, rather than working to earn the privilege and proving the journey was a good idea…

And then of course, Holly only proved to be immature... The girl irresponsibly gambled away every last scrap of money… So Erika removed Holly from the gambling hall, taking away the privilege and chance of earning the next Badge… Instead, making it so the only thing Holly could earn was the spent money back… It was fitting, to say the least, and understandable. The punishment was something Holly should've been able to do as a Trainer, and thus, further justified…

Yet…

Holly had not considered the other consequences of the earlier recklessness…

Consequences that had gotten the girl's starter Pokémon killed.

Perhaps the girl would've learned at that point, and tried to reform.

Alas, that was not to be.

For Holly blamed of the entire incident on Erika, the girl never once taking accountability for what happened…

Instead, the girl responded by disowning Erika, forcing the Celadon Gym Leader to forgo the punishment and face Holly in a Gym battle…

Upon winning, Holly set the Gym on fire while the ghost immobilized everyone inside but the two…

The pair was intent on not only ending Erika's life, but those of several other honest people…

All because of Holly's irresponsible gambling, which the girl still took no responsibility for…

Yet Erika wasn't the only one who suffered because of the two…

There was Janine, the young Fuchsia Gym Leader…

Willing to give up everything in order to protect the citizens of Fuchsia from merciless invaders…

Citizens that included Holly and the ghost…

And then Janine had been gracious enough to allow Holly and the ghost to challenge the Gym early the next day…

Even after that, the two weren't even the least bit thankful…

It was little wonder that Janine installed tracking devices on Holly and the ghost…

After all, who wouldn't want to track ne'er-do-wells so notorious?

She wasn't sure what the legality of the tracking devices were, only that Janine had gotten clearance…

Besides, after all Holly and the ghost had done, they didn't deserve protection from any laws…

Regardless, the two had found out and had attempted to take Janine's life…

Revenge for placing the tracking devices, she supposed.

Except no matter what, the revenge would have been in vain.

Because Janine _didn't_ place the tracking devices.

The one who did had been fighting against them for the Champion title at the League, and Holly and the ghost would never know it.

It was quite simple, really.

Janine had come to her while she was resting after what happened at the Safari Zone before.

The Fuchsia Gym Leader had demanded to know her true identity, and more about her…

The answer came as quite a shock…

Nevertheless, Janine had requested that she place the tracking devices on Holly and the ghost should the Gym Battle be lost, and she agreed.

When she learned of the battle's unfortunate result, Gabriel had seen the task done.

Yet Holly and the ghost did not know any of that.

Instead, they attacked the person they knew.

Therefore, Janine was nearly murdered, despite being innocent of any crimes.

But there were those that were even more innocent, yet ended up in similar situations…

Like Sabrina, who hadn't fought at all against the two, only guilty by association…

Yet the Saffron Gym Leader had been hurt and imprisoned, almost helplessly watching the aforementioned city fall…

Even when there were no wrongdoings.

Yet there was still Blaine, whose only crime was asking harsh quiz questions…

Holly had viewed the crime as something major, worthy of unleashing powerful Pokémon brainwashed by the ghost…

If those Pokémon had had their way, the Cinnabar Gym would have been torn to pieces, and all inside it annihilated…

Mercifully, that never happened.

Yet mercy was not on Azure's side.

He was one of the few that was cordial to Holly and the ghost right off the bat, despite nearly being a victim of the ghost's rampant psychic powers…

Yet Holly and the ghost only repaid Azure's kindness by ending his life, letting the rebels destroy him utterly in the wreckage of Viridian…

But then there was the Elite Four…

There was the psychic Will, who saved the two when they were attacked by rogue Trainers…

So the psychic had also searched Holly's mind without the girl's consent…

But it was unknown what protections even applied to Holly at that point, and Will had a very good reason…

Not to mention the other person that was searched, Anabel, didn't even try to strike back against Will…

Whatever the case, what Will did wasn't worth putting his life in danger twice over…

But there was still Will's comrade, Bruno, who did nothing more than the duty of the Elite Four…

And then there was Karen, who teamed up with Will to save the two from the rogue Trainers…

Karen offered nothing but harsh words, despite being able to do much worse…

And yet the Elite Four member suffered the same fate as Will, nearly being completely annihilated twice over…

The leader, Lance, could have stopped it all, arresting the two on the spot…

Yet he didn't, perhaps to keep up the illusion that no one had any idea the ghost and Holly could see through…

And even if Lance tried to do something, Holly and the ghost just would have enacted their plan early anyway…

But one of the people who suffered the most was Scarlet, despite barely knowing Holly…

Scarlet placed absolute faith in the ghost, being a former student…

The young Champion and Holly could have been friends, and initially, Scarlet wanted things to be that way…

Scarlet was innocent of any crimes, but Holly and the ghost nearly stole the young Champion's life, only because of the association with the League…

Yet there were still others, who weren't part of the pathway of Kanto's League challenge…

Kahili, Alola's Champion, who did nothing more than disagree with Holly…

Malva, leader of a resistance force fighting for the good of all regions, who only offered the ghost a chance to join despite knowing the dead one's condition…

There was not even a hint of an ulterior motive, and nothing malicious even after the truth about the dead one was revealed…

And yet the two had treated Malva like a criminal, and only because of something that most likely took place before either of them were born…

Yet Malva wasn't the only one being treated like a criminal despite saving others…

For there was Molly Hale, rightfully wanting to stop the dead one's out-of-control psychic powers…

One would think Holly would understand Molly Hale's reasoning, especially after the girl had nearly become a fatality of those same psychic powers…

And especially after Molly Hale saved them many times…

Yet the two treated Molly Hale as the greatest of villains, and would not stop until the last breath had left the psychic's body…

There was Deila, whose true target were the Team Rocket members that hurt her son…

The poor woman ended up getting wrapped up in everything, and almost getting hurt herself…

And then there was still Catlin, Elite Four member of Unova, who saved the two from almost certain death, despite teaming up with Molly Hale…

The kindhearted Elite Four member was only remembered for the latter, and treated as a villain like all the rest…

There were those who had done even less, such as Bill, whose only crime was to refuse to give Holly a Pokémon…

Kaiser, only doing his duty as the warden of the Safari Zone…

Blue Oak and Courtney Hiroko, only showing up to exchange a few harsh words after rushing to defend Saffron from the violent attack…

Daisy Oak, only filled with rightful concern, but that concern fell on deaf ears…

Lusamine, who only gave out what was considered a forbidden Pokémon, but that Pokémon didn't even do anything to Holly or the ghost…

Giselle, former Champion who had defeated Holly in a battle, and then protected the victims of the girl's vicious assault on Saffron…

Nia, defending those caught in Holly and the ghost's attacks…

Clair, disgraced Gym Leader wanting to defend loved ones, after being crippled from injuries the ghost caused years ago…

One of the ones that didn't even end up harming Holly and the ghost, yet whose life was nearly lost anyway…

Lorelei, who attacked Holly and the ghost after being attacked first…

There were countless different people of the League Holly and the ghost had met…

Yet all those people had one thing in common…

Everything they did was within the bounds of what they could do, perhaps what any person would do…

Yet Holly and the ghost were determined to bring down the League no matter what, believing to have been wronged by it…

Yet the League never truly wronged either of them, with everything that did cause harm the fault and the Holly and the ghost themselves…

Still, even with all this, Holly and the dead one were determined to make every last member and ally of the League lose their lives…

But…

What was the most deplorable was the reason why Holly fought against the League…

Holly only sided against the League at Fuchsia…

Only because the ghost assured the girl that there was no other way to survive…

So Holly followed the ghost's advice, without even questioning it…

And worse, the ghost had already started to brainwash Holly at Vermillion…

The dead one had given the girl the evolution stones to fight against Lieutenant Surge, and then taught Holly the moves needed for success…

All without anyone else's consent, or even knowledge…

And not even letting Holly figure things out…

Not that Holly realized it was possible to figure things out without the ghost…

For the dead one had given Holly the stones without asking for anything in return, and of course, Holly had taken them…

But that was not the only gift that was part of the dead one's plan…

There was the Itemfinder and the treasures it unearthed… These treasures were items Holly was never going to use, but the intent was clear…

The ghost wanted to defy Anabel's rules, and to show who was really in charge of the journey…

The dead one made that known with the curtest speech possible, one that Anabel could not refuse…

And the ghost's machinations worked flawlessly…

Because from that day on, Anabel was almost completely helpless…

And Holly was forever grateful, because the girl would have it no other way…

No matter how much they were used, Holly saw the gifts just as helpful as the last…

But that was far from the only thing the dead one had done to spite Anabel…

Because what better way to assert authority than to defy Anabel in the most direct way possible?

For Anabel had the ability to keep Holly chained up for almost all of the journey…

Chained up with constant supervision…

Chained up away from other people…

Chained up and unable to hurt others…

Yet the ghost also had an ability…

The ability to use piercing words to force Anabel to break the chain…

Words so harsh and full of blame that Anabel did not even have the illusion of choice…

Yet Holly was nothing but ecstatic at the new freedom and trust given...

Not that any of that was warranted…

Yet Holly and the ghost couldn't care less…

Especially since the dead one knew Holly was in possession of great power…

Power only given the most elite and strongest of Trainers…

Power that Holly certainly most didn't deserve…

Yet it was given to Holly anyway, in the hope that the girl could change…

But the poor person that gave the power had no idea the dead one would take advantage of it…

But the ghost had, without anyone being able to do anything…

So Holly had used the power mercilessly against unsuspecting dragon tamers in combat…

All under the complete control and direction of the ghost…

Yet the girl understood nothing about the consequences and meaning of utilizing the power…

Not even when a wild Dratini obliterated the Pokémon that held that power…

Because the ghost had saved Holly, rapidly silencing any and all opposition…

So Holly only learned that the end result was the possession of near ultimate powers, given by the ghost for nothing in return…

What would Holly say if the girl understood that using the power ended up with the dragon tamers attacking many innocent people for revenge and justice?

What would the girl say upon finding out that the Dratini had come back fully evolved, bringing several other maddened dragons with it?

The girl probably wouldn't care, and of course the ghost would encourage that behavior…

Especially considering what happened next…

The ghost had then evolved one of Holly's Pokémon, and was revealed to be training the ones the girl did not use…

However, that was not the main event…

For Holly was then granted access every Pokémon the dead one had…

No matter how vicious…

No matter how rare…

No matter how powerful…

For the two were preparing for a crisis that never came…

But perhaps the dead one's actions still had a purpose…

After all, the ghost's lackey needed to be strong enough to survive…

But perhaps Holly was not yet strong enough, even with the dead one's Pokémon…

Perhaps that was why the dead one led Holly to the Safari Zone to catch more Pokémon…

But then a wild one had attacked Holly, and the ghost had sent out a defenseless Pokémon to draw the opponents' attacks away…

Of course, the Pokémon in question was also dead, so it wasn't like any damage truly mattered…

Regardless, Holly captured a Pokémon to use later, without any true harm or difficulty…

All because the ghost effectively caught the Pokémon for her, only by using another that was also a defenseless corpse…

Of course, there was outrage that a helpless Pokémon would be treated like a tool…

But there was nothing there, so the outrage was invalid…

Not that many of the others knew that…

They didn't even know that the ghost had use the power of Yveltal to recover from what appeared to be a fatal injury at the Safari Zone…

And Holly was saved thanks to the ghost taking the mortal blow…

So it would seem that the gift of life was the last gift the ghost had given to Holly…

But that was not to be…

For the ghost returned, and the deadly agreement to side against the League was made…

And the irreversible damage had already been done…

For by the time the fateful decision had been made in Fuchsia, Holly had grown used to receiving things from the ghost. So the girl believed the dead one no matter what, because the latter gave the former the power and freedom that were desired…

Previously, Holly had grudges against certain people, like Erika and Anabel, but not against the League itself…

Not until the ghost planted the thought in the girl's head…

She cringed as the name echoed in her head.

Anabel.

A person that had been around since the beginning.

And someone that probably suffered more than anyone else.

Anabel only wanted what was lost, but ended up nearly losing everything instead…

The woman was a flawed, yet caring person, always wanting to try and right wrongs.

Yet Holly hated Anabel because the woman set down rules.

The woman did so in order to teach Holly morals and keep the girl safe…

To keep Holly from becoming one of the countless Trainers that lost their lives journeying…

The countless Trainers Anabel probably knew…

The countless Trainers _she_ knew…

To protect Holly from monsters like the ghost…

But unfortunately, the exact opposite happened…

For Anabel had recruited the ghost as well, desperately wanting a memento of what was lost…

She couldn't really blame Anabel for that, yet she knew the woman would regret what happened forever…

For when Holly initially misbehaved and dragged the dead one into it, Anabel set forth a punishment by placing the girl with the ghost…

Yet despite Holly being more or less chained to Anabel, and having all semblance of freedom on the journey taken away, the punishment was still a failure…

For Anabel had no idea of the ghost's true nature, and by the time the woman realized was actually going on, it was far, far too late…

Anabel thought Holly was being placed with someone that could teach the girl proper behavior, and could be trusted…

In reality, all the punishment did was allow the ghost to infiltrate with ease…

The ghost controlled what Pokémon Holly could use, what places to go, the girl's belief system, everything…

In the end there was something more horrific than any physical brainwashing.

Holly had become the ghost's living possession, and there was no going back…

The girl believed freedom had been earned after Anabel's punishment ran its course…

Yet there was never any freedom, and that was something Holly would never realize.

Under the influence of the ghost, Holly had betrayed everything that was once stood for without a second thought.

Yet Holly couldn't stop calling Anabel a betrayer, just for getting a Pokémon the girl didn't like.

And Holly disdained that Pokémon only because the ghost told the girl said Pokémon was bad.

The grudge against that Pokémon was a matter between the ghost and Lusamine.

Yet the ghost decided to drag Holly into the conflict as well, knowing that Holly could be used against any opponents. Furthermore, the ghost knew Holly's own grudges would become part of a larger scale.

Petty and stupid as Holly's grudges were, the girl and the ghost couldn't stop calling Anabel out for bad behavior.

Even though Anabel had a clear reason to believe the Ultra Beast the woman disdained were truly monsters.

After all, these Beasts had destroyed Anabel's home, harmed loved ones, and almost took the woman's life.

Yet Anabel's mind was changed when one of Beasts saved the woman's life.

There was enough of a change that Anabel chose to aid and befriend another Beast that had been forced into mindless slavery.

She suspected that change would last forever.

Regardless, she couldn't stop the pity that stabbed her.

Despite never giving up hope that the journey would have a happy ending, the reality was that Anabel had lost companions, Pokémon, only remaining family, and almost a chance to live.

And even though Holly was alive, even if Anabel found the girl again, the daughter Anabel had searched for so hard for so many years was lost forever.

Despite all this, Anabel had changed, willing to give another chance that the woman would've never even thought of offering before the journey took place.

And now united in the goal of ending innocents' suffering, the change was clearly for the better.

Yet while Anabel had changed positively, Holly had remained stagnant.

Not that Holly would every realize this.

Yet despite everything, there was thing about Holly that didn't remain stagnant.

The girl's battling prowess.

Yet maybe the prowess did remain stagnant, since Holly didn't really have any of that power.

It was all the ghost.

For Holly did eventually start winning matches effortlessly, but it was only once the ghost took over…

There was a close match against Pewter's Brock, one that almost resulted a loss.

Then there was the inability to capture the thief Johan in the same city, where success might have saved his life…

There was a battle against Giselle that actually was a crushing defeat…

And then there was yet another loss against Misty, even though Holly did not command the captured Pokémon at the time…

After that…

The ghost had begun ruthlessly training Holly's Pokémon, increasing their strength to a level that was almost never seen…

And that was when Holly started winning battle after battle without any trouble…

While the girl's Pokémon turned into merciless monsters…

Others were rightfully horrified, yet Holly didn't care…

Because with that new power, the girl could get back at those who inflicted punishments, and truly harm the subjects of all grudges…

Punishment, resentment, and revenge…

A vicious cycle to be sure…

One that she had heard about before, but had never believed existed…

Until she saw it happen with Holly.

Anabel and Erika punished Holly, so Holly resented them both…

So when the dead one came along, Holly wasted no time using the former's power to get revenge…

Revenge that nearly left Erika and Anabel within an inch of their lives, and had been fatal for so many people…

Even for the survivors, there were consequences that could never be undone…

She snapped out of her thoughts, clenching her hand into a fist.

Desperation flooded her, as she wished to summon an item into her free hand.

Yet she resisted that urge.

That item wouldn't do her any good now, and she already knew what it was.

A wedding ring.

One that she had held on to for years, yet it still looked as untarnished as the day it was bought.

Part of that was fine craftsmanship, she knew.

But the other part was that she would never let anything happen to the jewelry.

Levi would never forgive her if she did.

Even from beyond the grave.

Perhaps Levi wasn't the only one to worry about.

For the one holding the other wedding ring was very much alive, and much displeasure would be voiced if anything ever happened the item.

So she made sure nothing would.

She wouldn't dare tarnish the memory of both the dead and the living.

But then…

There was another reason, she knew.

One she kept mainly to herself.

For the ring symbolized more than just marriage vows.

It was the same as the dark blue Ranger Styler that she carried, even though the two objects couldn't look more different.

For the two were reminders of the revenge she gave up.

For she realized such revenge would be useless, thanks to the vicious cycle…

Getting her own revenge would only perpetuate her opponents' desire for the same…

And that would go on and on, ruthless and never ending…

Until one side fell.

 _At least._

Her fist clenched even tighter, face twisted into a grimace.

She made no effort to stop the motions, as her mind focused on a single subject

Fallen…

Fallen…

There were many that had lost their lives on Holly's journey…

Countless fallen, most doomed to be forgotten by all but those close to them…

And yet…

She could still remember some of them…

The specific ones she'd seen…

The specific ones _others_ had seen…

There was the pair of Poochyena, young lives taken too soon by a passing rouge…

Janine's Ariados and Venomoth, sacrificed during that brutal battle in the Safari Zone, the former so the Fuchsia Gym Leader didn't join the dead…

Incinaroar, Holly's first Pokémon owned and the first to die…

Espeon, Anabel's favorite Pokémon and loyal to the end, before being senselessly murdered by Holly and the ghost…

Silvally, Lusamine's Pokémon, passed down to Anabel, and then dying an agonizing death when Holly and the ghost caused that horrific attack on Saffron…

Mightyena, Holly's second dead Pokémon, brought down by gun bullets after trying to kill Erika and Anabel…

Holly had called her a monster for owning that gun, but the words meant little when the girl had also killed with a weapon…

For there had been a wild Honchkrow, completely destroyed by the Ageislash Holly wielded like a living sword…

And then there was the fact that weapons were not even needed to kill…

Before the appearance of the Aegislash and the gun, there was Johan, the thief who fought for the rebels, before ironically losing his life in an attack the rebels started on the Safari Zone…

The ghost and the Pokémon within the dead one had also suffered a fatal blow, unable to withstand a building collapsing on them after the building was attacked during the battle in the Safari Zone…

Of course, the thrall Yveltal had revived both the ghost and the dead Pokémon afterward, but a death was a death…

Especially since the fatal blow and revival happened again upon facing the god of death's shadows in Saffron…

Yet there were those who did not, _could not_ revive…

There was Zinnia's Salamance, also destroyed by the shadows of the god of death while attacking innocents…

Zinnia herself had followed, dying while leading an attack on Viridian…

Azure, one of the attack's countless victims…

There was ghost's own father, receiving the worst form of betrayal while at the same time never truly knowing what happened to his daughter…

Ivy, the young Trainer killed by Holly's hand close to Viridian, after Holly used unnecessary force…

There was Ivy's loyal team of Pokémon, killed alongside their Trainer at the hands of the ghost…

And lastly there was Professor Pine, life taken in the attack on Viridian alongside the Absol Katrina and countless other Pokémon…

At the thought of the deceased professor, her fist is clenched so tightly she can swear it's turning white.

She squeezes her eyes painfully shut, trying to stop tears from flowing.

Professor Pine…

The one who began Holly's journey, yet destroyed by the end…

The professor fought to stop everything, feeling responsible for starting it all…

Yet those efforts were in vain…

The only thing that happened was the professor's death…

By Holly, one of the Trainers from the carefree study, and the ghost that turned the girl into a monster…

She grits her teeth, ignoring pain…

She squeezes her eyes shut even more, fighting defiantly against the tears threatening to spill forth…

Her fist is now clenched so tightly she wonders if it will be permanently stuck there…

She resists with all the might she has…

She cannot show sadness here…

It is far too embarrassing, especially knowing that no one will come to help…

Yet she cannot resist much longer…

The memories are too much…

The sadness is too much…

The pain is too much…

But then…

She is aware of something touching her.

It is a hand, resting on her clenched fist.

Warm.

Comforting.

Familiar.

The hand of another person, she realizes.

And yet…

There shouldn't be another person here…

No one had come through the door, if another person even _could_ come to the door…

But another voice spoke, gentle and soothing.

"Don't cry. Sadness doesn't suit you, Mold Breaker Kristine."

At the mention of her true name, Kristine's eyes fly wide open.

The inside of her nose scorches, threatening to bleed.

Yet mercifully it doesn't.

Perhaps the newcomer stopped it somehow.

She stares straight ahead, eyes still wide.

The sight is truly something to behold, and yet…

It would be a lie to say Kristine doesn't understand what the newcomer in the room is.

That Kristine doesn't know what the arrival of the other person means.

That Kristine can't figure out why her Pokémon are bowing reverently while another figure is high above them.

That Kristine doesn't know exactly who this person is.

But still…

Kristine knew she had to move closer.

Talking while lying on a bed is inconvenient, if not improper.

So Kristine's fist unclenches as she tears the covers off with the fury of a madwoman.

Instantly, Kristine flips onto her back at a speed that would've seemed impossible mere moments before.

Her hand deftly reaches slightly behind her and to the right, grasping a black railing tightly.

With that, Kristine yanks on the railing, the object not even coming close to giving way under her strength.

Instead, Kristine uses the railing to pull herself up into a sitting position, swinging her legs over the bed.

After that, Kristine does not move, instead gazing at the person in front of her.

The newcomer was a woman with long red hair. Brown eyes gazed back at Kristine with warmth and friendliness. The person had on red clothing that matched her hair, but the match did not hold Kristine's attention long. Instead, her attention was drawn to two white wings that were on the woman's back. Yet the wings were almost invisible, enveloped by a golden glow that surrounded the newcomer. Kristine expected to see a halo, but she knew not all the woman's kind liked halos.

Besides, Kristine couldn't focus on halos right now.

For there was another newcomer, a Pokémon.

This Pokémon was cloaked in white fur, although Kristine could still see black claws on its feet. The creature resembled a feline, if felines had a jagged tail and a horn on their heads. The Pokémon had something that resembled a white beard, and what appeared to be a helmet drooping over one of its eyes. However, Kristine knew the creature could still see as its red eyes gazed with the same warmth as the woman's. Instead, Kristine focused on two appendages strikingly similar to white wings. However, Kristine's gaze did not linger long, as appendages were all they were.

She directed her glance to the true wings behind the white imitations. As these wings flapped majestically, they immediately stood out from the rest of the Pokémon. For instead of being white, they were a stunning charcoal gray. Kristine remembered a story she had heard about angel children living in a city, and those angels had the same type of wings. Yet Kristine still never imagined that she would see the charcoal gray wings here. She supposed not all of the newcomer's kind liked white wings, either. Or perhaps it was because the Pokémon already had appendages that resembled white wings, it would've looked awkward to have an actual pair. Whatever the reason, this Pokémon did have a halo. The halo shone on top of the creature's head, gleaming with a golden light.

It always a spectacular sight to behold, yet Kristine met the pair's gazes squarely.

For although they had never met before now, Kristine instinctively understood who they newcomers were.

Professor Julia Pine, former researcher of Viridian…

And Professor Pine's beloved Absol, Katrina, standing tall and proud in her Mega form…

These were the two spirits that had been waiting after dying in Viridian's attack…

And now they had finally arrived…

Yet…

There was nothing worth noting in this room, so why were they here now?

Yet before Kristine could ask her question, Professor Pine spoke again, friendliness never leaving.

"I would say "fear not", but you already know who we are."

Katrina gave a polite nod, adding in a voice full of warmth and respect.

" _From a pair of Angels to another, Mold Breaker Kristine."_

At Katrina's words, Kristine's eyes went wide again.

She expected to hear her Trainer title, but not her actual name…

And to think that the others had also referred to her as an Angel, the title that designated her as a soldier of the highest being, Arceus…

The latter was an honor, and a reference she should have seen coming…

But the former…

Kristine couldn't hide the surprise creeping into her voice as she responded.

"You're calling me by my real name? Even after all the things the one you know has done?"

As she spoke, Kristine was suddenly grateful there were no mirrors.

For they would've shown exactly who she really was.

Her short brown hair was disheveled from the bed, yet still immediately recognizable…

Dark blue eyes, with a nightgown to match…

And as soon as was appropriate, she would change into the similarly dark blue clothing others knew her to have…

Kristine glanced down at her legs, twisted in such a way that it was impossible to walk without a limp…

Even the voice which she spoke with now…

Everything was the same as the dead one's…

Everything…

Including her name.

So why were Professor Pine and Katrina using it now?

That couldn't have been easy for them…

Kristine glanced up to see that Professor Pine and Katrina's countenances had hardened.

Before Kristine could ask what was wrong, Professor Pine spoke in a serious tone.

"The Revenant does not deserve the name Kristine, only being an undead monster with your face."

Katrina rapidly chimed in, an affirmative tone in the Pokémon's voice.

" _You are the true Kristine, perhaps the one and only."_

Kristine's eyes went wide again, although this time there was no surprise.

Instead, confusion snuck into her voice, before she could even attempt to hide the emotion.

"The Revenant?"

Realization filled Katrina's voice as the Pokémon replied.

" _Oh, that's what the other Kristine is being called. Giselle came up with the name. I think it's fitting."_

But Kristine did not share the realization, instead blurting out.

"Giselle? But in the vision I foresaw, Giselle was nowhere to be found! She apparently hung back while Diantha went off to help those who were the victims of Holly's and the Revenant's attack! Those victims barely escaped with their lives, Diantha was almost too late, and as far as I know they are all still recovering!"

Professor Pine spoke in a serious and calm tone, yet Kristine detected a touch of gentleness to it.

"What you saw in the vision ended a while ago. The League halls are unscathed, and the others all fled to where Giselle was waiting. Rest assured, they are all alive and well."

Kristine let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Too many lives had been lost in the conflict.

At least a few more had avoided a horrific end.

Professor Pine's countenance softened, the gentleness becoming more apparent.

"I see you were worried about them. Well, now you can worry no more."

Katrina chimed in, countenance also softening.

" _Such compassion, even toward an enemy when fighting in the League."_

Kristine's eyes narrowed and her gaze became sharp.

Professor Pine and Katrina flinched back as she spoke in a stern tone.

"That was not compassion."

Kristine noticed Professor Pine and Katrina grimacing, and resisted the urge to slap herself.

Of course they would be backing away whenever she looked the least bit enraged!

No matter who she was, the other Angels were used to the Revenant!

The one who had and could hurt others in her fury!

And regardless of how she acted normally, Kristine still had the capacity to get angry.

Kristine would always look like the Revenant, so there would always be people fearing her own anger.

So she tried to force himself to calm down, but it wasn't completely successful.

Kristine could tell by the solemn tone that permeated her voice.

"The Revenant's remaining family were her victims too, so I do feel sympathy for them. But that's not the main reason why did what I did at the League."

Kristine paused briefly, then continued before the other two could answer.

"I'm close to the Gym Leader Morty, to the point he and his loved ones view me as family. Shortly before I left for my journey, Morty made me a promise."

Kristine took a deep breath, preparing herself for what inevitably came next.

"Morty vowed to personally give me a proper funeral if I died on the journey. He said he would handle everything, from the beginning preparations to helping my family after it all. Morty explained I could rest easy, and concentrate on the journey itself, knowing I would be properly taken care of if the worst came to pass. He is a proficient mortician, so I knew he could fulfill his word."

Kristine took another breath, ignoring the widened eyes of Katrina and Professor Pine.

"When I saw the Revenant's burnt corpse, that old promise came back to me. I know the circumstances were not the same, but I still felt obligated to help fulfill it. It brought me peace about what happened, as I hope it does to her family."

As Kristine finished speaking, Professor Pine and Katrina still stared at her with widened eyes.

She supposed that there was nothing the two could say after such a sorrowful story…

Perhaps they were thinking about their own death and funerals, and who would remember them.

If the two would be remembered at all.

For while there was only silence that hung eerily in the air.

Suddenly, Katrina's eyes darted over to the black railing behind Kristine.

" _Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think rooms like this have railings like that…"_

Kristine simply nodded, and the railing suddenly disappeared in a flash of light.

In the railing's place stood another creature, which rapidly hopped over to Kristine.

The creature had a small pink body that resembled a moving puddle of gel. However, there were several pointed parts on the top of the creature, including two triangles that resembled ears to the left and right. The creature still held a wide smile and friendliness in its eyes, even as it eventually took the same reverent pose as the other Pokémon.

Yet there was no mistaking the shock in Katrina's voice.

" _A Ditto?"_

Kristine nodded again.

"Yes. My Ditto, Blob, can transform into adaptive equipment, or anything else I need."

Kristine didn't dare explain how Blob had obtained the power.

For the powerful master of disguise Kasa had taught Blob how to transform like that.

She didn't want to know if the elderly woman from the island region was dead or alive in the other place.

Most likely dead, from what she knew of said place.

Yet right now, Kasa was probably stopping Wendy and anyone else from breaking down the room's door.

However, Kristine wished she'd spoken about Kasa earlier as Katrina responded with cheer.

" _Wow, you really do have amazing powers, teaching Pokémon things like that!"_

Kristine couldn't stop herself from grimacing, and she knew it wasn't because she wasn't the one behind Blob's abilities.

Her words came out as a hiss.

"Not like that power helped any."

Professor Pine glanced straight at Kristine, sympathy filling her gaze and voice.

"Holly and the Revenant… You've seen everything they've done, haven't you?"

At this, Kristine's grimace twisted even further, and her right fist slammed onto her knee.

Her voice came out as a snarl, the light of rage and frustration burning in her eyes.

"Yes, I had unmatched strength and knowledge of everything, yet I was unable to do anything."

Professor Pine shook her head.

"You saved Anabel, the group she led, and countless others from the Revenant's attack…"

Professor Pine's sentence was cut off as Kristine's voice became shrill.

"Only for them to run straight into another attack! Even if Anabel's group recovered, Holly and the Revenant still escaped! And I could only helplessly watch it all because I was called back!"

Kristine could not resist throwing up her hands.

"What was the purpose of being called back anyway, if it only rendered me helpless?"

Kristine let her mind whip back to the past as she continued to recall what happened.

There was the girl who had hurt and killed so many others…

And the deceased professor, shimmering with an angel's glow…

To think Kristine had rescued the girl as a baby in the streets of Celadon…

Only to have Professor Pine come and rescue Kristine herself when she got lost trying to find her way home…

She knew that the Holly she had seen in the vision and the Professor Pine before her now were not the same people that she knew from her past…

And yet she couldn't stop thinking of the former as the latter when they looked so much alike…

Kristine supposed she was no different from those who mistook her for the Revenant.

Yet she refocused on the present as she realized there was only a tense silence.

Kristine wondered if Professor Pine and Katrina were going to chastise her.

Criticizing the actions of Arceus in front of two of Her Angels must have been some kind of blasphemy.

Yet Professor Pine's eyes gaze softened, and she spoke quietly.

"If you had remained, the Revenant would have focused on you. You would've died, likely instantly."

Katrina rapidly added.

" _Even if you did stay and survive the attack, you wouldn't have been much use. You don't have the ability to permanently stop the Revenant and her thrall Yveltal. And as long as that's the case, Holly is unstoppable as well. Even if you were to chase after them, you cannot traverse through the Ultra Wormholes without immediately being detected and taken down."_

Kristine immediately grimaced again.

As much as it pained her to admit it, she knew Professor Pine and Katrina were right.

The realization did not stop Kristine from slamming her fist onto her knee again.

Her words rapidly turned into an angry shout.

"It's all because I was weak!"

Katrina's voice also became a shout, although there was no rage.

" _No, that's not true! You are very strong! This is just one setback! You have to keep going!"_

Professor Pine spoke with a new resolution in her voice.

"You cannot lose your determination, Kristine! Don't give up on yourself after this failure!"

Kristine nodded slowly.

She knew the spirits were right, no matter how much her guilt and rage told her otherwise.

And yet…

A question still lingered in her mind.

One that she could not resist asking.

"I understand what you're saying, but why did you come here? Was it just to get me a pep talk?"

Professor Pine calmly shook her head before replying.

"No. Giselle wanted to do something for you, and Arceus agreed with her sentiment. So She sent Katrina and I find you, and fulfill Giselle's wish."

There was no hiding Kristine's surprise, and she shuffled back slightly.

"Giselle!? Giselle desires to do something for me? What does she want, and why?"

Katrina responded immediately, voice full of contrasting cheer.

"You'll have to come back to our world to find out!"

At this, Professor Pine extended her hand.

"Arceus gave me the ability to call you back to our world until Giselle's request is granted and you are safely back here. You needn't worry about transport."

Kristine glanced at Professor Pine, but her face fell as she glanced down at herself again.

She was sharply aware of her disheveled hair and simple blue nightgown, as well as the sheets that had been tossed in disarray upon the bed.

Kristine couldn't enter public like this, least of all for something that seemed as important as Giselle's request! She couldn't leave the room in this sorry state either, with the bed a mess almost unlike anything she'd ever seen!

She tried to keep calm.

"If this request is something approved by Arceus Herself, then I cannot refuse."

However, all calmness soon faded as Kristine rapidly blurted out.

"But still, I cannot go like this!"

Professor Pine nodded, a smile spreading on her face.

"Arceus thought of that as well."

With that, the golden glow emanating from Professor Pine grew slightly brighter.

Kristine found herself enveloped in white energy, although thankfully, it wasn't enough to hurt her eyes.

This was some sort of magic, she supposed.

Regardless, she realized quickly what it was doing.

Kristine's disheveled hair rearranged itself, the short brown hair now looking as though it had just been neatly brushed. Her dark blue nightgown disappeared, replaced by the same colored clothes she normally wore. Kristine's feet, barefoot before, were now covered in white shoes and socks. Kristine could hear the sheets on the bed moving around. It wasn't long before she realized the bed had been made, sheets pulled back slightly, as if they had never been in disarray. She wasn't sure how someone could make the bed while she was still on top of it, but decided not to question the act.

For soon, the white light disappeared and Kristine gazed at the other two Angels again.

Professor Pine still held out her hand invitingly, yet Kristine did not move.

She could not go to the League as she normally was.

She needed her shadows, no matter how flimsy a disguise they were.

That was what the others knew her for, after all.

A command to Gabriel, and Kristine could see the shadows surround her.

Yet there was no mistaking Professor Pine fiercely shaking her head.

"No, you won't be needing those."

Katrina rapidly continued.

" _Giselle wants you to come exactly as you are, no subterfuge or anything."_

The shadows rapidly dissipated, and Kristine's eyes went wide.

"She wants me to come as myself, after everything that's happened?"

Professor Pine only nodded.

Kristine's calmness returned in her response.

"Very well."

She rapidly glanced all the Pokémon, and they returned her gaze.

Once Kristine made sure she had every Pokémon's attention, she spoke.

"Wherever I'm going, I can't have all of you outside and walking around with me. There probably wouldn't be much space, or even use. Would you be willing to return for now?"

The other Pokémon bowed their heads, and Kristine nodded back.

On a silent command, light surrounded each of the Pokémon. In another second, they all turned into several differently colored orbs. Momentarily, the colors all blended together as the orbs rapidly soared into Kristine's body. There was a slight glimmer of light radiating from Kristine, but the light disappeared as quickly as it had come.

However, Kristine only nodded again.

The souls, and the Pokémon within, had been safely recalled.

She realized the action must have looked odd, but if Professor Pine and Katrina thought that way, they did not say anything.

The two Angels must've realized it was necessary.

For Kristine's condition made throwing Poké Balls extremely difficult. Kristine appeared normal now, but as soon as she held onto the bars of her walker, throwing Poké Balls was almost impossible.

And of course, her condition demanded that she couldn't walk on her own.

Her walker wasn't here now, but she could recall it with a single thought.

But the machine being elsewhere did not change the fact that her twisted legs eliminated the option to kick Poké Balls.

PCs were useless as well, for the condition ensured that typing was slower than a crawl.

If Kristine could even get into the small, secluded, corners where PCs were kept.

And all this made one thing clear.

Behind all the prestige, mystery, and power, the condition served as a constant reminder of who Kristine really was.

But there were means of getting around it.

Such as having a permanent spell cast on her in order to have wield the power of materializing absorbing souls. Therefore, Kristine had no need to do anything physical with Poké Balls. The spell also extended to items, even though Kristine was pretty sure they didn't have souls.

At first, she wasn't sure what to think of the spell's abilities.

It effectively let the world know what she could not do, and made more people confused about her.

But over time Kristine grew used to it.

Took pride in it.

Embraced it.

The spell was one more way to live up to her Trainer Title.

But Kristine couldn't focus on her condition now.

Only one of her Pokémon remained.

Joan floated patiently above Kristine, the Missingno waiting quietly for the next command. Kristine rapidly gestured towards herself, and the Missingno floated closer. Kristine then pointed to herself and Joan simply disappeared.

To the average observer, it looked as though Joan was abandoning Kristine.

Yet as Kristine took a deep breath, she could feel energy flooding into her.

Overtaking her.

Empowering her.

Changing her.

Becoming one with her.

With that, she rapidly stood up, as though her legs had no issues at all.

Kristine supposed requiring a Pokémon within her body to move around because of those issues was annoying.

But without them she probably wouldn't have met some of those Pokémon, or use the abilities that she did.

So she was grateful for that.

Before Kristine could walk over to the professor, a silent question appeared in her head.

She knew what it was, and gave her answer.

Kristine did not need Joan's help this time, other than walking from place to place.

Whatever the request was, Giselle seemed to want her to handle it herself.

Otherwise she would not have asked Kristine to come without the protection of Gabriel and the shadows.

With that, Kristine walked up to the other two Angels, placing her hand in Professor Pine's.

Professor Pine gave one final nod and white light filled Kristine's vision.

For a moment, that was all she could see.

And then…

Kristine blinked, trying to focus on a new area in front of her.

Professor Pine now stood to the left of her, having let go of Kristine's hand.

Giselle stood in front of Kristine, the former Champion giving a welcoming smile and nodding in greeting.

Yet though Kristine saw Giselle and the professor, she did not focus on them.

Instead, her attention sharply diverted to where she was.

The countless colored tiles and the brilliant lights, forming the shape of the battlefield…

Golden rails almost shimmering behind her…

Pillars seeming to touch the sky…

There was only one place this could be…

This was the Kanto Champion's room, standing unscathed as though nothing had happened…

And Professor Pine and Giselle had gathered here with her…

No, they had _invited her_ to come here…

Kristine's mind flashed back to an old tradition taking place here…

One that only a Champion and a regional professor could perform…

And both were here, within these walls…

Which meant…

It was clear what Giselle's request was before she even spoke.

Yet the former Champion didn't speak, instead waiting patiently for Kristine to do so.

Kristine could register her lips moving, but the words came out on their own.

"The former Champion and the professor… You intend to escort me to the Hall of Fame, so I can register myself and my Pokémon within."

Giselle and Professor Pine both nodded, as the former calmly replied.

"Yes. Normally Scarlet would do this, but she is still recovering from the attack before. Not to mention after what happened, I'm not sure she wants see the same face as the one that almost killed her. Even if you are a different person. So as Scarlet's predecessor, I am taking up the duty instead."

Kristine tried not to let her eyes go wide as she gazed past Giselle to a door behind them all. For there was a grey walkway, leading to a door that was wide open. The door seemed to beckon invitingly, yet Kristine did not answer the call.

Because this door led to the Hall of Fame, where those who deemed worthy of becoming Champions were immortalized.

And it was tradition that the Champion's predecessor would accompany the new one to be inducted within the Hall of Fame.

In some cases, the regional professor would also accompany the new Champion, or in place of the previous one.

This must've been what Professor Pine and Katrina were waiting for…

It was likely that they would have escorted Holly to the Hall of Fame, if not for the latter's betrayal…

For they had started Holly on her journey, and they would see the journey through to the end, no matter what occurred…

Or perhaps this was a way of coping with their own guilt over what happened…

Or even just simply wanting closure of some sort…

With that, Kristine would not let them down.

She _could_ not let them down.

Yet still…

Kristine couldn't stop the question that escaped from her lips.

"But why register me as Champion? You know I can't stay here. And even if I could, I wouldn't take the position."

As Kristine spoke, she hoped the words weren't too harsh.

All of them were true, despite the negativity.

Because of Kristine's power and interest in politics, many had requested that she become the Champion.

Yet Kristine had refused time after time.

Interest or no, she didn't want to be thrown into the chaos of the Champion position…

Even more so with so many people dead set on bringing the League down…

Yes, Kristine was intent on aiding the League as much as she could without the burden of its titles, and to live a normal life…

Well, as normal as she could anyway…

Yet Kristine was snapped from her thoughts as Giselle began speaking calmly again.

"Even so, you were the true Champion that day at the League, and you deserve to be registered alongside all the others. I feel there needs to be something so that no one will forget what happened here. Something to honor everything you've done for the League and for the region."

Kristine listened intently.

No matter what interests she had, that reason was admirable.

If there was a way for others to never forget, then perhaps a tragedy like what was happening to Holly and the ghost would never happen again.

To refuse Giselle's request knowing it had such honest motive behind it would be only rude and foolish.

Even if the Champion position would not be Kristine's today, nor would it ever be hers.

So Kristine nodded in agreement.

"I understand."

Giselle's smile grew wider, and she replied.

"Then, let us go."

The former Champion patiently waited for Kristine come closer before turning around and trying to walk in front of her. Kristine was aware of Professor Pine and Katrina behind her, seeing the glow of the two Angels out of the corner of her eye.

Kristine instinctively fell into step between Professor Pine and Giselle.

Giselle took this as a signal to continue, leading Kristine and the other Angels down the gray pathway.

Kristine kept her gaze focused forward as the door loomed ahead.

Yet within a single moment, both the Champion's room and the door had disappeared.

There was no dark hallway that stretched on forever.

Just a single, small, room.

Giselle and Professor Pine changed positions, now being on Kristine's left and right sides.

But Kristine barely noticed that change.

Instead she her thoughts were swallowed up by the room.

Countless pillars were seen on both sides of the place. They did not even come close to stretching to the sky, instead having a shiny light blue glow and white designs below a golden cap. And yet they left a straight and clear pathway in the center, as if silently inviting anyone in the room to walk forward.

Despite these pillars, Kristine could easily see the pathway. The tile floor was dark blue, almost black. And yet the floor shone with a light blue radiance, illuminated by designs in the center. These designs formed the shape of a Poké Ball, and the light extended outward as it connected to each of the pillars. The designs were similar to a battlefield.

Yet there was no fighting here.

Instead there was a giant computer against a wall. The machine hummed quietly, screen the same light blue color as the designs of the floor. What was on the screen was similar too, another design in the shape of a Poké Ball. There were golden stripes around the computer, and around an area below the machine.

But the area directly below the computer contrasted instantly.

For this area was pure black, almost eerily so. Despite the dark color, Kristine could still see some lighter knobs in this black part. The knobs were rounded and there were six of them. Kristine noticed that whatever was in the knobs would be elevated to a great height. She instinctively understood what the knobs were for, as they appeared they could fit Poké Balls inside. A quick glance told Kristine the rest of the machine was white, like the pillars.

Yet Kristine's thoughts didn't linger on the machine for long.

It seemed like an eternity since she'd last been here.

Yet she could recognize this room anywhere.

Power.

Prestige.

Recognition forever.

The final step in a Trainer's journey.

For the Trainers started at the bottom, and reaching this room represented the summit.

And by putting the full Poké Balls of a Trainer's winning party in the knobs of the machine, the Pokémon too would be elevated to the summit that the Trainers have reached.

Then, after that, both Pokémon and Trainer would be registered on the giant screen, where they would be remembered forever…

To think that Holly was meant to come here with Scarlet at her side…

Now, Kristine was taking Holly's place, with Giselle taking over for the shocked Scarlet…

This ceremony had been done countless times throughout the years.

In many ways it stayed the same.

Yet there was no denying that there were also things that were different than what could have happened.

Prof. Pine and Gisele surely knew that.

What were they thinking now?

What would they think going forward?

Yet Giselle and Professor Pine gave no indication of these thoughts as the former spoke softly.

"You know what to do, right? Just step into the center of the circle on the floor."

Kristine obeyed, yet she tried to keep herself from shaking.

Another tradition she knew of was to say a few words to the new Champion before the registration actually began.

So what would Professor Pine and Gisele do?

What would they say?

This wasn't a normal Hall of Fame ceremony no matter what, and the proof was right there in front of them.

Yet the instant Kristine stepped into the circle, Giselle's voice rang out across the room.

"To a trainer that has shown compassion and respect towards countless Pokémon and others!"

Professor Pine was quick to take over, voice ringing clearly throughout the room.

"To a Trainer that has taken an honest path, no matter what trials awaited!"

Katrina's voice filled Kristine's ears as the Absol added.

" _To a Trainer who is worthy to stand with the strongest, both in the mortal world and in the heavens!"_

Giselle's spoke again, voice clearer and stronger than ever.

"As the former Champion, it is my honor to induct this Trainer, Kristine, into Kanto's Hall of Fame!"

Kristine registered the sound of footsteps against tile as Giselle walked up to the machine. Professor Pine and Katrina followed behind her. The two other angels stood to the right of the former Champion.

There was enough space in between the Professor Pine and Giselle to fit another person.

And that space was right in the center.

Even without any words, it was clear what Kristine had to do.

And yet…

Kristine hesitated.

She knew she had to register the one within her…

The one only called Tulip…

After all, Tulip was the Pokémon that fought and won the battles in the League…

But still…

Kristine had to register herself as well…

And if she did that while appearing the way she normally did when the two battled, she would look like she was dead…

Or at least, she'd resemble a spirit…

The fact that there was a restless spirit with her face running around meant that even _coming close_ to looking like one now was a _very_ bad idea…

And still…

To register only Tulip would be a disservice to the countless other Pokémon that got Kristine here…

And those Pokémon were numerous, far too many for the machine to register all at once…

Yet it was unlikely Kristine would ever come back to the specific place, which meant now was the only chance for registration…

Kristine knew she couldn't linger long, but she also knew she had to do something about the registration dilemma…

And then, as soon as the dilemma presented itself, the answer appeared.

Kristine nodded resolutely before following the others to the machine.

With that, she placed her hands on the machine, being careful not to have her fingers in any of the holes.

With that, Kristine focused again, sending out a silent summon.

The response was immediate, as a cry filled the air.

Giselle and Professor Pine stared at her, eyes wide.

However, Kristine did not pay attention.

Instead, her mind focused on a faded outline she could see in front of her.

At first, it didn't seem to be anything other than a sound without an owner.

But slowly, the outline began to take shape and color.

A huge dark blue body…

A bell shaped head…

Black metallic machinelike parts…

Giant tentacles, with patterns of crystals and eyes…

Triangular hands that resembled fingers…

A deep red area below the tentacles, with massive needles pointing towards the floor…

This was an outline of the creature that no one knew the species of, and something many had not seen…

But the people here still knew what the creature was.

For although the colors were not as vibrant, the appearance was unmistakable.

Especially as the creature swayed lazily back and forth, outline now coming to life.

Kristine only nodded.

Even though on the people here did not know much about the Pokémon, they still knew that this was Tulip.

One of the few Pokémon to be successfully fused with a human…

Now, becoming a species that was one of the most powerful seen…

One who had defeated all the battles in the League to reach the pinnacle of power…

And now one that would be inducted into the Hall of Fame, alongside other immortalized Champions and their Pokémon…

Yet Tulip would not be inducted alone…

A glimmer of light radiated from Kristine, but this time it did not disappear.

Instead, it only grew brighter, nearly illuminating the place.

Kristine could see the eyes of Giselle and the other angels were wide with confusion and surprise.

Yet Kristine only smiled.

She knew this light, and she suspected some others who saw the ceremony would too.

For this was the light of Pokémon souls, united in a single desire.

To be recognized.

To be rewarded.

To be honored.

And today, every single Pokémon Kristine possessed would have the desire fulfilled.

With that, Kristine slapped her right hand on the circular area, where the Poké Balls would have been placed.

The machine roared to life, blue screen finally beginning to move.

Kristine could see lights a similar color as the screen turned into orbs. These lights then flew off to parts unknown, but Kristine wondered if they had dispersed. Several other lights the design of the Poké Ball on the floor flashed on the screen. She could see that there were six in all, and that there was a place for someone to stand in the middle. However, the lights simply soared past, almost too rapid to track.

So Kristine focused on something else as the screen almost looked like it was going to glow.

At this, Kristine simply smiled.

For now something else was appearing on the screen.

And this time, there was no guessing what it was.

A perfect picture of Kristine appeared on the screen, looking identical to the figure that stood before it.

Blue eyes and blue clothing, with brown hair…

Tulip, floating serenely in front of her…

The shimmer of countless Pokémon souls, having their desires granted…

Everything was there, just as Kristine had planned, hoped, and wished.

The picture was depicted so masterfully it looked as though it could come alive.

Yet instead, words appeared beside it.

Kristine could see her name, but above that there were two other words.

" _Congratulations, Champion!"_

Kristine simply breathed deeply.

 _Champion._

A title that meant so much to so many…

And would probably continue to mean a lot for as long as Pokémon training existed…

A title that always signified the ultimate achievement, and with it almost ultimate power…

A title that would now and forever be hers…

Even though it signified a position that she wouldn't and probably would never take, Kristine couldn't help but feel a rush of pride at the title…

If not for herself, then for the sake of the people that were watching her obtain it now…

Alongside every Pokémon she had ever owned and lived to see this day…

Kristine was drawn from her thoughts as the picture disappeared.

The screen flickered slightly, before becoming blank, save for the light when she first entered the room.

Kristine nodded, and on a silent command, Tulip faded back into her body.

The shimmering light also faded, and Kristine let go of the machine.

With that, she stepped back, and the others did the same.

Giselle turned to Kristine before speaking to her.

"It is done. Despite all that has happened, allow me to say congratulations."

Professor Pine immediately nodded in agreement, and Kristine thought she could see relief written on her face.

Kristine was surprised Giselle didn't ask about what had just happened, but perhaps it was in the interest of time.

Or perhaps Giselle already knew or guessed.

Knowing the vast amount of knowledge that the former Champion possessed, she wouldn't put it past her.

Either that, or Arceus had explained everything, as Kristine suspected had been done with Professor Pine.

Regardless, it didn't matter now, and Kristine didn't dwell on it.

Instead, she focused on Giselle.

The woman didn't even mask the sorrow that now filled her eyes and voice.

"I suppose this is farewell."

Kristine tried not to let her eyes go wide.

This wasn't farewell!

This _couldn't_ be!

Not when the region, perhaps _all_ regions, were still in disarray!

Not when things still seemed so bleak!

Not when so much was left incomplete!

No, this wasn't the end.

She would make that so.

Kristine glanced towards Professor Pine and Katrina.

The professor's right hand was outstretched, and both she and Katrina gazed at Kristine expectantly.

Yet Kristine narrowed her eyes and shook her head furiously.

"No, it's not farewell, not yet."

Kristine ignored the shocked and widened eyes of the others, turning around and leaving the room.

She could hear the footsteps of the others behind her, and knew they were following.

However, Kristine did not pay much attention.

Instead, she walked slowly to the center of the battlefield in the Champion's room.

They still wore surprised and shocked faces, but no one tried to stop Kristine as she turned around.

Kristine swept her gaze over all the others, eyeing them intensely.

Soon they would have their answer.

The room was briefly lit up as two souls appeared in front of her.

One shone a brilliant silver, and the other a powerful deep purple.

On a wordless command, the souls soared through the air.

The two landed on the floor of the Champion's room, and the room was illuminated by almost blindingly bright light.

When the light cleared, a pair of Pokémon stood across from each other.

One, the silver lion, Solgaleo.

The other, the winged purple creature of the night, Lunala.

The duo stood majestically, yet the others only stared.

Although she spoke quietly, Kristine could still hear Giselle murmur.

"Solgaleo and Lunala, the gods of the sun and moon… I never thought I would see them here…"

Professor Pine chimed in, voice full of concern as she spoke much less quietly.

"What are you doing, Kristine?"

Katrina howled, voice almost deafening.

" _Why did you summon the gods of the sun and moon? You should be returning back home!"_

Yet Kristine ignored them, instead watching as the two gods turned to face her.

Her gaze first fell on the Solgaleo.

"Mercury."

Kristine then flicked her gaze to the Lunala.

"Polaris."

The two Pokémon simply nodded at the sound of their names as Kristine spoke again.

"The people with me now need help. Please, bring forth the child of the stars."

The Pokémon nodded again, and returned to facing each other.

Mercury let out a deafening roar that thundered through the room.

Polaris responded with a high-pitched cry that pierced the air.

Dark blue light surrounded and swirled around the duo, although thankfully it was not as blinding as that which had summoned the two.

Wisps of light were in the air, although it was unknown what purpose they were for.

However, that question was soon answered as the light grew brighter.

The light took the form of several small orbs, almost resembling fireflies.

Mercury and Polaris locked eyes with each other, gazes focusing intensely.

On an unspoken command, the countless smaller orbs shot towards each other.

Mercury and Polaris almost fired them like bullets as the orbs rapidly collided with one another.

However, collision did not seem to be the intent.

For the orbs did not disappear, or even seemed damaged.

Instead the orbs were absorbed into each other, combining to form something larger.

More and more orbs flew into the new object, continuously increasing its size.

Yet neither Mercury nor Polaris moved.

The only time there was even a hint of change was the two finally broke eye contact to look at the new object.

By now the orbs had stopped soaring, and it was clear why the new motion had made.

The new object floated in the air, now an orb that looked exactly the same as the ones Polaris and Mercury had been summoned from.

Well, it was the same other than the color, being dark blue instead of silver or purple.

Nevertheless, the similarity was still there, and Kristine knew the two Pokémon could see it as they never took their eyes off the object.

The orb spiraled downward through the air, slowly coming to rest on the ground.

As soon as the orb hit the floor, Kristine spoke again.

"Mercury, Polaris, can I take things over from here?"

The two did not look at Kristine, but she knew they heard her request as they both nodded simultaneously.

The cries of the Pokémon rang through the air again before Mercury and Polaris turned to face Kristine.

On a silent order, light radiated from Polaris and Mercury.

They reverted to silver and purple orbs, rapidly flying into Kristine's body.

As soon as that was done, dark blue light filled the room.

Yet the light rapidly cleared.

When it did, the orb was gone.

Something else stood in the object's place.

A creature.

A Pokémon.

The Pokémon had a small round purple body, but little else. There was some sort of yellow design in the middle, but it was unknown what that was for. Two puffy light blue clouds stuck out on both sides of the creature's head. They looked like ears, except they stuck straight up in the air. The creature had a black face, almost like a splotch of paint. On the face were blue cheeks and yellow eyes. The creature had an innocent smile as it floated slightly above the ground.

But Kristine knew what happened here was anything but innocent.

And there was no clear indicator than Giselle's reaction.

The former Champion's eyes were still wide, and Kristine thought she could see that her face was pale.

Giselle, so confident before, now could barely talk.

"That's a Cosmog, pre-evolved form of Solgaleo and Lunala… Why did you-"

Giselle could not finish her sentence as Kristine cut her off.

"Since the Revenant's betrayal, those chasing her and Holly have no way of going through Ultra Wormholes and catching up to the two traitors. The pursuers have the power of some of the Ultra Beasts, but those they do have will die instantly upon trying to summon an Ultra Wormhole."

Kristine paused, and she could see the others nodding in agreement.

With that, she continued.

"But Cosmog… Cosmog is different. Typically, it's almost completely helpless, only being able to teleport away from enemies at the cost of a vast amount of power. However, under the right circumstances, its power can be amplified, and it can create many Ultra Wormholes without dying. Cosmog's power is not limitless, as it will still die if it creates too many at once. However, what it can do doesn't even compare to what most Ultra Beasts, perhaps even most other Pokémon, are capable of."

Kristine paused again, wondering if the others would react.

However, they still stared at her almost dumbfounded, and she took that as a cue to continue.

"Furthermore, Cosmog can evolve into either Lunala or Solgaleo, two incredibly powerful Pokémon. They have no limits on how many Ultra Wormholes they can create, or who or what they can guide through them. So once this one evolves, any issues of chasing criminals through other worlds will be solved. The Cosmog here is female, so she will evolve into Lunala. I'm naming her Nova, but the person that winds up training her is free to name her whatever they want."

At this moment, the others' eyes were so wide Kristine wondered if they would fall out of their sockets.

Giselle's face had gone back to its natural color, yet the former Champion still spoke shakily.

"I'd like to keep the name, in honor of you. I… I'll give Nova to Anabel. It is her job to help out with Ultra Beasts."

Kristine nodded.

"Once you've done that, take Nova to Lusamine. She will know how to maximize her power, so that those pursuing Holly and the Revenant can travel safely through the Wormholes."

Giselle nodded back.

Instinctively, Nova floated towards the former Champion, smile still on the former's face.

Giselle managed a small smile back as she held up a Poké Ball.

Nova disappeared in a red flash of light, and Gisele rapidly put the Poké Ball away.

The former Champion then locked eyes with Kristine.

Sorrow was still evident in her eyes and face as she spoke slowly.

"To think that the Kristine so many of us knew would betray us and take as many young Trainers as she could with her… To think that she would turn out to be completely false, having long since left the mortal world and not even being worthy of her own name… To think that many of those people would be saved by another Kristine, one who held the truth… Never in my wildest dreams would I've imagined any of this coming to pass."

Giselle took a deep breath, as if slowly pondering what she would say next.

Yet that pondering did not last long as Giselle continued.

"The League was saved. Many people were saved. But there's so much that has been lost… Especially for poor Anabel, who lost the Kristine she knew twice over…"

At this, a resolute gaze appeared in Kristine's eyes, and she shook her head.

"No, Anabel hasn't lost them."

Giselle's surprise couldn't be any more evident, as she opened her mouth to protest.

However, Kristine's speaking silenced her again.

"To ease Anabel's grief and guilt… To help her have even the tiniest piece of her old life back… To take the place both of the Kristines she knew… Tell Anabel that…"

Kristine took another breath before finishing the sentence, with a smile spreading across her face.

"It's my honor."

Kristine glanced back at Gisele.

She thought she could see the former Champion trembling. Though the others didn't, she could still see their shocked expressions.

Yet despite Giselle's voice appearing to tremble as well, she spoke again.

"I will…"

There was a brief pause before Giselle spoke again in a more relaxed tone.

"Thank you for everything… Kristine."

Kristine noticed Professor Pine and Katrina nodding in agreement, and simply nodded back to everyone.

The two angels also seemed to have relaxed, dropping their shocked expressions for a pair of small smiles. Professor Pine had her right hand extended again, and this time Kristine did not hesitate.

She carefully walked over to Professor Pine and Katrina, taking Professor Pine's hand.

White light filled Kristine's vision as the League faded away.

In the next instant, Kristine felt the warm covers of a bed and the scorching sensation of a bloody nose.

But none of that mattered now.

For now there was hope.

Now there was determination.

Now there was a chance of peace.

Of justice.

Of normalcy.

Despite previously thinking that she had done nothing to prevent anything that happened…

Despite the fact that she had just gotten back home after many an emotional event…

Despite the fact that her nose still bled and burned…

Despite the fact that there was still uncertainty…

A small smile was on Kristine's face.

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So the story's final overarching twist is revealed! Perhaps it was expected, but it very well may not have been.**

 **Because the twist wasn't always there.**

 **But eventually, it made its way into the story, changing overall and several characters.**

 **Starting with Holly herself.**

 **As was hinted at from previous author's notes, Holly was originally going to be benevolent. She was originally a rule breaking rebel, wanted nothing more than to strike out on her own. However, after receiving punishments from Anabel and others, Hollywood begin to realize how much damage her philosophy was doing. This would then prompt her to slowly change and become a better person, still naturally wanting to question rules, but at the same time understanding their value and realizing that many of the rules she despised exist to keep others safe. This character development would come to a head with the death of Incinaroar, with Holly and, by extension the others now, having solid proof of the damage and suffering inflicted. This made Holly truly resolve to change her ways, and has her realize that she can use her philosophy about fighting bullies to bring criminals to justice, stop the chaos in the region, change it for the better by ensuring this chaos does not happen in the future, and become a beloved Champion. Unfortunately, her status as a young Champion meant that Holly would also make a lot of new enemies. As a result, she would be forcefully abducted and taken through an Ultra Wormhole. Due to being a child, Holly would have no way of fighting back. Therefore, Anabel, Erika, the one called Kristine in most of the story, and a few others would search for Holly. This would form the basis of a sequel, and a lot of the rest of the series.**

 **Except that was not to be.**

 **The reason was that in order for this plotline to even** **work,** **Holly would have to go through a significant enough character development to get Anabel's tether punishment non-forcefully removed shortly before Celadon. However, I realized I couldn't make this happen without the character development feeling cliché, rushed, and forced. Furthermore, Holly's character was quickly established as unsympathetic, even if that was not my intentions originally. I tried doing quite a bit of research to figure out how to make her character less unsympathetic, but every idea I had felt rushed and forced. As a result, being an unsympathetic character seemed more natural for Holly, as I realize that I couldn't force her to be sympathetic without completely destroying a lot of her character.**

 **So Holly became a villain, where her unsympathetic personality fit her much better.**

 **However, there was still the problem of Holly being the one of the main protagonists and the point of view character of this particular story. Therefore, there needed to be something to make her character worth following, as villainous and cruel as it had become. To complicate matters further, Holly's change in character was not thought of until a little less than halfway through the story. Consequently, there were plenty of times where the narrative acted like she had at least some sympathetic traits, and was going to head in an even more sympathetic direction. Therefore, I had to combine with what I'd thought of for her character with what I already had.**

 **That's when I got the idea I had.**

 **What if Holly was led to believe she was sympathetic and fighting for noble cause? What if the story portrayed the League Holly was now fighting against as corrupt, and the drastic methods Holly uses is the only way to stop such corruption? What if there were already many forces against the league before Holly came along, enough to make fighting to take them down entirely a viable option? What if the story really did portray Holly as the lesser of two evils and in the right, as merciless as her actions were? As soon as those questions appeared, I knew changing Holly's character into a supposedly justified villain was the answer. That way should still appear sympathetic and willing to change, but wouldn't change in a way that benefited most people, as she would still have the villainous traits lurking underneath. And so that is what Holly became.**

 **The Revenant's (previously known in the story as Kristine) character changed drastically as well. She was also meant to be a benevolent, repentant, and somewhat misguided character. Originally she joined for the exact same reason she does in the story, hating Anabel for it and calling her out on the damage she's doing to both her and Holly. This eventually transferred her resenting Holly as well, because the punishment got in the way both her and Holly's freedom. Eventually, Anabel would realize that the Revenant was right, and work to change her ways. However, that was also during the time where the Revenant's own flaws were showing, so that character also was undergoing development.**

 **Earlier on the journey, the Revenant realized that that Holly reminded her of the many young Trainers she had seen on her own journeys that had gotten into horrible fates. At the same time, she realized that Anabel and Holly were not working out well together, so Holly would most likely learn nothing from Anabel. As a result, the Revenant takes it upon herself to train Holly. She does so with the intention of making Holly strong enough to survive, and bonds with her. In addition, due to being a famous Trainer wanted by the villains in the war-torn world, the Revenant realized her time may be short. Some of the conversation scattered around still made reference to that, even though she now is all the time in the world. Regardless, the Revenant also realized that she had no one to pass down her skills to, as Scarlet wasn't her former student yet. Therefore, she decides and tries to pass her skills down to Holly. However, instead of doing that, she unintentionally ends up giving Holly everything, and making her dependent. Understanding that is what starts her character development.**

 **But her character took a darker turn, leading to what is seen now.**

 **And the reason was by complete accident.**

 **As I was writing out the Revenant's past, I realized I was unintentionally having her manipulate almost every single major event in the story and series. At first, I thought that was interesting and even kind of cool. After all, it made a lot of sense that the author avatar would be the one manipulate things in the story because the author avatar was** **also** **manipulating everything outside of it (via the author writing said story).**

 **But then my thoughts turned to the Revenant's behavior with Holly.**

 **Namely, the fact that the former was being kind to the latter and giving her everything, even though she was hostile to almost everyone else. While the Revenant was meant to be overly helpful but well-meaning, she began to come off as manipulative and even abusive. Therefore, I started researching manipulation and abuse in order to try and make and correct the issue. However, that only confirmed my suspicions that the Revenant** **was** **manipulative and her behavior** **was** **abusive (even if not everyone realized that). Combined with the fact that she was already manipulating almost everything, and making her villain was both easy and natural.**

 **But then that left the matter of the true Kristine, known as the Mold Breaker or simply going unnamed throughout the story.**

 **Out of the three main original protagonist that received major changes, hers were probably the most significant.**

 **Because Kristine didn't exist at all originally.**

 **She and the Revenant were originally** **the same person.**

 **That meant that everything about them would be** **exactly the same,** **the two would never meet (other than the former having a dream sequence after everything was said and done, and said dream had no significance other than comparing the two journeys), their journeys would be entirely separate despite both being in the series, the name Mold Breaker would be nothing more than a title for prequel novel, and any differences between the two would simply boil down to the same person changing a single choice. Some of the early companion stories still have Kristine like this, as opposed to being a different person.**

 **But all that changed, and for various reasons.**

 **One of which was that Kristine, despite same past as the Revenant, was able to atone and look past what she had done, work towards changing while helping protect all the region, and eventually live an honest and successful life.**

 **Unfortunately, I quickly realized that thanks to the Revenant's past and how the legal system works, I realized that was** **impossible.** **Even if Kristine was somehow cleared of all possible charges, there would be a myriad of people that would never forgive her for what she had done, or otherwise had their trust broken. She would have to live with the effects of that, and her own guilt, for the rest of her life, no matter what kind of deeds she did to atone.**

 **So I started thinking what it would realistically take for someone to live honestly and still be actively involved in changing things when almost everyone else was committing some sort of crime in order to make their own changes, to the point where it was almost expected to do the latter.**

 **The result was the new Kristine, and the first piece was changing what happened in the Goldenrod Radio Tower.**

 **Because the only thing that had to happen to move the story forward was having Archer die.**

 **Archer's death did not** **necessarily have to be by Kristine's hand.**

 **But with her history with Team Rocket,** **she could easily be blamed for it, even if she had no grudge.**

 **With all this in mind, that was exactly what I changed the story to.**

 **After that, start making several other changes similar to that one, and it wasn't long before I had a completely different and actually honest character.**

 **Another reason why Kristine became different from the Revenant was because there were many things I wanted to expand on, and I could only do that by changing the characters themselves. The idea of using Ghost Pokémon to help walk, service Pokémon actually fighting and how useful they really are, latent supernatural powers not causing damage, the ability to defend oneself despite a disability, and which characters lived or died were just some of the concepts I wanted to expand and play around with. If Kristine was the same as the Revenant, I couldn't do anything with those concepts. But if the two were different people, I was free to do whatever I wanted. So that became one of my reasons for changing them.**

 **The third reason was a personal one.**

 **The Revenant was supposed to represent me in the Pokémon world.**

 **But the problem was that** **she** _ **wasn't me.**_

 **With horror, I realized she was something else.**

 **I had gone through a few trying times in my life, but always managed to stay honest and kind.**

 **Yet the Revenant didn't represent that.**

 **Instead, she represented something that** **I very well could've become** **in response to any of the turbulent situations in my life.**

 **By that, I don't mean a completely ruthless, murdering, monster, but the idea of adopting her personality. In other words, becoming manipulative, bitter, cruel, overly rebellious, and possibly abusive, along with desiring power and control over all else, no matter who was caught in the crossfire. And of course, the result would be shutting out family and those who had truly considered me a friend. Another result might even have been me successfully obtaining power and control that I wanted, at the expense of almost anything that would enable me to live a normal, healthy, life.**

 **When I came to that terrifying realization, I knew the Revenant could not be considered a positive character** **or** **an author avatar any longer.**

 **So I created Kristine to be a true protagonist and represent who I** **actually** **was, along with how I responded in real life. Just as she's called in this chapter, they character is the** **real** **Kristine and a true author avatar.**

 **With the Pokémon world having the existence of alternate worlds and timelines, along with the ability for people to travel back and forth, it only took adding a little bit of that before all of my ideas about Kristine came to life, and her character with it.**

 **But perhaps the reason why I wanted so much portray Kristine in the first place was because of her history in my writing overall.**

 **As stated in author's notes before, Kristine was the first character I ever made, and as of this writing, around two decades old. However, it's a long time before she became the character she is recognized as here.**

 **My writing started off with short stories about animals, mainly dogs. These short stories were completely original, but not very descriptive. In addition, they contained only basic plots and characters, with little expansion into the world itself. Furthermore, since I did not know about writing sites at the time, none of these stories were ever published, and their manuscripts have long since been lost. I too young to use writing sites anyway, since I was around six years old when these stories were written, and most sites require a minimum user age of 13. Kristine herself did not feature directly, but these stories were still important her development. This is because the love of animals, especially dogs, remained in all stories about Kristine since. This love of animals and dogs eventually grow into a love of Pokémon a short time later. This love is why Kristine has so many Pokémon, and part of why she uses Silvally to ride around on, as opposed to more traditional choices like Rapidash.**

 **-When I was around 10 or 11, Kristine's character began to take a form for the very first time. However, that form was very different from what she is now. In fact, Kristine's first true incarnation of her character wasn't even made for Pokémon. Instead, Kristine's character was written for a series of fan fictions about a then-popular trio of games called Spyro the Dragon. Since these games were about the aforementioned dragon, Kristine's character was a dragon too. Furthermore, she accompanied Spyro his adventures as a second protagonist, excelling in combat but not knowing the world as well as he did. It was later revealed that she was from the equivalent of a penal colony, and is implied to have been there for quite some time. The penal colony was an original creation, based on influences outside of the Spyro games. However, it was placed on the edge of the canonical locations, which Kristine's character eventually joined. The canine influences were still there, and so Kristine's character was a dragon-dog hybrid of some sort. What exactly she was or how she became that way was never explained. It didn't seem to bother anyone though.**

 **Although Kristine's current incarnation does not have much in common with this character, this was the first time things directly carried over to future ones. Some of the things included being associated with dragons, having a sketchy past (particularly one that could be associated with criminal activity, regardless if criminal activity was actually committed), someone traveling around looking for a purpose, a character that was powerful from the start and seemingly more powerful than most their age, and dealing with the psychological issues associated with a dark past and what happened in it. As with the other stories above, the starts with the dragon character were made before discovered writing sites. In addition, I was still a few years too young to be using them said that way. As a result, original manuscripts were lost. However, I still remembered a lot about the character, and happened to play the original Spyro games again many years later. Upon doing so, I wrote down everything I could remember and started fleshing it out. The result was the foundation for a new set of stories starring the character, and said old character had become completely separate from Kristine. However, the character's mark on Kristine's history still remains.**

 **The third incarnation Kristine was made shortly after that, and is version of her that inspired me to have her make an appearance in Traveler (overall, rather than any specific one). This was also the version talked about in the author's notes of the Revenant's introductory chapter. This version actually had more in common with the Revenant than Kristine, although this character was much less ruthless. However, the original character was still significant to Kristine's development. This was because it was the first time Kristine appeared as a human, and was associated with Pokémon at all. Also, other than having certain Pokémon, this version Kristine didn't have any connections to canines are dragons. So this also marks the time when the character was beginning really begin to distance herself from previous incarnations and grow into her own character. However, this character was made before I knew of the existence of writing sites, and I was still a few years too young for them. Therefore, the original manuscripts are now gone. However, this character left enough influence to inspire the current one.**

 **The final incarnation before the present one is perhaps the most significant, but also the least fleshed out. The story went by many names as it got countless revamps, but the most recent one is Price of Rebirth. There were actually two incarnations that made their way into the story, even though the story itself was the same. The first incarnation saw Kristine back in her draconic form. She didn't know who anything about her past or identity, other than she had an innate desire to protect and aid others. She was also skilled at combat, possessing powers most characters she met had never seen. However, she wasn't unbeatable by any means, and often got into quite lot trouble upon losing fights. Furthermore, several characters did express concern over her not knowing her past or identity, and a few tried to find those things out. However, it never led to anything, and Kristine still wasn't bothered.**

 **Instead, she was simply content to travel the world, offering help to whoever needed it and trying to stop the crises in different places. These different places were the areas countless videogames were set in. While any powers that Kristine obtained during her travels were kept, nothing else was. So the characters from the different videogames never met each other, everyone's world was in a separate story (or notes for said story) and she didn't really talk about them from one journey to the next. There were a few references that indicated she did remember what happened in her travels, but she didn't feel it important enough constantly think about. It's also worth noting that Pokémon was one of the world she visited, but it was limited to the Orre games, Kristine was acknowledged not to be a Pokémon, and could not use them herself (although eventually it was to be revealed that she could understand them to an extent).**

 **As for Kristine's personality, it was a little bit different from her previous incarnations. Namely, I was 12 and turn 13 around the time that I was creating that incarnation. As a result, Kristine acted exactly like how one would expect a teenager to act. She had a sassy personality, but not overly rebellious. In addition, she had a kinder side, which she would show one she grew to trust the other she traveled with, or in times of desperation. Kristine was still fairly aggressive, but it was toned down significantly from other incarnations. Even though I'd come of age to use writing sites, I still had no idea they existed. Therefore, these stories were never formally published, and have since been lost. However, they represented significant developments in several areas.**

 **One is that this version of Kristine marked the first time any novel length story was written and completed. Other versions of her had seen completed stories, but they were around the length of a novella instead. This version Kristine had two novel length stories written about her, and a third was being worked on at the time manuscripts were lost. There were others planned as well, but they never got written. This incarnation of Kristine introduced several themes that would be used going forward. These themes involved people using a powerful character's abilities for dishonest purposes, uncontrolled power with damage and consequence, what happens when a powerful character loses fights or overestimates an opponent, characters dying, allegiance switching, and a world at war (or with a history of some).**

 **All this got developed into Price of Rebirth's second incarnation. In this version, the draconic character gained a human form again, only this time she could transform back and forth at will. The human form Kristine used in this story was, aside from some slight changes (such as some of her clothing), the same one that she uses now in Traveler. In addition, the draconic form lost a lot of the canine features, effectively becoming a dog sized version of a true dragon. However, Kristine did gain a canine companion to compensate, and said canine companion followed her everywhere. Traveling around to different worlds was still a central part of her character. However, it was done differently. This version still featured the multiple videogames and their characters (including Pokémon), but said videogames were all in the same world together. That meant that many characters** **also** **traveled to each other's homelands, and most met each other, or even knew each other before the story began. In addition, Kristine was still powerful, but there were countless other characters that also were. As a result, Kristine's power was more out of the ordinary because of some unique abilities she had, and because she had a massive amount of power for her age.**

 **For the first time, Kristine's power was not looked at as an almost uniformly positive thing. Having a young person with much more power than that should've had led to psychological consequences, all of which she was suffering from. In addition, Kristine still had uncontrolled power flowing unchecked, and was aware. She and her allies actively resisted any attempts to control it, and said allies often joined her because they had their own uncontrolled powers, and hated tell the world treated them. Later on, there was to be a reveal that since this power was the first time anyone had seen those particular abilities was seen up close, there was no way to control it in place. This prompted those who were concerned about Kristine to try and create their own means of controlling the power, although it's not known how successful they would've been.**

 **What made Price of Rebirth even more significant was that this was the first time I really tried to portray Kristine as an author avatar. As a result, this was the first time she had a complex backstory, motivations, personality, and development. Consequently, this was also the first time my disability and other health issues appeared in any story, and as accurate as I could make them. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to portray any of that while making Kristine an active force and the main character in the story. As a result, the disability became a means of attracting attention, but nothing more. This incarnation of Kristine marked the first time that character was placed in a high position of political power, and she wasted no time using it. Furthermore, unlike the other stories that merely hinted at war and similar issues, Price of Rebirth spared no detail the world was in the middle of a war, and people suffered. As a result, Kristine and many other characters grew restless, and eventually decided to stop the war by any means.**

 **The problem was that most of these characters were children, including Kristine herself.**

 **Although in this story, it was and expected to teach children how to fight, that didn't mean any of them really understood what was going on. As a result, they chose to rebel against authorities that they saw as responsible for everything. Then, after that, they would take down any criminals remaining. Needless to say, things didn't usually work out as well the children hoped, and a lot of them were branded criminals (if not already turning to criminal deeds) and suffered psychological problems as a result. Kristine was aided in her own efforts by an ancient goddess that inhabited her body alongside her. This goddess was entirely original character, ruled over all canon gods, and to a lesser extent, the mortal world. Although the Kristine and the goddess had some awkward moments and arguments, they became close. As a result, the goddess gave Kristine great power, and Kristine gave her a lens in which to directly see the mortal world. Alternative timelines also played a role much later on in the story, although Kristine was much less powerful in them than she is here. All of the above themes were used in addition to the ones involved in Kristine's first Price of Rebirth incarnation.**

 **As one might notice, many of the themes in Traveler were present in Price of Rebirth. Kristine's personality was extremely similar to the Revenant, yet even more aggressive and manipulative. However, she genuinely believed that she was doing what was the best for the world, and there were many moments of genuine politeness and trust. She also tended to use her manipulation only if it had positive effects, and understood that manipulating people constantly could lead to consequences. There were also quite a few times when she spared or just chose not to attack enemies. However, Kristine was usually biding her time to strike later, and would not hesitate to switch sides over and over as long as it would further her own agenda. Kristine justifies this by the seemingly never-ending war, her own power allowing her to do more things to fix it, and the state the world at the time. However, many other characters don't see it that way, distrusting and punishing her. Eventually, Kristine would realize all the damage her efforts had done, and that she herself had been manipulated for most of the story. Heartbroken, Kristine attempts to atone and take down the true manipulator, but by then it's almost too late.**

 **So Price of Rebirth involved a massive amount of development for Kristine's character, and Traveler as a whole.**

 **However, that also contributed to what happened to it.**

 **Price of Rebirth was created when I finally discovered writing sites. As a result, several chapters were published. However, in these chapters were consistently taken down and reworked as I was consistently unsatisfied with Kristine's character, said character continued to develop, and the story itself changed repeatedly. I was in the middle of something involving Price of Rebirth (a story known as The Altar) when I began to work on Holly Rising's RP and Traveler. I originally figured I could keep Traveler separate from Price of Rebirth, and work on both stories together. Kristine's character didn't feature at all in Traveler initially, so it seemed plausible.**

 **Except when I introduced the Revenant. As stated before, the Revenant acted extremely similar to Kristine's character in Price of Rebirth. Originally, I didn't think much of it, determined to keep the stories separate with the same character. However, I realized the Revenant was so similar to Kristine's character from Price of Rebirth that** **they may as well have been the same character.** **Themes from Price of Rebirth were also being included in Traveler. Not only was I tried to tell the same story twice, but these things fit much better in Traveler. In addition, several aspects of Kristine's character (such as the traveling and the disability or lack thereof) fit much better in the single videogame world of Pokémon than they did with several videogame worlds together.**

 **As a result, I carried over what concepts I could (which was most of them), took down everything posted related to Price of Rebirth (including the Altar), and focused solely on including Kristine's character in Traveler in the form of the Revenant. As for Price of Rebirth itself, I decided to truly make it a separate story with a different original character (one left over from the story with Kristine who could not transfer over). However, much of the new story, along with what I will start it, is unknown.**

 **Regardless, what the Revenant became led to the creation of the Mold Breaker Kristine.**

 **And that brought me to the present.**

 **Speaking of the present, there's still some things that need clearing up there.**

 **Such as a few events that happened last chapter.**

 **-So I knew as soon as I made Holly a villain that she couldn't become the Champion. There was the idea of letting her become the Champion anyway and succeed in taking over the League. However, I quickly realized that would make the ending tragic, and it was most likely a lot of the main cast would end up dead or incapacitated. It also made anything that came after predictable, as those who survived would then fight Holly and the Revenant in an attempt to wrest the League from their control. So this idea was rapidly discarded.**

 **Another idea came up was just having Holly lose to Scarlet. This idea was also quickly discarded. The reason was that after all the time easily taking down opponents in the League and studying their tactics, it wouldn't make sense for Holly to suddenly lose against the last opponent. In addition, even if Holly was incapacitated,** **the Revenant certainly wouldn't be.** **She'd be more than enough to take down Scarlet and probably anyone else that would fight against her and Holly. In addition, she easily just enact the plan she uses in this chapter early, and destroy all opponents that way. It might even work to their advantage, since Diantha has even less of a chance of coming in time to save them.**

 **A third idea was having Holly get away with killing Scarlet before the others are able to do anything. However, this idea was gotten rid of almost instantly. For one, the kill would be very messy, and make the League unusable for almost anything in the future. Furthermore, like the Pokémon Reborn example last chapter, the others could simply refuse to recognize Holly as Champion, even if she somehow managed to register herself in the Hall of Fame. Then the scene would proceed as normal, with the others trying to apprehend Holly, and Kristine easily fighting them off. So not only was there issues with that making sense, but there was also the problem that didn't add much narratively.**

 **A fourth scenario played out in that Holly and the Revenant successfully tricked Scarlet into betraying the League. However, as interesting as that prospect was, it didn't make much sense. The reason is that although Scarlet seems for young and naïve, she isn't stupid. Leaving the lake means leaving behind family, friends, and fame. Plus, given the status of Holly and the Revenant, Scarlet earning any of that back is dubious at best. Finally, with so many people against Holly and the Revenant, I feel like Scarlet would eventually figure out the truth, and switch sides.**

 **So in the end, I needed Holly to lose the battle for the Champion title against someone that wasn't the Champion.**

 **The question was how. I needed to think of a person that could easily win the battles in the League, have the power and the knowledge to successfully repel Holly and the Revenant, and have the motivation to see all that through to the end.**

 **The answer was Kristine.**

 **I thought it fitting, considering a false Kristine was the one that started Holly down the dark part of her journey, and at the end of the journey she would meet the real one. However, I quickly realized that it would be difficult to write Holly losing from her point of view after she had won so much, and it would be seen as disappointing (at the very least) to those who had wanted her to finally triumph over her opponents. The next chapter would reveal she would escape anyway, but those reading the chapters initially would not be able to see that. All that would only lead to more disappointment. So I decided to switch the point of view to Kristine's. A battle would still happen, the point of view character would still win the match, and things would seem to have a desirable resolution. However, it would be revealed that the point of view character is on the opposing side, is a character most barely know rather than the one that has been followed the whole story, and whose eerie abilities give off vibes that something is** **very wrong.** **Since I had planned for this chapter to be in Kristine's point of view from the very beginning, having another chapter in the same flowed perfectly. It also allowed for me to expand on Kristine's character and the setting as a whole, especially since Holly spends most of that chapter imprisoned. However, I do plan writing a separate companion story showing the final two chapters from Holly's point of view. That way, the sadness and negativity about her defeat is out of the way, and anyone who is wondering what she felt during those chapters will be able to read her point of view.**

 **The odd title in the previous chapter is a reference to a song from the game Undertale. Unlike many videogames, Undertale encourages the player (and the human player character) to avoid truly fighting the monsters. Instead, whenever the player gets into a battle, they are encouraged to show mercy to the monsters they fight, getting to know them and trying to help them through their issues. Doing this successfully is different for each monster, and succeeding will grant the player the use of a spare command. Selecting the command allows players to win fights, allowing the enemy to flee unharmed while granting a reward. However, the spare command resets every time the player battles the monster, so in order to use a second time, the player must fulfill the conditions for sparing opponents again. Regardless, the game encourages the player to spare as many monsters as they can while traveling the world to figure out what happened there. Sparing every monster encountered and befriending all the major ones grants the player the game's best ending.**

 **However, the player can choose to attack monsters. The game outright discourages this, punishing the player with non-rewarding, tedious, and sometimes difficult fights. There are also measures put in place to make sure the player doesn't accidentally kill too many monsters. Should the player ignore all this and consistently kill every monster in the area, they enter what is colloquially known as the Genocide Run. In this, the monsters begins to see the player character as an enemy killing them for no reason. While most of them flee, there are some who attack back.**

 **And one of them is the one represented with the song in the chapter's title.**

 **About halfway through Undertale, the player encounters a knightly monster called Undyne. Undyne has a hatred of humans, and thus, is one of the few monsters hostile towards the player character. However, the player character can befriend her, making her realize that humans as a whole do not deserve hostility. Doing this is a requirement for the best ending. However, if the player is doing a Genocide Run reaches the point where they normally encounter Undyne, the latter's hostility is proven justified. As a result, she takes it upon herself to stop the player's assault on the remaining monsters. Just before the player is about to kill the monster equivalent of an innocent child, Undyne allows him to escape by taking the fatal blow herself. As she is about to die, Undyne absorbs the wishes, hopes, dreams, prayers, and desires of every single monster in the world. She realizes they unanimously want to defeat the player, and use that power to miraculously survive the fatal blow. After that, she becomes a very powerful opponent called Undyne the Undying and engages the player.**

 **During Undyne healing's and right up to the time before battle, this song the previous chapter is named after playing.**

 **The Genocide Run paints the player as a villain and the monsters they needlessly fight and kill as the protagonists and heroes.**

 **At no point is that clearer than lead up to the fight with Undyne.**

 **What happens while the song the previous chapter is named for is playing is just like what happens with Holly and the Revenant.**

 **Because the supposed enemies previously read about** **aren't enemies.**

 **The two people whose point of view has been read about for almost the entire story** **are.**

 **Therefore, I felt like no title would be more fitting.**

 **-The epilogue chapter had a lot of changes than what was originally planned. One thing involves its title. I wasn't sure what I wanted to name the epilogue first, so I decided to reference music and song titles. However, I couldn't figure out what song to use. I'd written down many different lyrical and instrumental tunes that I'd thought of using. However, as the final chapter grew nearer, I still wasn't sure what I wanted to use.**

 **Then, I finally got my hands on the game Undertale and with that came another song.**

 **That song was called Determination.**

 **Determination is something vital to Undertale's story, and is actually a substance within creatures. This Determination the ability to keep going after a loss, even if said loss is fatal. That is because those with who are powerful enough to wield large quantities of Determination can simply restart their journeys from a previous point. Usually, these points are areas where they gained even more of it. Those who can do this are said to have the ability to SAVE. Typically, only humans can safely wield Determination. The substance is something monsters cannot produce naturally, and if they put into their bodies artificially, they mutate into horrible abominations called amalgamates. The player is someone who can use Determination and has the ability to SAVE. What they do with that power depends on how the game is played.**

 **Determination also has a second use, as the name of the game over theme. If the player character is defeated in battle, a somber theme will play. Over this theme, the king of monsters, Asgore, (although the player doesn't know with him at the time, and he does not appear in person) tells the player not to give up. He states that the player must stay determined, and the player can then choose whether to follow his advice by continuing.**

 **I chose the song Determination because of the reasons it's used in the game. It is Undertale's game over theme. Since the people who are really the protagonists have lost, a game over theme is fitting. However, there is also the fact that many of them have survived and still have some means of fighting. As such, they can still stay determined to continue after the loss. This is particularly true for Kristine, who laments that she has lost, to the point of blaming herself for everything. Thus, the two angels tell her to stay determined, similar to what Asgore tells the player after losing. In addition, Kristine realizes she can still keep going after the loss, and that there is still a glimmer of hope that the others may succeed. This glimmer of hope is what compels her to summon Cosmog. In turn, the action allowed the others to restart their journey in finding Holly and the Revenant after their loss before. In essence, Kristine's renewed Determination is giving the others the Determination to also keep going.**

 **-Also, originally, this chapter was going to be very short. It was only going to consist of Kristine having the vision, and nothing more. In addition, Kristine was never going to be named (not even using her Trainer Title), or even seen other than this chapter. Instead, there would just be a subtle hint that not everything was that it seemed. When I decided I wanted Kristine to make more appearances and become a reoccurring character in Holly Rising, this idea was no longer used. I found it jarring, and that it was distracting because having a new character coming out of almost nowhere would take focus away from the events that were happening within the chapter. The entire chapter would also be of fairly tragic end, instead of the bittersweet one the longer version turned out to be. Finally, it didn't make much sense to keep Kristine's identity too secret. This is because those are kept up with the companion stories would know who she was, and having her not be as big a secret would give me more freedom to expand on and flesh out her character.**

 **-The problem with not having this chapter be longer to begin with was that it was difficult to figure out what exactly I wanted to add in. Thus, several things were omitted. One omission was Kristine thinking about her father. She originally was going to ponder her relationship with her father, and then wonder about the men who died. She wonders if that man even made it to some sort of afterlife, knowing that he probably didn't believe in the gods. She's not even sure he can make it to heaven, given what he's done on Earth. The angels later tell her that the man has made it to the afterlife, although he has to wait to get into heaven due to what he has done on earth. Kristine then continues to ponder her relationship with her own father before moving on to the next subject. This part was removed because it didn't make much sense for Kristine to be thinking about her father when he is very much alive. Furthermore, where the Revenant's father went does not have much bearing on the story.**

 **-Another omission was a reference to the slang term snowflake. For those who don't know, a snowflake is a derogatory term usually used to mean a combination of things in a person. People called snowflakes are seen as believing their special over anyone else, and must be treated as such. They are also mocked as being overly sensitive, entitled, selfish, constantly complaining, and lazy. People called snowflakes are often expecting handouts, having everything given to them even if they don't realize it. This became such a massively used insult that entire generations are sometimes called snowflakes. Kristine was going to make a subtle reference to Holly and the Revenant being snowflakes. She would just mention that it would've been perfect of snow was falling, because she had just dealt with a pair of snowflakes.**

 **This reference was removed because it was so subtle that it could easily be confusing and not picked up. In addition, Holly didn't exactly fit the term. While most of the words could be used to describe her, she didn't really believe she was special. Furthermore, she's not overly sensitive, as snowflakes are often characterized to be. The Revenant didn't fit the definition hardly at all, so it couldn't be used for her.**

 **The original version the chapter considered expanding on the conflict between the old and the young that was going on within the story. Rather morbidly, Kristine realizes that the children will just keep going no matter how many people get in their way, and the adults will eventually fall by the hands of those children that will inevitably outlive them. However, this was omitted for several reasons. One is that there's just as much of a chance of that** **not** **happening, especially if the children get injured or killed in battle. The second reason was that the conflict was not really young versus old, even if it seemed that way. It was more of an issue of who stood for what ideals, and whose ideals were in the right. The fact that many young people were fighting against older ones was more or less a side effect of the current training system.**

 **One of the largest changes was that originally Ivy and Espeon were going to appear to Kristine, speak to her, and guide her to the Hall of Fame. However, this was changed for many reasons. One was that Kristine doesn't really know either of them in her own world, but she does know Professor Pine, however brief. Therefore, I thought the scene would be more impactful if the angels that appeared to Kristine were people she knew, even indirectly. Furthermore, Ivy doesn't have the means to escort people to the Hall of Fame, and neither does Espeon, so having them there would be rather out of place. Finally, Professor Pine started the plot of most of the story. Therefore, I thought it would be fitting if she was also seen at the end.**

 **As for what content** **did** **make it into the final version…**

 **-So Diantha finally appears here, after being part stated to be part of the main conflict way back in Celadon. While the scene with her in this chapter was planned from the beginning, she was originally going to appear much earlier before that. At first, Diantha would appear after the events in Seafoam Islands. Holly and the Revenant would exit the area, and Diantha would be waiting for them. Diantha would exchange some harsh words, most likely about what the Revenant did in Kalos. After that, Diantha would attack the two with Xerneas's power. However, the Revenant would fight back with Yveltal before she could strike. She would then drain all of Diantha's power before tossing her into the ocean waters. However, Diantha would still survive and escape. In her weakened state, the Revenant and Holly would choose not go after her, instead continuing to go on their own journeys. As a result, Diantha would recover and appear during the final chapter.**

 **This scenario was taken out for a few reasons. One of which is that I realize that it wasn't too feasible to have Diantha get severely injured and recover in time for her second appearance. There was also the matter of how she would escape, especially if the Revenant knows that she has the power to stand up against her. Additionally, I also had not planned out what they would talk about, since most of the subjects that were relevant were explained by other characters. Another issue was that Diantha would be able to stand up to Yveltal, or at least know what it could do. So she could at least hold their own if the two fought, rather than being helpless and caught off guard like everyone else. So, it was not guaranteed that she would lose any fights. Even if she was fighting a losing battle, Diantha would probably know that well in advance. So she'd most likely stay away, only fighting if there was no other choice or in a massive emergency (like the scenario in this chapter). With all of these issues, Diantha's first scene did not make sense, so it was removed.**

 **-Kristine's comment about being grateful that the blood wasn't from them an illness and hearing many horror stories is based on something real life. In real life, a nosebleed so bad that the blood flows into the throat and mouth is usually a sign of a serious illness. Some of these illnesses can also be fatal. However, when designing Kristine's character, I wanted her nosebleeds to be from supernatural causes and powers (like the visions). So I decided to have her knowledge that normally a nosebleed that bad could mean someone is extremely ill, but that supernatural causes also exist.**

 **-So the Pokémon Kristine and shown to own in this chapter was within that was planned from the start. I was writing down what Pokémon she had after keeping track of everyone else's, but wasn't sure which I would use within the story. When the time came, I decided I want to use all of them after taking the time and effort to write them down. However, I wasn't sure how I would use them in the story, and what role they would play. Then I realized there were quite a few things left unresolved and unexplained during Holly's story and her point of view. So I used Kristine and her Pokémon to explain them. I figured it would make sense, because no matter how well Kristine tries to hide her true identity, certain things like her limp will always be recognizable. Thus, people driven by emotion, grudges, and rage will still attack her, rather than using logic to process the differences in front of them. They gave me the inspiration for a lot of the scenarios were Kristine's Pokémon appear, and thus, that was written down.**

 **-A few notes on the Pokémon themselves. Joan is indeed the same Missingno seen in the zoo back in Fuchsia. Originally, she was going to be a completely different from that Pokémon. However, I didn't have any plans for that particular one, so I decided it would be a good time to link events and characters together by just using the Missingno in the zoo. Also instantly, the Missingno was originally planned to be male. However, when I thought of the name Joan, I knew she had to be female.**

 **-Joan becoming Kristine's right hand Pokémon as a Ranger is based off of something in the Pokémon Ranger games. Typically, Rangers cannot permanently keep any wild Pokémon they catch. However, Rangers can pick up a Partner Pokémon. These Pokémon will permanently remain with their Ranger, in addition to granting other effects in battle. Some Rangers have more than one Partner Pokémon, but they can only carry one at a time. Other Partner Pokémon must wait at a designated area, and the Ranger must head to that area to switch between them. Furthermore, if a Pokémon decides they want to become a Ranger's Partner Pokémon, but a Ranger does not officially have the title, that Pokémon must wait until the Ranger officially is declared such before they can join as a Partner Pokémon. Even though having a Partner Pokémon is important, it does not seem to be a requirement. Therefore, several Rangers do not have them. If a Ranger gives up the title, it is implied that must also give up their Partner Pokémon (although it is unknown what happens to these Pokémon after).**

 **-Zeraora being the god of the thunderclap is based off of the games. In the games, it's called the thunderclap Pokémon. Therefore, I thought that would be a fitting name for here. As for Zeraora defeating Darkrai, Zeraora is one of the few that out-speed it. Additionally, Zeraora learns a variety of powerful Fighting Type moves, something which Darkrai is weak to. Combining that with Darkrai's low defenses versus Zeraora's led to Kristine's Zeraora's earning the win. Zeraora protecting travelers is based on the anime. In the anime, there is a Trainer with his Zeraora. They live in an alternate world on the other side of an Ultra Wormhole, protecting any Travelers that pass through. I decided I could see Zeraora protecting travelers in general, especially those that came through Ultra Wormholes. So I decided to use something inspired by that here. Finally, Zeraora's being named Ferrari comes from a fan interpretation. When Zeraora was first released, one amusing, and stated that it was as fast as a Formula One car and hit hard, but couldn't take hits in return. I thought that was hilarious, and wanted to reference it. Ferraris had been the fastest car used in Formula One races for many years. Therefore, I thought it would be fitting if Zeraora was named after one.**

 **-The power of purification only being a bandage is based off of my own interpretation. I figure that even though purification might heal physical corruption, it wouldn't heal any psychological issues that arose from that, or any that occurred after. It most likely also wouldn't stop a person from being corrupted twice, physical or otherwise. Furthermore, if the person had psychological issues, such as what Kristine is experiencing, the purification power can do nothing.**

 **The idea of what Uriel could do if the power of purification worked on psychological issues comes from my own interpretations as well. It is stated that the Pokémon Cresselia can heal and purify corruption and other problems from psychological issues. It can also completely stop nightmares. However, not much else is stated besides that. Therefore, I came up with the idea that while purification from psychological issues can help diminish** **symptoms,** **underlying issues that caused the symptoms will still remain. Therefore, psychological purification only reduces symptoms enough for the individual to hopefully be able to seek and receive treatment on their own. Furthermore, the psychological problems can still come back, with or without treatment (depending on the particular issue). The same holds true for nightmares. The reason for the limitations are because there is massive variety of psychological issues, and even larger variety of causes. Therefore, it would be impossible for one Pokémon to be able to completely heal them all. Healing these issues might even be very risky, with a chance of causing serious side effects. Even if the Pokémon could completely heal every psychological issue in the world, it would be exhausting and even dangerous. That Pokémon would constantly be healing, and many people would be hunting for and trying to capture it. So I came up with the explanation used here.**

 **-The crown of shining leaves comes from the Johto remakes. Throughout the game, the player can walk around with their Pokémon. In rare cases, Pokémon will pick up something called a Shiny Leaf. Shiny leaves don't do anything by themselves, but if the Pokémon collects five of them, they can be made into an item called a Leaf Crown. To obtain the Leaf Crown, a player must get their first Shiny Leaf, then go speak to either Ethan (if playing as a girl) or Lyra (if playing as a boy). The other character will request that the player grab four more Shiny Leaves. If the player fulfills that request, the other Trainer will craft a Leaf Crown. Once that happens, the player will have the achievement registered on their Trainer Card. They will also receive a certificate, stating that they and the Pokémon who found the Shiny Leaves have forged a bond that will continue eternally.**

 **-So, some people may notice that Mallory is different here. For one, she's dead. For two, she never truly became Kristine's Pokémon until after she died. The reason for this is that I decided I want to have Mallory have a more sympathetic portrayal despite how she is in the story. That way, I could really examine her character beyond the bloodthirsty monster she became under the Revenant, and truly figure out made what made her act the way she did. This also turned the Mallory Kristine knew into a positive character, with interests other than fighting, and having relationships to others more fleshed out. The reason she stays a wild Pokémon is that Mallory's condition is not something Kristine wants or knows how to deal with. Furthermore, Kristine cannot really influence Mallory's behavior much at all, and cannot be held responsible on the occasion Mallory** **does** **exhibit bloodthirstiness. The reason why she's dead has to do with something that is revealed later. I am also not sure how much of Mallory's character and past I want to reveal, at least until Kristine's own past is revealed in later books.**

 **-Naganadel and Rayquaza being too tall for buildings comes from their data and the games. Certain Pokémon are extremely tall, with the aforementioned ones being two. Naganadel is almost** **12 feet high.** **Without its Mega form, Rayquaza stands** **27 feet tall.** **With its Mega form, it jumps to** **35 feet tall.** **Heights like these would** **utterly obliterate** **any building these Pokémon even** **tried** **to enter. And yet Pokémon like the aforementioned ones can battle in buildings no problem. The games don't really address the issues of height (or similarly, length). The only time it's even brought up in the Johto remakes, when larger and taller Pokémon can't walk with player inside of buildings. Even then, these Pokémon can still battle normally, and no one bats an eye. I'm not sure how Traveler will address the issue, especially since Pokémon like Naganadel have already been seen fighting in buildings. Rest assured, there will still be a way to allow them to fight while addressing the issue of height or length (or at least making a note of it).**

 **-Kristine having a golden Naganadel is based on something from the games. In the games, one could receive a Poipole (who could later evolve into Naganadel) as a gift. There's a chance this Pokémon can be shiny, in which case Naganadel's normally purple body is gold. However, a real-life event allowed players to get a shiny Poipole through use of a code and an Internet connection. This Poipole could then evolve into Naganadel. I was lucky enough to get one of the codes, and evolve my shiny Poipole into Naganadel. I found that I really liked the design, so Lucille is shiny here.**

 **-Lucille Fleetfoot is a canon character, although she is portrayed a bit differently in this series. Most notably, in her home game, she is called Lucy. The reason she's called Lucille here is that there is another character named Lucy (from Hoenn's Battle Frontier). Canonically, the two never meet, and are implied to be in different universes within the Pokémon world. Here, the two are in the same universe, and could very well meet. Therefore, Lucy Fleetfoot's name became Lucille.**

 **Canonically, Lucille Fleetfoot is the main protagonist of Pokémon Torzei. She is something similar to an International Police Officer, although she is not directly called that. Therefore, I just decided to make her a member of the International Police Force. The game details Lucille's battles against an evil organization called the Phobos Battalion. That organization is intent on stealing Pokémon from Trainers inside of their Poké Balls, and Lucille seems to be the only one that can stop them. Her mission is stated to be quite risky, but others by his full trust and confidence in her. This is why she is stated to be skilled is an International Police Officer in this story. Lucille uses several methods of transportation and gadgets to infiltrate the Phobos Battalion bases in order to rescue the kidnapped Pokémon. Unlike other members of police forces in Pokémon, Lucille engages in her home's games version of Pokémon battles directly, and is implied to have done so before. This is why she is called a powerful battler in this story. Lucille does own an Aipom and Manetric, but it's not known if she battles with them as a Pokémon Trainer. She's also one of the few characters to have completely different outfits depending on whether or not she's doing a mission. Finally, Lucille receives advice from an unnamed Pokémon professor, telling her where to go next and what she can expect.**

 **The Phobos Battalion are extremely lighthearted, and thus will not make an appearance of the Traveler series. It is unknown if the unnamed professor will make an appearance in Traveler at this time. However and as mentioned before, Lucille Fleetfoot is confirmed to be in the series, with as much of her canon character carried over as possible. Even though the Phobos Battalion and Lucille's fight against them will not be in Traveler, it's possible that the basic premise of her story will be. However, if an adaptation of Lucille's story in her home game is used, it will most likely be in a much darker and serious context.**

 **-There is a slight change to Lamborghini from the original RP, and this change is based off of real-life events. Typically, Meltan and its evolution cannot be shiny. However, if the player fulfills the requirements for catching Meltan in Pokémon GO during certain real-life calendar dates, Meltan encountered have a chance of being shiny. These Meltan can then be evolved into Melmetal, and/or transferred to Pokémon Let's Go. There's also less days needed to wait before using a Mystery Box, as well. On the flipside, these events only last for a limited time. Once an event has run its course, the player will not be able to catch shiny Meltan unless another event starts.**

 **One of the events ran while the story was being written for the original RP. However, I did not have a phone and a carrier that could run Pokémon Go very well. In addition, I had already completed everything I wanted to in Pokémon Let's Go, so I saw no reason to use Pokémon Go anymore. I looked up the shiny forms of Meltan and Melmetal, but was unimpressed. Therefore, I decided not to use them at first.**

 **While this story was being ported, another shiny Meltan event started running in Pokémon Go. This time, I had a new phone and carrier that could handle Pokémon Go very well. Therefore, I decided to try participating in the event. I was lucky, getting two shiny Meltan. I eventually evolved one and sent it to the Let's Go games. While I was doing this, the shiny form grew on me, and I decided I really liked it by the end. Therefore, I chose to make Kristine's Melmetal shiny in the ported version of the final RP chapter.**

 **-Kristine's thoughts on her Blissey comes from the games. Normally, if Blissey is attacking, is given a move that does a set amount of damage regardless of the opponent's defenses. Therefore, Charity was originally planned to use Seismic Toss, a move that does damage equal to the user's level. However, the maximum amount of damage it could do was 100 hit points, and I figured it was extremely likely that Holly's Raichu would have more than 100 hit points by the time she reached Fuchsia. Therefore, defeating in a single hit would be impossible.**

 **As a result, the move was changed to Shadow Ball instead. Even though Blissey's special attacking stat is fairly low, it can still do damage with special moves. The combination of Kristine's Pokémon being much higher leveled than Holly's, Raichu's bad defenses, and the Alolan form's Type disadvantage made the former's Pokémon taking out the latter in a single hit not unfeasible. However, said situation usually doesn't happen when opponents are on even ground. Therefore, Kristine acknowledges the rarity in her next few sentences.**

 **-Heal Pulse and Heal Bell being used to heal Deila is based on the games. In the games, Heal Pulse heals a single target, but cannot heal the user. Heal Bell heals all status conditions for the user and their entire team. I figured Heal Pulse could be used to heal Delia's physical injuries. Heal Bell could be used to cure paralysis, assuming Kristine and Delia being formally allied together at the time counted as being on the same team. It's not known if that's indeed the case, because Heal Bell is never seen being used on people in the Pokémon media. However, I felt like it wasn't too far-fetched if the two being allies did account for them being on the same team.**

 **-The cycle of punishment, resentment, and events, as well as Kristine's initial lack of belief in it comes from something real-life. At the time I wrote the story, I had recently graduated from a teaching program. One of the main aspects on that program was discouraging teachers from punishing students. The idea was that punished students would resent their teachers and other authority figures. Then they would enact revenge on those who had punished them, creating an endless cycle.**

 **And I found the whole idea ridiculous.**

 **I thought that a typical (typical meaning those not predisposed to misbehavior and revenge for punishment without caring about the consequences) child would not have the power, knowledge, or drive to exact revenge on an adult in authority. Even if they did follow through and succeed, I also thought that they would feel extremely guilty afterward, and they would at least somewhat understand the consequences of their vindictive behavior.**

 **But then I began to wonder.**

 **What if a seemingly normal child** **did** **have the power, knowledge, and honest desire to get revenge? What if that same child truly didn't care about consequences, only wanting to bring their own punishment on those that punished them? What if at least one adult in the child's life thought the way I did, standing firmly by their own beliefs no matter what? And what if said adult's beliefs were wrong, and they didn't realize it until there were disastrous consequences?**

 **In a world where almost** **anyone** **could gain** **massive** **power, it was almost** **terrifyingly** **easy to imagine a scenario where all of this would occur.**

 **And the result of that was Holly.**

 **-The idea of a Pokémon marriages and Pokémon carrying wedding rings was inspired by an event in the games. In the Alola games, the player can help out with and participate in the Pikachu wedding at the Hano Grand Resort. Though the wedding is only a child's game, there is a formal ceremony with vows. A lesser example occurs in the anime, where someone actually wants to marry her Snubbull off to someone else's. It is to the point where both of them are dressed up, and the Trainers are discussing wedding plans. However, the wedding gets called when Trainer when she realizes her Snubbull disdains the other one, and would much prefer to travel and fight. It's also annoying that there are many examples in Pokémon media of Pokémon falling in love with each other, although none of them get formally married. In real life, Pokémon themed weddings exist, and some people have formal weddings for pets. Pet weddings were also part of the inspiration for the wedding ring and past Pokémon wedding in the story.**

 **-So Professor Pine finally makes a physical appearance! Originally, she was going to appear at all during this story. However, as soon as I knew I wanted to end the story with her and that she was going to die, I wanted her to appear here. While Professor Pine was supposed to be a villain originally, as soon as I made Holly and the Revenant villains instead, I realized Professor Pine would switch sides as well. Her being against Holly and the Revenant originally meant that she was now on the side of the others (even indirectly) and thus benevolent. So, after a bit of fleshing out Professor Pine's motives and switching the trap around, the new allegiance was solidified. And of course, the led everything else here.**

 **-The story Kristine talks about comes from an anime called Haibane Renmei. In this story, several angel-like children and young adults, called Haibane, live in a city known as Glie. The Haibene are known for their charcoal gray wings, but they can't fly. I wanted to have Katrina have a different wing color because Absol already has something similar to white wings when it Mega evolves. Then I remembered the wings of the Haibane and thought that would fit perfectly. So I gave Katrina wings the same color and made the reference.**

 **-Kristine's story about Morty's promise to her was slightly different originally. I had first planned to have Kristine show a family photo rather than explaining her connections to Morty. She would still explain the vow afterward, though. However, I decided to simply have her explain it instead because I didn't know what the family photo would be of, or if I even wanted Kristine to even have one.**

 **-So Kristine's method of bringing forth Pokémon is finally revealed! Well it does have some slight basis in Pokémon canon, this method is actually heavily based on something from a game series called Valkyrie Profile. In this series, a group of people is either led by a Valkyrie, or she is an important character to them. The Valkyrie gathers the souls of fallen warriors and holds them in her body. These souls are normally just floating round objects that don't seem to take up any space. However, the Valkyrie can materialize these souls, allowing their owners to fight and otherwise interact with the world. The process the Valkyries used to materialize and call back souls looks almost exactly the same as what Kristine does in this chapter, minus the color scheme for the various souls. The idea also was inspired by the fact that while I had written down that Kristine would be associated with angels, I also considered having her be associated with the Valkyries instead. So when I thought of her utilizing souls like the Valkyries in Valkyrie Profile, I decide to combine the two associations.**

 **-There is also description related to this that is not in the original RP. In the original RP, why Kristine uses this method instead simply throwing Poké Balls was not going to be explained in the chapter. Instead, I thought about explaining it in author's notes. However, I realized that leaving something so important unexplained would be an issue. Lack of explanation would make seem like the power was coming out of nowhere, had no reason for appearing other than looking bizarre, and said power would be jarring. So I included the explanation in the actual chapter here. The reference to kicking Poké Balls comes from Pokémon Special. In that series, Crystal heads up Mt. Mortar, is attacked by a wild Arcanine, falls off a cliff, and breaks both her arms. Luckily, she is still able to battle with and capture Pokémon by kicking Poké Balls. In contrast, Kristine's condition affects both her arms** **and** **legs (among other things). So workarounds like kicking Poké Balls are not feasible for her.**

 **-In the original draft of her character, Kristine's spell does not allow her to magically carry items around. Instead, she relies on Mickey and its powers to do that. This is changed because relying on Mickey was both implausible and dangerous. If something happened to Mickey, or she would be able to call it to her for some reason, Kristine would effectively lose everything Mickey had in storage. This included vital items, such as the walker that she needs to move around for at least part of the time she travels as a Trainer. Furthermore, it wouldn't be functional for her to call on the Pokémon equivalent of a god every time she needed to retrieve or store an item. It would result in unwanted attention at best, and run Hoopa out of power at worst. So instead Kristine goes with a magic spell that allows her to have the items in her possession despite not being able to actually have most of them directly on her person.**

 **-Only a Champion and a regional professor being able to perform the coronation ceremony for new Champions and escort them into the Hall of Fame is based on the games. In most games in the canon series, the previous Champion coordinates the newly victorious one in the Hall of Fame. In some cases, such as all of the Kanto games (including Let's Go), just the regional professor does the coronation ceremony (in the case of the Kanto games, it's Professor Oak). There's rare cases where both the regional professor and the previous Champion conduct the ceremony (so far only in the Sinnoh games, although Professor Kukui fulfills both roles in Pokémon Sun and Moon). These rare cases are what inspired me to have both the previous Champion and the regional professor (or in this case, one of said professors) conducting the ceremony together in this story.**

 **-A person fulfilling the requirements to become Champion, yet choosing not to take the title and position happens a few times in the canon games. In the Kanto games and their remakes, Red fulfills the criteria for becoming Champion, but is not the Champion in the Johto sequels. Instead, Lance, former leader of the Kanto Elite Four, takes over the position. It's not known if Red took the Champion position for a while and stepped down in between games, or if Red simply chose not to take the title and handed it over to Lance. In the Let's Go games, Red is not Champion at all, but is acknowledged to be stronger than Champions.**

 **The Hoenn games have an interesting scenario where there is two different cases of this happening. In Ruby and Sapphire and their remakes, Steven is the Champion. In Pokémon Emerald, Wallace inexplicably is the Champion instead (despite none of Steven's dialogue changing to reflect him no longer having the position). In Pokémon Special, it's revealed that Steven and Wallace both fulfilled the criteria for becoming Champion. However, Wallace was officially named as the Champion, and Steven as the runner-up. Wallace chose not to take the position, instead giving it to Steven. After Steven fears that he may die in the upcoming final battle, the gives the title, position, and duties back to Wallace. Wallace accepts, and becomes the Champion from then on.**

 **Pokémon Black and White also has an interesting example. N is never formally crowned Champion, but serves as one in all other aspects by defeating the Elite Four and its current Champion Alder. It's implied he may have also fulfilled the other requirements for becoming Champion, such as gathering all eight Badges (as he otherwise would not have been able to get past the League gates). Regardless, the player has to face N as if he is the current Champion at the end of their League challenge. After N is defeated and freed from Ghetsis's control, he gives the title and position of Champion back to Alder and departs peacefully. If the player defeats the Elite Four again, they can challenge Alder for his title and a chance to enter the Hall of Fame.**

 **The final example at this time of writing is in Pokémon Sun and Moon. Kukui created the League, but does not wish to serve as its Champion. Thus, he is never formally called a Champion. However, the player must still battle him after defeating the Elite Four, and they must win the fight if they want to be crowned Champion. Since Sun and Moon's League is newly created, it's not exactly known what the requirements are at the time the player challenges it. However, it's implied that the requirement is to complete Alola's Island challenge and have all the resulting Z-crystals. Since both the player and Kukui have done this, that requirement has been fulfilled. While it's not known whether Kukui battled and defeated the members of the Elite Four before promoting them to that position, the player is required to do so. The fact that Kukui created the League implies that he is allowed to stand as its Champion regardless, at least until someone is officially crowned. Oddly enough, Kukui can still challenge the player for their title after the main game is cleared, despite not wanting to become Champion in the game proper.**

 **-The Hall of Fame has many iterations, with the ceremony and appearance being different for every region. Its appearance here is taken from the Let's Go games, since Kanto's Hall of Fame is rather bland otherwise. It's worth noting that many stories either omit most of the Hall of Fame ceremony, or skip it entirely. However, I chose to show it off in full because I was aiming for a conclusive, even if bittersweet, ending. So I felt there was no better example of conclusiveness than ending the journey at the place where Trainers' journeys reached their conclusions in the games.**

 **-The scene with Mercury and Polaris near the end of the chapter is inspired by the games. In the Alola games, the player can take Solgaleo and Lunala to their respective altars in order to enter an alternate world. This world does not seem to be any different other than the time being inverted. However, if the player heads to the lake with the same name as the altar and has the legendary exclusive to their game version in their party (Solgaleo for Sun, Lunala for Moon), something will change. The legendary Pokémon in the player's party will exit its Poké Ball, and the opposite version legendary Pokémon will also appear. The two then sit across from each other, and the camera pans up. After a short time, the camera pans back down, and Cosmog alone is seen in the center of where they were standing. Since two legendary Pokémon are said to be the adult forms of Cosmog, the game makes it clear that they created one somehow. However, how the two created Cosmog is not seen or explained. Therefore, I came up with my own explanation.**

 **-Cosmog's evolution requirements are also based on my own interpretation. What final form Cosmog evolves into is based on the game. If the evolution takes place in Pokémon Sun or Ultra Sun, Cosmog evolves into Solgago. If it takes place in Moon or Ultra Moon, the Cosmog evolves into Lunala. This rule stays in place regardless of what games the Cosmog is obtained in, or whether the player is in the alternate world. However, in the Traveler series, the different versions of the games don't play a role (or rather, can't). So, I changed the evolution requirements.**

 **-The changes come from Lunala been stated to be the female form of adult Cosmog in Pokedex entries. In the same entries, Solgaleo is the male form. Cosmog is considered genderless in canon, but considering the data about its evolution the games, I found it easy to give it genders provided someone who could tell those genders was present. If the games come up an with alternative way to evolve Cosmog into its final form (as a way to evolve it in future games) and it's something that does not rely on game versions, I will try to implement that into Traveler alongside the information used here. Kristine calling Cosmog child of the stars comes from its Pokédex entry.**

 **-So the last chapter of Holly Rising comes to a close.**

 **And with that, a writing project that lasted almost two years and culminated in the first ever successfully completed and published full-length story.**

 **There's a lot of emotions and reflections that come with this, but I just want to say one thing.**

 **A massive thank you.**

 **To Wizardmonfan, for creating the original RP and allowing me to port it here.**

 **To the other members of the Artist's Zone, for allowing me to become a member of their site and participate in activities there.**

 **To the countless creators whose resources I used to write and research things for the story, including the creators of the canon Pokémon games.**

 **Finally, to everyone who's shown even a passing interest in this story, be it a full-length review or a simple glance.**

 **Without all above people, completing the story wouldn't have been possible.**

 **-For all those that are wondering, there will be a sequel, and I'm also currently planning to make more than one. However, there are a few other projects I would like to prioritize and complete first, with some of these projects being related to Traveler. In addition, real-life obligations will probably pop up before I get to writing the sequel. These real of obligations will obviously take priority over anything else. Therefore, I cannot say what I will start writing the sequel (s). However, those interested should look at my Fanfiction . net profile for information on works that are currently being written, and their status. In addition, the profile will list any changes in real life that may slow down or speed up writing. It may also be helpful to follow or favorite me as an author via the options in Fanfiction . net.**

 **What I can say is that sequels will be more like traditional stories, because they won't have the constraints of an RP. So there will most likely be more description, and more consistent chapter lengths. However, the length of the stories themselves is unknown, and they will most likely not update in the quick clusters that this one did. In addition, I am unsure if I will ever complete or even port an RP again. I am also unsure if I will ever feature villainous viewpoints like Holly and the Revenant again (aside from companion stories from their points of view). However, I'm not ruling out the possibility of either happening the second time.**

 **Lastly, a document will be posted to my Deviantart supplementary materials folder shortly after this one. It's a document containing the allegiances, who has what Pokémon, and who lived or died within the story. I used this to keep track of everyone while I was writing, and figured I would make it publicly available when the story was finished. It can also be useful in the event of a long wait between this story and the sequel. Anyone who wants to view the document should keep an eye on my Deviantart page called wordwheels (or just head over to that page once the document is already posted).**

 **-So with this, Holly Rising is at last complete.**

 **But my writing projects are far from over.**

 **Because this is just a small step in a series, and one goal that I have reached.**

 **A goal that I am proud to say I have fulfilled.**

 **And one that I can look back on, remember all the unforgettable moments I had with the story that came from the goal, and relive the emotions I felt when I finally accomplished it.**

 **And even though this story has reached its end, I'm hoping it will inspire me to complete and publish many more stories.**

 **And that whatever stories it inspires will be as memorable to me as this one.**


End file.
